If you are a parent with a teenager who needs to manage her weight better, speak to your pediatrician. Your doctor can offer advice on how the entire family can work healthy eating and increased activity into your lifestyle. Keep in mind that achieving weight loss can be difficult. Seven out of 10 teens interviewed for the book "Weight Loss Confidential" lost and regained weight multiple times before sustaining results, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Features
One particular diet is not the best for all teenagers. Instead, he should aim to eat a variety of foods from all food groups. Teens should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Meals prepared for the family should be low in sugar, fat and calories. Serve salads as the main course and add in small amounts of healthy fats and lean protein sources. Encourage your teen to eat at regular intervals since skipping meals, especially breakfast, leads to overeating later in the day.
On the Go Eating
If your teen wants to lose weight or maintain her weight, she needs to learn how to follow a healthy diet outside of the home. Snacks should be calorie controlled. Choices may include unbuttered popcorn, low-fat cheese sticks, fruit salad, apples, peanut butter with celery and carrot sticks. When she eats out at fast-food restaurants, request that she avoid mayonnaise-based sauces, soft drinks, fried food items and super-sized portions.
Considerations
Beverages can really undermine a teen's diet. If he has four cans of soda a day, he could be adding an extra 600 calories to his diet. If he replaces these drinks with lower calorie alternatives, such as water, skim milk, unsweetened tea and diet soda, he should find it easier to manage his weight.
Exercise
Any type of exercise that holds your teen's interest is beneficial to weight management. The Mayo Clinic states that teens should get approximately 60 minutes of exercise each day. Potential exercises to add to her routine include walks with the dog, basketball games with friends, bike rides with the family and school team sports activities.
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