It's becoming more common to see overweight teens -- obesity in youths ages 12 through 19 has more than tripled since 1980, according to the National Institutes of Health. For long-term health benefits, it is advantageous for overweight teens to lose weight, especially before another school year starts. There are programs and strategies to help teens achieve their diet goals.
Weight-Loss Basics
If you're looking for a magic bullet or quick solution to help you instantly drop your excess pounds, you won't find one. Weight loss for teens -- as for adults -- involves cutting calories, watching what you eat and getting more exercise. However, before you start dieting, check with your physician to make sure you really do need to lose weight. If your doctor says you should lose weight, she may be able to help you with strategies.
Healthy Foods vs. Treats
To lose weight steadily and quickly, you'll probably need to overhaul your diet -- foods such as chips and ice cream can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Instead, base your diet around fresh produce, lean meats, poultry and fish, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, according to the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center. You don't have to give up treats entirely. Just don't make them the mainstay of your diet. However, you should drop your soda habit, if you have one -- each sugary soda adds 150 calories to your daily total. Switch to diet soda, or water.
Exercise
You may not enjoy exercise all that much, especially if you're not involved in sports at school. But some form of physical activity also will help you lose weight. If you have an activity you enjoy, start doing it more often. If you're on summer break, you should have spare time to bike or swim. If nothing appeals to you, try a fun new activity -- Rollerblading or Pilates can burn significant calories and help you lose weight faster.
Family Involvement
You're not going to lose weight in time for school if your family doesn't get involved. According to Teens Health, teens lose weight faster if their parents and siblings support their efforts by keeping junk food out of the house and cooking healthier meals. Your family members may even find that they drop a few pounds, especially if you get them exercising with you. Family involvement could represent the key to your success in losing weight fast enough for the first day of school.
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