The teenage years are a critical time for the body's physical and mental development, and unhealthy habits can have serious lifelong effects. For teens who are concerned with losing weight, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to do it, and some guidance on healthy eating habits can help prevent eating disorders and malnutrition. The USDA offers a customizable Food Guide Pyramid that teens can use to determine how much of each food group to eat.
Low-calorie Diets
A healthy low-calorie diet for teens should include all of the recommended food groups, including grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat and beans. Consult your doctor to determine the right amount of calories you should consume, depending on your weight, activity level, sex and age. To follow a low-calorie diet, cut out junk food and fast food from your lifestyle. Teen Growth recommends reducing your portion sizes and snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables. Also cut down on high-fat foods, as they tend to be high in calories, and drink water instead of soda, coffee drinks or juice.
Low-fat Diets
To follow a low-fat diet, cut back on "bad" fats in your diet, such as saturated fats, which are found in animal foods such as red meat, and trans fats, which are found in many fast foods, sweets and processed foods. Teen Growth recommends that adolescents eat "good" fats, which include essential fatty acids found in fish, and unsaturated fats, found in vegetable oils, nuts and avocados. "Good" fats help lower cholesterol and aid with basic body functions. Cutting out snacks such as cookies, cakes, chips, fries and candy bars from your diet will help reduce your overall fat intake.
Vegetarian Diets
According to Teens Health, the American Dietetic Association has officially endorsed vegetarianism, and a vegetarian diet can be safe for teens if it is well-planned to include all essential nutrients the body needs. Vegetarians should include iron in their diets, which most people get from meat, but is also found in lentils, fortified cereals, soybeans and broccoli. For protein, vegetarians can eat nuts, tofu, soybeans, beans, seeds, grains, cereals and vegetables. Fortified soymilk and breakfast cereals can give vegetarians vitamins and minerals as well. If you are following a vegetarian diet, you can take a daily vitamin to help your body get enough nutrients.
Unhealthy Dieting
Some teens may practice unhealthy diets in their weight loss attempts. Unhealthy diets to avoid include fad diets, diet pills, restrictive diets that include only one or two food groups and starvation diets. If you or a friend becomes obsessed with dieting and restricting food, contact your school counselor or the National Eating Disorder Association for help.
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