Not only is being overweight physically unhealthy for teens, the social stigma can make being fat mentally harmful. The good news is that you can change your habits and change your life, and it doesn't have to be torture. The trick is to make small, gradual changes, and make healthy living a permanent part of your life.
Eliminate Empty Calories
You're still growing, so cutting calories too much isn't good for you. Ask your doctor how many calories you should be eating in a day. For most teens, the easiest way to clean up your diet is to be aware of what you eat. Before you put food in your mouth, ask yourself, "What is this going to do for me?" If the only answer is, "Soothe my taste buds," put it down. Choose fruits and vegetables for vitamins, lean protein for muscle repair and growth, and whole grains for energy. Quit drinking soda, energy drinks, juice and other high-calorie beverages; drink water, and save your calories for meals.
Work Out
Join one of your school's sports teams, or take an active class such as dance, martial arts or Pilates. If you are too embarrassed to work out outside of the house, rent some exercise DVDs from your local library. There are many that are geared toward teens, and the exercises can be done right in your living room. Some can even teach you a skill that can come in handy -- dancing, for instance. Hip-hop dance is an effective aerobic workout that can help shed the pounds, and you'll blow everyone away at prom. Add some strength training to your routine too, but don't go too heavy with the weights. Body-weight exercises such as pullups, pushups, dips, squats and lunges are fine until you get stronger.
Everyday Activity
Don't confine your physical activity to your workout. You have to make "active" your default state if you want the weight to stay off. Take over dog walking responsibilities, and make the walks long. When you do your chores, do them hard and fast -- it's easy to turn cleaning or yard work into a workout. Get your family involved by having dance contests and foot races instead of video game battles. Instead of spending time in front of a TV or computer, rediscover play. Grab a few friends, a ball or a Frisbee, and play outside.
Meal Planning
No matter how hard you try to eat healthy, you'll definitely have relapses if your house is full of junk food. Help your parents with the meal planning, shopping and preparation so you can put the emphasis on healthier options. Not only will there be less temptation within easy reach, but you're likely to earn brownie points by taking some of the burden off your parents.
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