It is not uncommon for teenage boys and girls to take a sudden interest in their body type and weight if they become the object of teasing at school or if they are besieged by the media's images of ultra-thin models wearing the latest fashions. Unfortunately, a number of available dieting options can be detrimental to the health of growing and developing teenagers. Healthier choices may not appear to be as interesting, but they will help to reduce calories and improve weight loss success in the long run.
Water
Drinking water either before or with meals is a healthy habit to start. Keeping your body and cells hydrated has many health benefits, but according to researchers from Penn State University, it does not help reduce your hunger pangs. Instead, they found that eating water-rich foods can help to decrease your calorie intake while maintaining your level of satisfaction and reducing your hunger. This equates to eating a bowl of soup before a meal or increasing the amount of foods that contain water, such as vegetables, in the meal. Pasta dishes can be bulked up with zucchini, broccoli, carrots and other vegetables to increase the serving size without proportionally increasing the calories.
Avoid Processed Foods
Processed foods are often high in fats to improve the flavor and texture of the product. Fats are needed for energy reserves and to insulate the body. However, the saturated fats found in animal products and the trans fatty acids found in baked goods and margarine are packed with calories that do not nutritionally feed the body. Instead, they are a risk factor for heart disease and cancer.
Fill on Fiber
Fiber-rich foods help to increase your feelings of satisfaction from eating food. You feel full sooner after eating less, thus reducing the number of overall calories you are eating, according to Sharon Palmer, R.D., at "Today's Dietitian." She explains that insoluble fiber can stay in the gut for up to several days, making you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Fiber also increases the amount of chewing you do, decreases the absorption rate of calories in the intestines and displaces other more calorie-dense foods from your diet. Each factor helps to reduce overall calorie intake without making you feel hungry.
Chewing Satisfaction
Chewing helps to limit the intake of calories and foods because it increases the secretion of saliva and gastric juices, according to Palmer. She explains that this increase also results in stomach expansion and greater feeling of fullness. In a study performed at Glasgow Caledonian University, researchers found that when individuals chewed gum after lunch, they ate fewer sweet snacks in the afternoon than their counterparts who did not chew gum after lunch. This results in a greater reduction of calorie intake in a 24-hour period.
References
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Water Incorporated into a Food But Not Served with a Food Decreases Energy Intake in Lean Women; Barbara Rolls, Elizabeth Bell, Michelle Thorwart; October 1999
- BetterHealthUSA.com: Healthy Eating Tips for Teens
- "Today's Dietitian"; Taking Control of Hunger --- Lessons on Calming Appetite and Managing Weight
- European Food Information Council: Chewing Gum Found to Control Appetite
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