The latest celebrity-endorsed fast, crash diet or rigorous workout routine may convince you that losing weight is as simple as adhering to a certain formula. However, there's no magic solution for teen weight loss. MayoClinic.com suggests not thinking of yourself in terms of fat or thin. Make your goal realistic: getting to a healthy weight.
The Dangers
According to the Cleveland Clinic, 17 percent of America's children and teens are overweight or obese. This figure has skyrocketed since the 1970s, when only 5 percent were considered too heavy for their age. If you're a teen who carries around too many spare pounds, the fallout can be far more devastating than not fitting into the latest fashion. You may be compromising your health. Weight gain and obesity are linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, joint problems and even depression. Losing weight means changing your eating patterns and lifestyle for the better -- for the rest of your life.
Do Your Homework
If you're trying to lose weight, keep in mind that calories are the culprit. Teen girls typically need about 2,200 calories a day, while teen boys need from 2,500 to 3,000 calories. The reason you gain weight is because you're eating more calories than your body can burn, and the excess is stored in the form of body fat. One weight-loss method the Cleveland Clinic uses in its Fit Youth Program is to have children and teens use a diary to record everything they eat, as well as how much exercise they get each day. Once you see where your calories come from, this can better help you know where to cut back. Sugary, fatty foods are laden with more calories than you think; it can be difficult to keep track of them all, if you grab food on the go. A 16-oz. fudge shake from a popular ice cream chain has 1,660 calories, while a chicken burrito from another chain restaurant contains 970. You don't need to diet rigorously, if you know which foods to avoid -- and how to control your portions.
Focus on Food
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid is a helpful tool for people of all ages to maintain a healthy diet. The Food Guide Pyramid breaks foods into grains, vegetables, fruit, oils, milk, and meats and beans. Depending on your gender, age and level of physical activity, you should get a designated number of servings from each of these groups every day. However, even within these food groups, some choices are healthier for you than others. Whole-wheat pasta is a better selection than regular pasta. A fresh apple is better than a serving of apple cobbler. Low-fat and fat-free dairy foods -- milk, cheese and yogurt -- are recommended over whole milk and pudding. Lean sources of protein such as baked beans and skinless baked or grilled chicken or fish are good choices when selecting from the meat and beans group. Remember too, that portion sizes matter. Eat only until you're full. If you feel a snack attack coming on, opt for low-calorie, low-fat foods such as fresh fruit, raw vegetable sticks, string cheese or low-fat yogurt.
Stay Active
Today's teens face different lifestyle challenges than those 30 years ago. Americans have become more sedentary, spending more time in front of the computer, video game console and television than they did before. Teens need to put in an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Physical activity burns surplus calories stored in fat. Swap out an hour of Internet surfing for a sport or activity you enjoy, such as inline skating, bicycling, martial arts, swimming or rowing. Even doing chores around the house and walking the dog are calorie-burning activities.
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