subject: How To Help Your Teen Develop A Safe Approach To Weight Loss [print this page] Most people already know that obesity can potentially cause serious health problems later in life. Even so, the population of obese people is still growing each year. For teenagers, obesity is not only a physical problem, it is also an emotional one.
It can be hard for a teenager with weight problems to establish a positive self-image. It can be hard for teenagers to get into shape that's why it's a parent's role to guide them in winning the battle of the bulge. Encouraging your child to lose weight through healthy means may even have a long-term effect on the teenager's habits and lifestyle.
A teenager may particularly look up to celebrities, and fashion models for having perfect bodies. That's just normal, but parents need to let their child realize that there is no perfect body. A specific weight may be just normal for one person, but it may not be the case for another. A doctor may also prescribe a weight loss program catered to your teen's body mass.
Explain to your teen that losing weight can take some time, and weight maintenance even needs to be a commitment of a lifetime. There are so many diet fads these days, so it's very important to look after your teen's nutritional intake, making sure essential nutrients for growth are not left out. Remind your teen not to get carried away with products guaranteeing instantaneous results since those do not change the unhealthy lifestyle. If your teen wants to see long term results, the root cause of the problem must be addressed.
At least 60 minutes of physical activity each day is recommended for teens trying to lose weight. This is best done through sports activities. The physical activity is actually not restricted to having 60 minutes of pure workout Activities that involve physical movement such as doing chores can be counted towards the recommended total of 60 minute-activities everyday. Motivate your teen to replace an hour of television time with physical activities like walking the dog, doing aerobic workouts or chores around the house. The idea is for your teen to have enough physical activity each day .
Encourage healthy eating habits by starting at home. Make sure you teen gets only the healthy food choices with the right portions. When healthy eating habits are continuously practiced at home, your teen will eventually develop the same outside the home. A healthy breakfast helps increase metabolism, so make sure your teen gets one every morning.
Flavored drinking beverages are mostly overloaded with calories and sugar, so have your teen drink plain water instead. The calories and sugar content in flavored beverages such as sodas, fruit juices and other drinks may be more than what is needed for a day.
It may also help to keep the entire family involved such that your teen won't end up eating just a sandwich when the entire family is having a full meal. Schedule a regular family physical activity and serve tasty healthy meals for the entire family. Perhaps you teen can choose which activities he likes doing on these family workouts.
Let go of bad family habits like eating mindlessly, while watching television. Changes in your family's habits may take some time, and it may help if you give them ample time to adjust. The overall goal is to have everyone develop these healthy practices.
Weight loss requires time and effort, so don't be too hard on your teen; show him appreciation instead. Keep supporting your teen even if the target weight is not achieved over a period of time. Let your teen feel that regardless of his weight issues, you love him unconditionally.
Talk to your teen about his insecurities and frustrations so that you can help him get past the tough times. If you feel that the efforts at home is not suitable for your teen, you may have him go to a professional for counseling or enroll him in a weight loss program. By supporting your teen, you may be giving him a chance to develop a positive self-image amidst all the pressure from his peers, and at the same time develop practices, which are good for his overall health and well-being.
by: Steven Chang
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