Seeing images of thin supermodels on TV can make you feel bad about your own body, especially if you're a teen girl trying to lose weight. The truth is, genes play a big role in how well you can keep your weight under control because different bodies burn calories at different rates. Fortunately, you can boost your body's innate calorie-burning power by adopting some easy and healthy habits.
Warning
Quick fix weight-loss methods such as liquids only fad diets may sound easy and effective, but they're not beneficial in the long run. In fact, they are particularly harmful to a growing teen girl because they can rob the body of nutrients such as iron and calcium. Don't be lured in by positive reviews of these diets. The quick results are typically only temporary because fad diets don't require permanent healthy lifestyle changes. Additionally, weight loss from fad diets often comes from water and muscle weight as opposed to the fat you actually want to lose.
Small Goals
Weight loss can seem especially difficult if you're trying to lose a lot at once. The good news is that most doctors recommend losing weight slowly and steadily. Though your doctor should be the one to give you specific goals, he will likely suggest that you lose somewhere in the range of ½ to 2 lb. a week. This is about equal to 1,750 to 7,000 calories a week, or 250 to 1,000 calories per day. As a reference point, a single can of soda contains about 150 calories and a fast food hamburger can contain 500 to 1,000 calories. Also consider that you won't have to lose calories through diet alone if you get active. Playing basketball or jogging with your friend for an hour can help you burn about 584 calories if you weigh 160 lb.
Baby Steps
Since your ultimate goal in reaching a healthy weight should be to make permanent changes in the way you live, don't make changes you know will be too difficult to keep up. Start by cutting out a few unhealthy habits and replacing them with a few healthy ones. For example, stop using the school soda vending machine and instead bring a water bottle to school with you. You could also limit fast food to once per week and instead pack healthy homemade lunches such as an apple with tuna on whole-wheat bread. As far as exercise goes, start with a walk around the campus after lunch each day, jog in place during TV commercial breaks or begin riding your bike to school.
A Healthier Lifestyle
You will be ready to build upon your healthy lifestyle choices as soon as you get used to your initial small changes and begin seeing the positive results. Set some long-term goals, such as eating five fruits and five vegetables every day, eating only when you're hungry and taking only one small serving of mashed potatoes at dinner. Your ultimate exercise goal should be to get in about 60 minutes a day, but you can split it into mini 10- or 20-minute segments if you want.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss
- TeensHealth: How Can I Lose Weight Safely?
- TeensHealth: What's the Right Weight for My Height?
- Mayo Clinic: Teen Weight Loss: Healthy Habits Count
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Weight: Assessing Your Weight
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Weight Loss
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