Although you have been told that people come in all shapes and sizes, you still do not like looking in the mirror when you get ready for school. You think your thighs are abnormally chubby, and you are starting to notice that a double chin is forming. It is normal for you to go through a phase of insecurity as you transform into an adult, but you can make some changes in your diet that will help you feel healthier, even if you are not overweight.
Step 1
Prepare fresh and balanced meals that include all the basic food groups. Purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, healthy fats and dairy proteins. When you cook meals, stick to methods such as stir frying and baking rather than deep frying. Stay away from most foods found in the boxed and canned goods sections of the store, and spend more time in the fresh foods sections. It may be tempting to buy a few boxed frozen low-fat meals, but they are still processed and can have additional unhealthy ingredients, such as high amounts of sodium.
Step 2
Eat breakfast every morning. Skipping breakfast increases your chances of becoming obese. According to the Mayo Clinic, people who eat breakfast every morning are less likely to make unhealthy eating decisions later in the day. Those who skip breakfast may become so hungry that they grab unhealthy snacks from a vending machine to hold them over until lunch, or they may overeat at lunchtime. An added perk of eating a protein and fiber-rich breakfast (such as oatmeal with fresh fruit and peanut butter) is that it can help you stay focused in your classes and actually improve your overall academic performance.
Step 3
Snack regularly throughout the day. Pack your backpack with resealable plastic bags full of healthy snacks, such as string cheese, celery sticks and peanut butter and carrots with hummus. If you do not snack and simply eat three large meals, your metabolism will go through periods of slowing down to conserve energy. A slow metabolism can mean weight gain, even if you eat a small amount of calories.
Step 4
Focus on your meals when you eat them. Turn off the television and toss aside your favorite magazine until you are finished with your meal. If the majority of your attention is focused on something other than the food going into your body, your mind may not register feelings of fullness until after you have already overeaten. As you pay attention to the process of eating, be mindful of fully chewing and swallowing your food. Nutrition scientists in the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at the University of Rhode Island noticed that young women who ate their meals slowly consumed fewer calories than women who ate quickly.
Step 5
Cut out some junk food, but not all of it. Part of being a teenager is going to parties and eating chips and pizza every once in awhile. Reward your daily healthy diet by occasionally letting yourself cut loose. Robbing yourself of every tasty treat can lead you to experience stress, which can also lead to weight gain. Stress can also cause you to cave in and binge on junk food. When it comes to daily habits, though, regulate your intake. For example, ditch the daily sodas and drink flavored water instead.
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