A teen that is unhappy with her body can show her dissatisfaction in other areas of her life. Attitude, school work and a social life can all take a hit when a teen feels overweight. To help your teen feel better about her body, do away with fad diets and counting calories. Instead, focus on healthy habits that your teen can use to help change her life for the better. Weight loss is a natural side effect of an active and healthy teen lifestyle.
Smarter Snacking
Teens are prone to eating sugary, salty and generally unhealthy snacks when with their friends. Sharing a bag of chips while on the couch or getting a candy bar from the school vending machine may not seem like a big deal, but those calories and fat can add up to a large weight gain as your teen passes through puberty. By offering healthy, low-calorie snacking options, you can help your teen make better choices. Vegetables and hummus pack easily for school and snacking on fruit can curb a sweet tooth.
Active Lifestyle
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that teens get 60 minutes of physical activity each day. While this can seem like a large requirement for busy teens, the physical activity can be broken into smaller stints throughout the day. For instance, walking or riding his bike to school could fulfill 20 minutes of your teen's activity requirements. Playing for a school sports team or working out in the school fitness room could fulfill even more. Maintain an active lifestyle by urging your teen to look for ways to move his body throughout the day.
Better Meals
If your teen is the type to skip breakfast, eat cafeteria food and lunch and take dinner in front of the computer, she could be slowing her metabolism and setting herself up for a lifetime of weight issues. Breakfast should be offered every day in order to give your teen the energy she needs. If cafeteria offerings are less than healthy, focus on packing a healthy lunch together that contains fiber, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. When possible, eat dinner as a family so your teen can slow down and make healthier choices.
Healthy Influences
Teens are constantly bombarded with media images that show so-called perfect bodies that have been airbrushed to attain that perfection. Taking time to talk to your teen about the media and what it takes to attain certain body types can give your teen more realistic, healthy expectations for weight loss. Instead of looking for fad diets for fast, superficial weight loss, your teen should know how to choose healthier habits that will naturally lead to long-term weight loss.
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