Teens are under a lot of pressure when it comes to their busy social and education schedules. If you're a teen, you know that between school, friends and family, your health and wellness may be put on the back burner. Unfortunately, the influence to be like thin teen celebrities in magazines, music videos and movies can overrule important aspects of your life. If you need to lose weight, ignore the ideals encouraged by the media and work toward sensible, lasting weight loss that focuses on healthy habits rather than quick fixes.
Expectations
Having unrealistic expectations about weight loss is exactly what can sabotage your weight loss success. But those expectations are exactly what weight loss companies prey upon to entice you to try their product, pill or diet. A healthy dieter loses no more than 2 lb. per week and does so by eating a healthier diet and moving her body more. No fad diet can give you lasting weight loss -- the results gleaned from fasting, caloric restriction and taking diet pills is often short-lived and unhealthy.
Diet
Your daily diet is likely part of the reason why you find it difficult to lose weight. Teens especially are subjected to diet temptation every day. Think about the choices you're given at the school vending machine or the lunch line. It's likely that fried foods and sugary treats are the order of the day. By packing your own lunch made with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein, you can make a healthier choice while avoiding temptation at school. Try eating five or six small meals to help keep you satisfied throughout the day -- ensure they're healthy mini-meals, like almonds and string cheese, hummus and veggies or an apple spread with peanut butter.
Exercise
To lose weight you must burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis. Eating a healthy diet that is naturally low in calories yet high in nutrition can help, but exercise ramps up your weight loss efforts and helps you become more active. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend teens get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day. That can be in the form of school sports or pickup games with friends. Consider jogging with a friend, playing on a school volleyball team or running laps on your school's track as part of a daily cardio program. KidsHealth.org recommends trying kickboxing or other class-based methods of exercise through recreation centers and gyms to help you stay motivated and active. At first, you may not have the stamina to exercise for a long period of time, but as you condition your body and lose weight, your stamina will increase.
Rewards
Becoming a fitter and more active teen won't be easy. There will be days that you give into temptation and sneak an order of french fries or skip workout in favor of Facebook. Constantly reminding yourself of the rewards you'll receive from weight loss can help you stay on track. Create a collage made from pictures cut out of magazines and include your various motivations for exercising. For example, you might cut out a picture of a beach to represent going swimming with friends without embarrassment or a cute prom outfit that you'd like to wear -- always remembering to keep your goals realistic. Hang the collage where you can see it often to remind yourself why you're trying to change your habits and your life.
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