As obesity rates continue to climb, more and more teens are seeking out ways to maintain a healthy weight. According to MayoClinic.com, the only way to reliably and effectively lose weight is to balance the amount of calories you consume against the amount of calories you burn off each day. Teenagers are particularly challenging when it comes to losing weight, thanks to sedentary time and the increased availability of high-calorie, sugar-rich snack foods. With patience, perseverance and attention to detail, practically any teen can begin seeing a marked decrease in their overall body weight.
Step 1
Document your eating habits by creating a food diary that lists each snack, beverage and meal you consume each day. Put in a little research to discover the number of calories in each diet item by reading the nutritional facts label or scanning online calorie charts, such as the one available at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center website, located in the Resources section. Tally up all of the calories you consume each day and write that number near the day's date on the top of each individual page.
Step 2
Make improvements to your diet by cutting out all high-calorie, sugar-rich foods and beverages such as candy bars, sodas, cakes, pies and unhealthy snack foods. Generally speaking, if you can get it in a vending machine, it most likely isn't contributing to your weight-loss goals. Replace these items with healthy snacks such as apples, carrots, peanuts and natural yogurt.
Step 3
Become physically active by signing up for after-school sports and athletic competitions. Select from a list of activities such as football, soccer, baseball, cross-country running, gymnastics, martial arts, hiking or other activities that get you out of the house. Try to complete at least one of these intensive aerobic activities for 30 minutes a day.
Step 4
Resist the urge to spend time sitting down in front of a computer or television by making friends in an exercise or sports club. Volunteer at a triathlon, sporting field, community swimming pool or marathon event that keeps you motivated to remain active during after school hours. Most people are familiar with the negative effects of peer pressure, but having the support of your friends can also be a good thing when it comes to staying active.
Step 5
Break up your meals into smaller portions to be eaten four to five times throughout the day, rather than two to three large meals. This helps stimulate your metabolism and can keep you from getting bogged down after lunchtime as your body expends energy digesting the food. Refrain from eating large meals right before bedtime and check your weekly progress with the help of a weight scale.
Tips and Warnings
- Never engage in a starvation diet to lose weight. In addition to stressing your kidneys and digestion, these diets can also reduce your natural fat-burning metabolic processes that help you lose weight.
- Talk to your doctor or personal physician before engaging in a self-prescribed diet or exercise regimen to make sure you are healthy enough to reach your fitness goals.
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