Weight Loss Made Easy For Your Teens

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The key to losing weight is simple. Our bodies are consumers of fuel and we either burn up the calories or they go into "storage" on hips, waist, thighs and to other parts of the body. To lose weight, you must have a caloric input that is less than your caloric output: the body must burn more than is taken in. this can happen in one of two ways. By eating less than needed and letting the body burn up the stored calories, or by burning more than is eaten.

Done properly, dieting can work. Extreme diets, often touted even in the mainstream press, may leave a body without sufficient protein or proper nutrients. Anyone who is dieting must take care not to overdo it, and care must be taken in the message we give to the teenager to prevent an overreaction. A doctor or nutritionist must supervise a teen's diet plan.

Plan on something reasonable, like losing a pound a week, or even half a pound weekly. This requires a change of only 250 to 500 calories per day. One can either reduce the caloric intake by that amount or one can exercise the equivalent; ideally, a combination of two is best. For every 500-calorie deficit per day there is approximately a pound loss per week: a 750-calorie deficit daily will lose 1.5 pounds per week.

Now here are some guidelines you can look into to help your teen lose weight:

1. As a parent, you can help by buying appropriate foods and avoiding having a teen's favorite fattening foods in the house. Do you really need potato chips in the house, ever?

2. Your body digests a meal in 30 to 45 minutes, and it takes about that long for the brain to appreciate that you are full. By eating slowly, your brain will naturally release dopamine, which will help you feel satisfied. Encourage your teen to sit down to eat and to eat slowly. Snacks should be limited and should be vegetables and fruits.

3. Remind your teen of the benefits of drinking water. Kids forget that soft drinks may contain a lot of calories. As a reminder, a can of soda with 150 kcal is the same as having 9 teaspoons of sugar! Water is filling and good for you.

4. Realize that some teens eat out of boredom or depression. Having a snack while sitting in front of the television will add weight, from inactivity and caloric increase.

Ultimately a teen need to have a genuine resolve to lose weight, since eating and exercise habits must be changed. An understanding doctor or nutritionist can also be very helpful. But in the end, the desire has to come from the teenager to be successful.