A Healthy Weight Loss Plan For Teenagers

An overweight teen has a 70 percent chance of staying overweight or developing obesity as an adult, according to the Office of the Surgeon General. An overweight teen often feels socially discriminated. Unfortunately, a teen faces many challenges when trying to loose weight loss because of a world full of high calorie and high fat foods. Luckily, with some support and a lot of commitment a teen can lose weight in a healthy manner.

Identify The Need

Many teens believe they should look like the actors or actresses on television. However, many of these role models fall into the underweight category due to fast metabolisms and poor eating habits, advises Dr. Michael Hall, a family practitioner in St. Marys, Pennsylvania. Teens develop at different rates, making it hard to determine if weight loss is required. To determine if your teen needs to lose weight, his Body Mass Index, or BMI, needs calculated and then plotted on a BMI to age chart. If your teen's BMI above the 85th percentile on the chart he may need to lose weight. Your teen's doctor or other health professional can help determine your teen's BMI percentile and if your teen should consider loosing weight.

Slow Changes

Your teen's eating habits have developed over a period of many years. Therefore, the will not change overnight. When you change too many things too fast, you decrease your teen's chances of success, advises Hall. Work with your teen to develop small goals like decreased television or computer time and limiting high calorie drinks. Once your teen masters one goal, develop another. Small steps help your teen change the bad habits into a new healthy lifestyle, making weight loss gradual and long-term.

Healthy Eating

Healthy eating allows your teen to lose weight gradually. Encourage your teen to drink water or low-fat milk, instead of soda or juice which contain a lot of extra sugar and calories, advises the Center for Young Women's Health. Fruits and vegetables make a great low calorie snack and can easily be added to any meal to reduce calories without reducing portion size. Increase the amount of whole grain available to your teen. Whole grain helps keep your teen fuller longer and contain more nutrients than white pastas and breads. Breakfast helps prevent your teen from getting too hungry throughout the day. Read nutrition labels to ensure your teen learns what a healthy portion looks like.

Exercise

Even a small increase in your teen's activity level will help burn calories and reduce weight. Regular exercise will help build muscle which burns more calories than fat, advises Hall. Teens need about 60 minutes of exercise each day. Help your teen find enjoyable activities to get aerobic exercise like team sports, taking the dog for a walk, cycling to school or going to a dance with friends. Enjoyment of the exercise will increase your teen's chances of continuing to stay active.

Support

With the challenges of weight loss, your teen needs support. Help support your teen by making healthy eating and increased activity part of your whole family's daily routine, according to MayoClinic.com. Be positive and help your teen find motivation even in the face of failure. Praise your teen for successes, and do not dwell on any failures.