Being overweight can lead to problems such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, so teens over their recommended weight range should lose some pounds to stay as healthy as possible. However, some teens in a healthy weight range mistakenly believe that they also should lose weight. If you think you're overweight, your doctor or dietitian can help you create and reach healthy weight goals based on your individual needs.
Assessing Your Weight
When you visit your doctor or dietitian for a weight assessment, she will likely use a formula known as body mass index, also known as BMI. It will help her determine whether you might have too much body fat based on how tall you are and how much you weigh, says KidsHealth, a part of the Nemours Foundation. Once she plots your weight and height into the formula, she will plot the resulting BMI number on a chart for teens of your age and gender to get an idea of where you stand. If you're at the 85th percentile or higher, she may ask you questions about your lifestyle and take other tests before she determines whether you should lose some weight.
Warning
Fad diets are diets that require you to ditch important nutrients in order to lose weight. They aren't healthy for adults, but they can be even more dangerous for a growing teen as they can rob you of essentials such as calcium and iron, according to the Mayo Clinic. Another dangerous weight-loss option for teens is diet pills. Even the seemingly harmless ones on the grocery store shelf can harm your health and they're not proven to help you maintain long-term weight loss, according to KidsHealth.
Exercise
You should be getting around 60 minutes of exercise every day, but it doesn't have to be all at once, at a gym or through playing school sports, says the Mayo Clinic. Focus on having an active lifestyle. Ride your bicycle to school, take a walk with a friend during school break time, dance as you dust the furniture, jog in place during your favorite television show and walk your dog after dinner.
Diet
Focus on eating whole grains, five-a-day of fruits and vegetables, lean sources of protein, low-fat dairy and mostly unsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and you will have less room to fill up on less-nutritious foods. Toss a few plastic snack bags with celery, whole-grain pretzels and almonds in your backpack and snack when you're running out of steam in the middle of the day. You will be more likely to eat smaller portions if you're not famished by the next big mealtime, says KidsHealth. If you're not used to eating mostly healthy foods, start gradually with little changes such as ditching one can of soda every day; just doing that can save you around 1,050 calories a week, says the Mayo Clinic.
Healthy Tip
Recruit your family members to join you in your weight-loss efforts. Teens who get support from their families generally have better results when trying to manage their weight, according to KidsHealth. Ask your parents to bypass the junk food aisle and stock up on healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, whole-grain crackers and low-fat string cheese; better yet, join them at the store and pick out your favorites. Bond over family dinners and avoid watching television during meals so you can focus on your level of fullness, then go for an evening walk together.
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