Losing weight as a teen will depend a lot on your individual lifestyle and motivation. Being at a healthy weight is important as a teenager because not only will it make you feel better about yourself, it will also help you maintain your overall health throughout your lifetime. If you are concerned about your weight you should talk to your doctor or nutritionist to determine if weight loss is necessary.
Easy Calories
Cut easy calories from your diet. Taking foods and beverages out of your diet that are not nutritionally beneficial to you can help you reduce the amount of calories you take in, which will induce weight loss. Reducing your calories below that of what you burn throughout the day will result in weight loss.
As a teen, you need to take a look at what types of things you eat that cause you to waste your calories such as soda, juice, high-calorie spreads and dips, candy, and fried or greasy foods. Once you find out what you are eating that is nutritionally deficient and high in calories cut these out of your diet. Either get rid of these foods entirely or replace them with healthier alternatives such as replacing soda and juice with water and replacing candy with bite-size fruits such as berries. Taking these foods out of your diet is an easy way to drastically cut calories. For instance, if you replace one can of soda a day with water over a seven-day period you will cut at least 840 calories out of your diet.
Eat Regularly
Schools often align with the idea that you should eat three meals a day, but this is not necessarily conducive to a healthy weight-loss plan. To help promote your weight loss and keep your metabolism high you should eat small healthy snacks in between each meal. According to TeensHealth.org, eating a healthy snack such as whole grain pretzels or carrots in between meals will help you cut calories without feeling hungry because your body will be constantly supplied with food energy.
Having these healthy snacks on hand is important to promote low-calorie and nutritionally rich food choices. Prepare the healthy snacks before you go to school and carry them with you throughout your day. Possible snack choices include cut-up apples, berries, almonds, bananas and peanut butter.
Family Support
Involve your family in your weight-loss goals. When others around you are eating unhealthy or choosing not to exercise it can be hard for you to motivate yourself to make positive weight-loss choices. Help your parents make healthy grocery lists and go to the store with them to pick out the healthy foods to have in the house. The MayoClinic.com suggests removing junk foods from your house and replacing them with healthier alternatives so you are not tempted to eat unhealthy.
Exercise as a family. Get your parents to go on walks with you after dinner. Find ways to engage in physical activity with your family on the weekends such as going for a bike ride or swimming at the pool.
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