It's natural to want quick results if you're a teen who has decided to lose weight. But if you want to take the weight off and to keep it off, losing slowly is the best way to go. Fortunately, that means you won't have to cut back as drastically as you might have thought you would. Just eliminating sodas and junk-food snacks and adding a little exercise to your routine can yield results. Doing more can yield even better results. Along the way to your goal, you will also find that you have more energy for your friends, school and life in general.
Considerations
During your time of rapid growth and change, a healthy and patient attitude is important. Make eating nutritiously and getting reasonable exercise your goal. Keep your goals positive and realistic to show that you want to lose weight for the right reasons.
Identification
Because your weight and height quickly change in your teens, talk with your doctor to determine whether you are, in fact, overweight. TeensHealth from Nemours recommends using a body mass index designed for ages 2 to 20. You can get your most most precise measurements at your school or doctor's office. If you find out that you are overweight, don't worry -- losing weight and getting in shape are achievable.
Nutrition
Before you start your diet take a good look at what you eat. Write down what and how much you eat for a week to determine whether you're eating too much or too many sugary and fatty foods. You don't have to entirely eliminate everything you like. Teen boys need roughly 2,500 to 2,800 calories per day, and teen girls need about 2,200, according to the self-help website HelpGuide.org. For proper functioning and growth of your body make sure that you eat nutritious food, which includes proteins, calcium, iron and vitamins.
Exercise
Increase your exercise. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that teenagers need about 60 minutes of exercise per day. Choose any activity you enjoy. Consider biking to school a couple of days a week and spending time after school playing basketball, football or skateboarding. Sign up for a sport such as karate, gymnastics or swimming. The most important part of exercise is that it's something you enjoy.
Help
If your weight concerns have caused you to become severely depressed, or you have developed bulimia or anorexia, talk with your doctor, school counselor or nutritionist. Your parents, meanwhile, can be your best allies, so don't leave them out. Your end goal, in addition to reaching the right weight, is physical and emotional health.
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