Seven Weight Loss Tips for Teenagers

Losing weight as a teenager is a great investment in ones's health. Teenagers typically have more free time and fewer responsibilities than adults do, and are also less fixed in their habits than adults are. In this article, I give advice to teens wishing to lose weight.

Teen Weight Loss - Set Goals
Whenever a person is trying to lose weight, it's important for him or her to set a weight loss goal. How much weight are you trying to lose? Five pounds? Ten pounds? More? Make a definite goal, then break it up into sub-goals. For example, a teenager that wishes to lose ten pounds might set a sub-goal of losing three pounds every week. Creating a sub-goal gives a person structure structure and a logical end point. Likewise, accomplishing a smaller sub-goal can be motivating for a dieter.

Teen Weight Loss - Exercise
As a teenager, you have lots of opportunities to exercise. If you take gym and have a choice of activities, try to pick activities that will force you to burn calories. For example, pick a track option as opposed to a yoga option. If you are not in gym or wish to supplement a gym course, see if it is possible to use cardio equipment at your school after hours. One of the keys to losing weight (healthily) is cardiovascular exercise. Run, jog, or ride a bike. It doesn't matter how or where you exercise to lose weight, as long as you exercise.

Another aspect of exercise to consider is building muscle. Muscle tissue burns more calories than adipose tissue (fat), even at rest. If you are a teen that struggles with endurance, consider doing some weightlifting. The muscle you build will make it easier for you to lose weight and eventually do cardiovascular exercise.

Teen Weight Loss - Diet
Most high schools have mandatory a mandatory health class for freshmen or sophomores. One of the facts most emphasized in this course is that it is an individual's daily caloric intake that impacts weight, not what that person eats. As a teenager, you probably need between 3000-3500 calories daily. There are calculators for this online. Remember, you can overeat and still be malnourished. For example, you could eat 10,000 calories just of apples every day and gain weight, but you would be lacking proteins and fats that you need for important life processes. If you're a teen that is serious about losing weight, consider a consult with your school nurse or a dietician to determine your dietary needs.

During the school year, you may wish to consider packing a lunch. You will be able to regulate your diet more effectively and will be less likely to buy unhealthy snacks and school meals.

Teen Weight Loss - Family Involvement
Many teens that wish to lose weight struggle with snacking. If your family buys a lot of snacks or eats unhealthily in general, you should make sure that they know that you are trying to lose weight. Your family members may be able to help you by purchasing more healthy foods, or might begin a diet themselves.

Teen Weight Loss - Learn To Cook Healthy Meals
If you're like most teenagers, you aren't planning to live at home for the rest of your life. One of the most important "real world" skills for teenagers to start learning is cooking. If you learn how to cook healthy meals earlier in life, you'll be more likely to eat healthy food as opposed to fast food when you're on your own. Some simple things to learn might be how to prepare a salad, how to pick fresh fruits in stores, and how to cook chicken or fish.

Teen Weight Loss - Find A Partner
Most things are easier to do with another person. Find a friend that wishes to lose weight or get in shape and work out and diet together. Be accountable to one another if you slip from your exercise or diet goals.

Teen Weight Loss - Tracking Progress
It's important to track weight loss. This can be done on paper or on a spreadsheet, which I prefer. On a spreadsheet, you could track your daily weight and graph it easily. Consider Google Documents or OpenOffice Calc as free spreadsheet options. If you are a teenager, you shouldn't be startled by the idea of using technology to aid in weight loss. Regardless, it is important to track weight loss progress as a motivational tool and as a way to keep yourself honest.

If you're a teen that wants to lose weight, be persistent and don't give up. Being at a healthy weight is worth it. Do you have any further tips for teens wishing to lose weight? Feel free to share your suggestions in the form of a comment. Thank you for reading!