High body mass index affects as many as 11 percent of all adolescents, notes the “Journal of the American Medical Association,” and inactive lifestyles and bad food choices are mostly to blame. If you are a teen struggling with weight loss, you should know that the images portrayed in movies, music videos and television aren’t realistic, and if you want to lose weight, a slow and steady approach is the safe way to accomplish it. Instead of resorting to unreliable fad diets, try being more active and choosing your foods more wisely.
Eat Breakfast
As a teen, you likely have a busy schedule, one that sleep is a large part of. Unfortunately, skipping breakfast to catch a few more z’s before class can slow your metabolism. When you skip meals, you’re telling your body to store fat and calories for energy instead of burning them. Having a good breakfast can also set the tone for the rest of your day, notes the Mayo Clinic; eating something high in fiber and protein can help keep you full to resist snacking on empty calories from junk food.
Get Active
You don’t need to have a gym membership to have a healthy lifestyle. You only need to find ways to be more active each day. Instead of taking the bus to school, try walking or biking. The next time you have a girlfriend over for a gossip session, go for a walk instead of sitting on the couch. If you’re able to, join a school-sponsored team so you have an excuse to get extra exercise a few times per week. Look for opportunities to get active.
Drink Water
The sugary sodas and juices found in your high school’s vending machines are usually rich in empty calories. They won’t fill you up, but they will impede your weight loss goals. They also can give you quick, artificial energy that leaves you in a slump an hour later. Switch to drinking water or low-fat milk, suggests KidsHealth.org, a division of the Nemours Foundation. Invest in a refillable aluminum water bottle that you can carry with you at school to avoid soda temptation.
Turn Off the TV
The Kaiser Family Foundation faults the television for teen obesity rates. Not only does watching TV cause you to be inactive, it sends you subconscious messages about unhealthy food choices through product placements on your favorite shows and glitzy commercials. Give yourself a time limit on watching TV, like one hour per day. Or, do something active while the TV is on, like running on the treadmill or doing crunches doing each commercial break.
Choose Better Snacks
At the end of the school day, a bag of chips or a couple of cookies sound delicious and harmless, but choosing bad snacks can give your body too much sugar. Instead of reaching for processed foods for snacks, look for more natural fare. Chopped vegetables dipped in hummus can be satisfying, and fruit with honey and vanilla yogurt is a sweet choice. If you are too tempted by the other treats in the house, ask your parents to hide them or stop buying them altogether so you can make better choices.
About this Author
Jae Ireland specializes in keyword research and Internet marketing. Getting her start with a small Internet marketing firm in 2005, she has since designed and written for well over 20 commercial and informational websites. Her areas of interest and expertise include fashion, parenting, home improvement and health and fitness.
