Safe And Easy Diet Plans For Overweight Teens

For most teens, as well as adults, overweight is a condition caused by an imbalance--of eating and exercise. More calories are consumed than burned in physical activity. If you're the parent of a teen with a weight problem you can help him reverse that dynamic by encouraging a regimen of healthy diet and exercise. If you have a weight problem yourself, consider joining your teen in that effort.

Weight Loss

The Mayo Clinic advises having a heart-to-heart with your teen, letting her know that there actually two goals--losing weight and becoming healthy. This is something that will take time, as gradual weight loss is best. Make a doctor's appointment for your daughter. He can advise an appropriate weight-loss goal and discuss healthy diet regimens.

Diet

For weight loss, a well-balanced diet is the best approach. Eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains with moderate amounts of lean meat and low-fat dairy naturally lower caloric intake, while maintaining proper nutrition. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases also recommends limiting foods high in saturated fat and trans-fatty acids, as well as foods and beverages high in sugar.

Exercise

In addition to making dietary changes, encourage your teen to become more active. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion suggests at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. This doesn't necessarily mean an hour of exercise at a time. It can be broken into several activities during the day, such as biking, swimming, running, hiking, kayaking or playing soccer, basketball, tennis or another sport.

Model Behavior

Encourage your teen by modeling the behavior you want to see in him. If you're not eating right or getting enough physical activity yourself, you will be sending the wrong message and making your teen feel isolated and deprived. Snacking on raw carrots and broccoli can be hard for a teen who's watching his dad chow on chips and pizza. Make healthy family meals, avoid eating fast foods and schedule outings that increase your family's physical activity.

Along the Way

With teenagers, quick fixes can be tempting, so make sure that your child isn't severely limiting her calories, taking diet pills or exercising excessively. These do nothing to shape a healthy lifestyle, which is vital for long-term weight management. Relieve the pressure of reaching a final weight-loss goal by making short-term goals that are relatively easy to reach. For example, make it a goal to bike or jog a certain distance by a date that you set.