Quick Teen Weight Loss Tips
More teens are overweight than ever before. Much of the problem with teen obesity has to do with lack of exercise and poor eating habits amount teens. Fortunately, because they are young, it is easier for teens to lose weight. If you have a teenager who is trying to lose weight, try helping them with some of these quick teen weight loss tips.
1. Eliminate fast food. Teenagers are notorious for craving fast food. Take a look at the fat and calorie content in some of our favorite fast foods - you will be appalled. And there is very little nutritional value. By eliminating fast food, a teenager who is a junk food junkie can easily shed pounds within a week. One of the worst culprits is French Fries which are very high in calories, sodium and fat but have virtually no nutritional value.
2. Eliminate soda pop and sugar laced drinks. Many teenagers enjoy colas and other soda pops and often drink them often. In addition, they also enjoy some sports drinks such as Gatorade and some “boost” drinks that are high in both caffeine and sugar. Instead of drinking any of these drinks, talk to your teen about switching to water. If your teenager drinks a lot of soda pop, chances are that he or she is packing on the pounds without even realizing it. Switching to water is not only healthier, it will give your teen an added boost.
3. Cut out eating between meals. Many teens tend to get up late and do not get a good breakfast. If there is no time for breakfast in the morning, get your teen to take a non fat or low fat yogurt on the way to school or a banana. Offering such healthy alternates instead of sweets like Pop Tarts or other sugar laden snacks is better for your teen and will raise his or her metabolism, enabling them to burn off calories easier throughout the course of the day.
4. Give your teen a positive self image. Not everyone has to be a size 2. Most women are not cut out to be a size 2. You want your teen to feel good about himself or herself when they are dieting. In the same respect, it is not healthy for anyone to be overweight. Diseases such as heart disease and diabetes and even some cancers are linked to obesity. You want your teen to be healthy for all the right reasons. If you feel your teen is eating out of stress or using food as a source of comfort, some psychological intervention may be in order. Send your teen to a counselor who can help them figure out why they are using food as a source of comfort.
5. Offer salads and home cooked meals instead of take away food or frozen dinners. Frozen foods are very high in sodium as are most take away foods. Even frozen entrees that are considered to be diet entrees are high in sodium and this causes your teen to retain water. This may discourage him or her as they struggle to lose weight. Even if you cook once a week, it is still healthier not only for your teen, but your entire family, than eating out all of the time.
6. Set a good example. You can bond with your teen and make yourself healthier if you exercise with him or her. Even if it amounts to walking or jogging around the block, it is still healthy for both of you and necessary for your teen to lose weight fast. If your teen is looking for quick weight loss tips, he or she must be prepared to incorporate some form of exercise into their daily ritual. Although many teenagers get some exercise at school, they will need to add to this routine to promote weight loss. Jogging, running and swimming are all excellent forms of exercise that promote quick weight loss. If your teen is obese, he or she may start out with simple exercises such as a walking routine. The more walking he or she does, the easier it will become.
7. Replace candy and snacks with fresh fruit, nuts and vegetables. While many nuts are high in fat, they are also high in protein and have much nutritional value. Almonds and walnuts are good blood thinners. Stay away from salted cocktail peanuts as they are heavily laden with fat. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten plain and without dip, although there are plenty of fat free dips on the market. If your teen flatly refuses to eat vegetables without a dip, purchase a no fat dip to go along with the vegetables. This is still a healthier snack than a bag of potato chips.
8. Give plenty of encouragement. Never put your teen down. Praise all attempts at weight loss and exercise. Give encouragement instead of insults, which will only drive your teen further away and make him or her feel bad about themselves.
9. Be aware of eating disorders that strike teenagers, especially girls. Teenaged girls can be prone to anorexia and bulimia, two eating disorders that can prove deadly if taken to an extreme. If you find that your teen is taking the dieting to the extreme, make sure that she gets professional help. If you see your teen binging an purging, or suspect that she has become obsessed with dieting and food, have her see a counselor who is well versed in dealing with eating disorders. The purpose of the diet is to make your teen healthier, not to make them become skin and bones.
10. Above all, reassure your teen that you love them no matter what and that they should love themselves as well. Continue to offer encouragement, even if your teen fails time and time again on their diet. If your teen falls and decides to pig out on French Fries one night, assure him or her that this is no reason to give up the diet. The reason that most diets fail, even with adults, is because people end up going off their diet one time and give up.
By following these quick teen weight loss tips, your teenager will be on their way to becoming healthier and feeling better about his or her self.
Related Information:
Useful Tips On How To Lose Weight Fast
Recommended Diets For Quick Weight Loss
A Quick And Healthy Guide To Weight Loss
