If you have a teenage daughter, then you know how self-conscious she may feel about her weight. To build her self-confidence and help her develop healthy habits for life, you can look for ways for her to lose weight as quickly and safely as possible. Speak to your daughter's pediatrician if you have concerns that her weight is adversely affecting her health.
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To determine a teen girl's body mass index or BMI, plot her age and gender on a chart that your pediatrician can provide. If her weight falls between the 85th and 95th percentile she is considered overweight, and obese when over the 95th percentile. If the teen does fall into this category, she is at an increased risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure down the road.
Diet
Reducing a teen's calories will help her lose the weight quickly without the reliance on fad diets. Cutting calories does not mean skipping meals. Her day should always start with a low-fat breakfast. Breakfast jumpstarts her metabolism and reduces her chance of overeating later in the day. Breakfast ideas include whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, fruit and granola parfait and whole-grain bagel with low-fat cream cheese. The rest of her meals should be mostly made up of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources, such as fish, lean cuts of beef, chicken, turkey and egg whites. If she reduces her portion sizes and stops eating when she is full, she can also drop the weight quickly.
Physical Activity
Increasing your teen's activity level is a way to speed up her weight loss goals. The more she moves, the more calories she burns. Teens need a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity per day, according to MayoClinic.com. School sports, family bike rides, walking the dog, swimming and dancing are all ways a teen girl can stay active to lose weight.
Considerations
If you have serious concerns about your teen's weight, your doctor may recommend more drastic measures to help her drop the pounds. Residential and summer camps are available to help teach a teen how to eat healthfully and stay active to lose weight. Each day, the teen is given a daily activity schedule to keep her moving. She is served calorie controlled meals and advised on how to make smart meal and snacking choices. Family counseling is also typically part of these programs.
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