Because teenage obesity is a growing problem, it's important to establish healthy habits at an early age before teenage problems grow into adult chronic conditions, such as diabetes. Losing weight as a teen means following a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Step 1
Start the day with a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is vital to helping a teenager reach optimal brain function and boosting her metabolism. Healthy food choices include high-fiber cereal, low-fat yogurt, fruit smoothies, whole-wheat toast or fruit. Avoid high-sugar choices.
Step 2
Pack a healthy lunch featuring choices from a variety of food groups. Examples of foods to include a whole-wheat wrap with turkey, lettuce and tomato; pretzels; fruit, such as mixed berries or apple slices; and water or low-fat milk.
Step 3
Keep healthy snacks in the cupboard or refrigerator for an after-school energy and metabolism boost. Smart snack options include fresh fruit and low-fat string cheese, low-fat yogurt, sliced carrot or celery sticks and peanut butter or low-fat graham crackers.
Step 4
Engage in an exercise routine that is enjoyable. While many teens opt for playing a sport, other options include walking, running, taking an aerobics class, riding a bicycle or other options that elevate the heartbeat. Try resistance training by lifting weights to build muscle. It is a good idea to be under the supervision of a personal trainer or other exercise professional for the first few sessions to prevent injury.
Step 5
Consume a healthy dinner, keeping portion control in mind. Whenever possible, dinners should come from homemade sources as food from restaurants tends to have more fat and calories than homemade options.
Step 6
Seek out positive people who can encourage you on your weight-loss journey. The encouragement and support of others is vital to successful weight loss, especially for a teenager.
Tips and Warnings
- Cut out many sodas, junk food or takeout.
- Most teenagers should not lose any more than two pounds per week. Eating so few calories that you lose weight more quickly could be unhealthy or cause you to eventually gain it back.
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