Weight loss is a challenging process for individuals of all ages -- including teenagers. Losing weight requires a great deal of motivation and dedication. A pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Therefore, you will need to burn or reduce 52,500 calories to lose 15 lbs. This task may seem daunting. Through proper diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, losing 15 lbs. as a teenager is an obtainable goal. Weight loss should occur gradually.
Step 1
Exercise for 60 minutes per day. The American Heart Association indicates that physical activity should occur everyday of the week. For teenagers over 18, the American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of physical activity, five days per week.
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Step 2
Choose exercises that you enjoy. Brisk walking, swimming, running, jogging, cycling, going to a gym, taking a dance class and participating in sports and aerobic DVDs all qualify as physical activity. Choose a variety of activities in order to prevent boredom with your workout routine.
Step 3
Reduce your computer and video game time. Try to limit yourself to an hour or two a day of sedentary time.
Step 4
Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Five servings can help you lose weight and keep your heart healthy.
Step 5
Eat small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. Eating small portions frequently can help you to cut back on eating unhealthy snacks between meals. Pack some healthy snacks and take them with you to school or anywhere else you may go. Consider carrot sticks, fruit or whole-grain pretzels.
Step 6
Cut back on high-calories drinks. Eliminating sodas and juices from your daily routine can help to save you calories. Switch to water or low-fat milk. By avoiding one can of soda or one bottle of a sports drink, you will save yourself a minimum of 150 calories per day, according to KidsHealth.org.
Tip
To lose weight at a safe rate, try cutting 500 calories from your diet daily. This will allow you to lose about a pound per week just based on your diet alone.
Talk to your physician. Being at a healthy weight is about being at the right weight for your particular build. Your physician can help to determine if you are overweight and offer you advice on ways to meet realistic weight-loss goals.
Warning
Teenagers should avoid fad diets. If it sounds too good to be true or requires that all of your meals come from one food group, you should avoid it. As a teenager, your body is still growing. You need to make sure you are getting proper nutrients. Fad diets often deprive you of these proper nutrients.
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