Fastest weight loss and healthiest weight loss are at two opposite ends of the fat-loss spectrum. The healthiest way to lose body fat is to do so slowly -- it did not accumulate overnight. It is possible for you to lose body fat fairly quickly, but maintaining optimal health while your are still growing should be your primary area of focus. Consult your physician before beginning any dietary or exercise program.
Get Healthy Fats
Certain types of fat, called essential fatty acids, are required for hormonal production and regulation. You cannot produce all of the hormones you need to grow on your own, and need to get omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from your diet by consuming flax, nuts, seeds and fish oil. A diet too low in fats will strain your already taxed endocrine system, which will limit your ability to retain muscle, grow and lose body fat.
Choose Protein for Muscle
Like every growing teen, you need protein to build the muscle you are developing. Even if you are not trying to gain muscle mass, while dieting you need additional protein to avoid muscle loss, as this will cause your metabolism to slow, which results in less body fat loss while you are dieting. Get protein from whole foods, like beef, chicken, fish, eggs and milk. Beef is high in conjugated linolenic acid, which is an essential fat, and many types of fish, including salmon, are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, making them excellent dietary choices.
Personalize Your Carb Intake
You need energy to train, heal and grow, and the easiest place to get that is through carbohydrate intake, and the best place is from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You can tailor your carbohydrate intake to suit your activity levels, so if you are reasonably inactive, you can cut a fair amount of calories out of your daily intake from carbohydrates. The optimal time to consume carbohydrates is post-workout in conjunction with protein to refill depleted muscle glycogen, or sugar levels, as well as restore amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.
Do Simple Training
Keep your training simple, do not over train. Train the entire body three times a week using large, compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench and military presses, chinups and rows. These exercises work the large muscles of the body, and the smaller ones get worked at the same time. Compound movements also strengthen the smaller muscles which maintain joint stability, which can be an issue in a quickly growing teen. Keep your rest periods short, and your intensity high in the gym, and do your cardiovascular work on off days. Keep the cardiovascular exercise light at first, and gradually increase the intensity and duration. The key to long-term progress is to slowly adjust your program.
References
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition": Beyond the Zone: Protein Needs of Active Individuals
- PubMed.gov: Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Increases the Rate of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- PubMed.gov: Decrease of Serum Total and Free Testosterone During a Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet
- PubMed.gov: Acute Hormonal and Neuromuscular Responses to Hypertrophy, Strength and Power Type Resistance Exercise
- PubMed.gov: Acute Testosterone and Cortisol Responses to High Power Resistance Exercise
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