Many teen girls struggle with weight and image problems. If your daughter needs to lose a few pounds, there are some safe ways to ensure that she drops weight without also compromising her health. KidsHealth recommends determining what a healthy weight is for your teen daughter, something her doctor will be able to help with. If she weighs in above this number, you can help teach her ways to safely reach a weight that is healthy for her.
Reduce Caloric Intake
If your teenage daughter is fully grown, she will need to cut about 500 calories each day to lose around 2 lbs.per week, reports Healthy Children. If your daughter has not finished puberty, she will need to cut about 250 calories each day. Eliminating unhealthy snacks is one way to cut calories. Teach your daughter to replace soda and fruit drinks with plain water or unsweetened iced tea. Add fruits and vegetables as side dishes at meals in place of French fries. Start the day with a bowl of cereal and skim milk or oatmeal with sliced fruit. Healthy foods are generally lower in calories than unhealthy foods, so simply replacing some junk with more nutritious choices will result in a decrease in caloric intake.
Eat Less Food
In addition to eating fewer calories, reducing the portions of food your teen daughter eats can help her shed pounds. If she typically eats seconds or thirds at each meal, encourage her to stop after one serving and wait to dish up more until she determines whether she is still hungry, recommends KidsHealth. Eliminating one or two snacks can also help decrease the amount of food your daughter eats each day. Limit her to two small snacks rather than allowing her to graze on food all day. Restrict her access to food after dinner as well so she is not snacking all evening.
Add Exercise to Her Day
Your daughter needs to burn calories in order to drop pounds and exercise will help her increase how many she is able to burn each day. KidsHealth reports that physical activity can be more effective at helping your daughter lose weight than cutting calories. Encourage your daughter to choose an exercise activity that entertains her so she is more willing to get moving. Dance classes, yoga or aerobics classes are some common interests among teen girls that your daughter may also enjoy. KidsHealth also recommends taking a daily walk or to run up and down the stairs a few times a day. Your teen daughter's goal should be to exercise for a total of 1 hour each day.
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