Losing weight can be a breeze, especially for teens. However, it’s easy to forget about staying healthy when people are constantly bombarding us with diet advertisements. The truth is, there are just some things you need to avoid in order to keep your body functioning well. If you’re a teen, it’s time to rethink your diet and adopt some healthy habits that will help you lose weight the right way.
As a parent, it is important to encourage your teen to maintain a healthy weight and develop good eating habits. Healthy lifestyle habits are the best way to ward off nutrition-related diseases. Also, there are certain foods you might want to consider restricting from your teen’s diet. Sometimes weight gain does not mean obesity, but rather the opposite. Remember, by having a healthy balance of foods and activities, you can maintain your weight and avoid certain health problems. In this blog, we have listed some of the best tips for healthy teens.
In This Article
- Best weight loss tips for teens
- 1. Consume more fibre and protein
- 2. Avoid junk food
- 3. Do not take sweetened processed foods
- 4. Do more physical activity
- 5. Avoid fad diets
- 6. Avoid skipping meals
- 7. Don’t avoid healthy fats
- 8. Drink enough water
- 9. Balanced and Proper Nutrition
- 10. Opt for high-intensity workout programs
- 11. Have a proper sleep
- 12. Get rid of emotional eating
- 13. Learn to forgive yourself
- 14. Avoid taking diet pills
- 15. Get your caffeine fix
- 16. Eat your meals slowly
- 17. Increase Calories BMR
- 18. Do not skip breakfast
- 19. Limit added sugars
- 20. Don’t compare yourself
- 21. Reduce stress of body fat
Best weight loss tips for teens
Though healthy weight loss tips for teens are not that tough but still following them is not easy. It’s better to be prepared for a weight loss procedure if you are really serious about getting rid of the flabby body. The muscle mass will increase while your fat percentage will decrease. Then weight loss journey will simply become a pleasurable activity. Let’s have a look at some best lose weight tips for healthy body weight and they are:
1. Consume more fibre and protein
Therefore, to lose weight quickly, you need to decrease your calorie intake and increase your energy expenditure. Thus, in order to accomplish these targets for healthy weight loss, it has been found that taking more fibre and protein in the diet is very much helpful. When we eat carbohydrates or fats, our bodies break them down into glucose or fatty acids respectively. But when we take dietary fibre, our body cannot break it down and absorb it.
So, such food items will take longer to digest and your blood sugar levels will remain stable throughout the day. Protein is another nutrient that has a higher Thermic effect (energy required for digestion). It takes more energy to use protein for our bodies than carbs or fats.
2. Avoid junk food
It seems simple, but knowing what to eat can be challenging. Thus, junk food that has lots of calories and fat should be avoided at all costs. Such food items are very much rich in refined carbs, sugar and unhealthy fats like trans-fats. This means that you should stop eating fast foods completely because they will cause major fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and it’s tough to keep a check on them. For a healthy weight loss journey, it is advisable to avoid all these food items as they have been found to be associated with obesity.
3. Do not take sweetened processed foods
It’s a fact that sweetened beverages foods have lots of sugar and other ingredients added by manufacturers. Hence, to lose weight quickly it is essential to know what the food items consist of before consuming them. In this way, you can see how many calories they have and from where they are coming from. It will help you in taking quick action against junk food and sugary processed food items. As well deep-fried foods that are high in fat and calories should also be avoided to keep gain weight issues at bay. Healthy diet plans should include lean proteins and whole grains instead of slow-digesting carbs.
4. Do more physical activity
Yes, it’s a fact that more activity is better for weight loss. But most of the people do not know how much is enough? Well, doing 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day is highly effective for losing weight and maintaining it as well. What you can do is start with just 10 minutes per day three times a week and then increase it gradually. The healthy weight range for teens is somewhere between 46 to 65 pounds. Make sure you know your weight and height in order to calculate the ideal body mass index (BMI). For healthy body weight gain tips, you should not exceed the upper limit of this range.
5. Avoid fad diets
Every year, there are scores of new diets being introduced in the weight loss market. Fad diets claim that they have a unique formula for quick weight loss results. These products really get people to spend their hard-earned money on them and it’s an even tougher task to fight with fad diet ads popping up everywhere. Thus, fad diets are generally ridiculous for your health and do not have a long-term impact. Healthy fats like Omega 3 are good for our health, but fad diets like low-carb or keto diet will not provide you with the desired results. Sometimes gain weight fast by adopting such diets and they can even be dangerous for health.
6. Avoid skipping meals
It’s a common mistake that people do when their goal is to lose weight fast and in an easy way. However, such things cannot work for your body because it needs food and nutrients on a regular basis to function well and lose unhealthy fat quickly. So, if you want to lose weight then do not skip breakfast and try to eat your meals on time. Healthy fats fuel your brain and body, keep energy levels high throughout the day, aid in nutrient absorption (from food) and provide satiety. As well as replacing unhealthy fats with healthy ones is the best way to lose weight. A healthy lifestyle is a key to healthy eating and it solves your body image issues.
7. Don’t avoid healthy fats
Healthy fats are the most essential nutrients in a weight loss plan. Healthy fat keeps you satiated for a longer time and reduce your cravings for unhealthy snacks. It also helps to make the meals healthy and tasty. So, include food items that are rich in good carbs and healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds etc. To avoid nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, stay away from hydrogenated oils, margarine and other trans-fat foods. Healthy diet plans must include fats and don’t skipping breakfast, as it’s an important meal of the day to provide healthy fat for your body. Although weight gain is more common in people who skip breakfast it’s not necessary that you will gain weight if you eat a healthy and nutritious breakfast.
8. Drink enough water
Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water daily is one of the most important rules in any weight loss program. It can really help to lose weight without much effort. To avoid situations of eating disorders water is the best option. Even when you feel hungry, it would be better to drink a glass of water instead of eating anything in between meals. This habit will keep your stomach full and avoid you from over-eating at mealtimes. For body image positivity, it is equally important to drink water before starting your meals, so that you don’t overeat. As well as overweight teens, even underweight teens can drink water to have healthy body weight.
9. Balanced and Proper Nutrition
No matter what your weight is and what you want to accomplish. It’s important to have a well-balanced diet that provides all the key nutrients needed by your body, such as protein, carbs, fat, vitamins and minerals. Also, try to include food items that are rich in fibre, water, and low in salt. To lose weight fast, go for low-calorie food items. So, healthy foods can also be low in calories, like fruits and veggies. The unhealthy fats and sugars can be reduced to a greater extent. Moreover, lose weight fast by avoiding high sugar content, processed foods and refined carbs.
10. Opt for high-intensity workout programs
It’s important to have a very well planned exercise regime that can help you lose weight fastly and in an effective way. It means actually spending some time on your training schedule instead of having quick workouts. Having said that, always opt for high-intensity workout programs because they are really effective. And, to lose weight you need maximum output in minimum time. So, choose exercises like sprint, jump rope or hill sprints that can help you burn calories quickly and thus speed up the fat burning process in your body. Don’t forget to warm up well before doing these workouts.
11. Have a proper sleep
There is no such thing as overnight weight loss. When we don’t get adequate sleep, our body produces high levels of the stress hormone cortisol which encourages fat storage at the cost of burning fat. It means you can’t lose weight with cortisol levels high in your body. So, make sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night and follow a consistent sleep schedule throughout the week. Don’t forget to wind down before going to sleep and implement some relaxing and stress relief activities like meditation, yoga or deep breathing exercises.
12. Get rid of emotional eating
Emotional eating can lead to weight gain in teens. It’s necessary to be aware of the fact that you are not hungry when you crave food in between meals or after dinner or any other time, it’s always about satisfying your cravings. So make sure that you are able to manage your emotions properly. If the cravings are the result of depression, stress or anxiety then you should need to seek help from someone because it can lead to severe health issues like obesity, heart disease etc.
13. Learn to forgive yourself
Forgive yourself for the overeating habits that you have. Nobody is perfect and thus making mistakes is a part of life, but it’s necessary to move on in order to achieve your weight loss goals. So if you make any mistake or eat an extra slice of pizza then forgive yourself after that because the major aim here is to improve your own life. Furthermore, forgive yourself for the things that you cannot change because they are not in your control.
14. Avoid taking diet pills
As a teen, you might feel tempted to start taking diet pills. But it’s not a safe option and can sometimes do more harm than good. If you are really serious about losing weight fast, then going for stimulant-free supplements is always a better option. Moreover, don’t rely solely on the supplement without changing your diet and exercise regimen. Similarly, too much fat and sugar that you consume can cause many health issues like heart disease and diabetes. Diet pills not only make your body weak but also cause side effects like nausea, headache, insomnia, rapid heartbeats and more.
15. Get your caffeine fix
Caffeine is a proven metabolism booster, fat burner and hunger suppressant that can help you lose weight fastly. It’s an organic compound that speeds up our body’s metabolic rate. You can start your day with a hot or cold glass of black coffee as there is no calorie intake in it. A few pounds of daily calorie intake can be burnt off by having your daily cup of coffee. Dietary fat may also be burnt off to a certain extent. In addition, caffeine can minimize the craving for food items and thus make weight loss possible.
16. Eat your meals slowly
You might be surprised but eating slower is also an effective weight loss tip for teens generally and particularly if you are looking for faster results. It has been found that our brain takes around 20 minutes to register signals of fullness, so by the time we finish our meal, we are already full. The slow eating process enables your stomach to produce more digestive juices so that you can digest your food properly. If you eat slowly, you will surely lose weight faster than the others who eat fast. For proper brain development eating slowly can also help and it prevents you from a eating disorder because eating fast can lead you to binge eating.
17. Increase Calories BMR
Although your basal metabolic rate will boost naturally when you increase calorie intake. The best way to do this is to eat a diet high in proteins and healthy foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. So, it’s important to eat more calorie-rich food every time you feel like eating something. If your daily intensity is on the go then increase your intake of fruit smoothies and healthy snacks. A high protein diet plan will help in increasing BMR, resulting in weight loss faster than ever. Fatty fish and lean meat are vital for increasing the basal metabolic rate too.
18. Do not skip breakfast
Is skipping breakfast bad for weight loss? No, it’s not! It’s the most important meal of your day. Missing your breakfast can affect your metabolism in a negative way. Also, when you skip your breakfast, you might eat more during lunch or dinner time which may eventually lead to weight gain. So start your day with a healthy and nutritious breakfast to lose weight. So eat breakfast properly because mindful eating is more important for any teenager.
19. Limit added sugars
A large number of people are suffering from obesity issues, especially teens. So it’s necessary to take care before taking any decision regarding your health. The first thing you must do is limit added sugars in your food items as much as possible during breakfasts, snacks and desserts. If you don’t know what it means then here is a simple explanation. Added sugar is basically called any sweetening ingredient that has been added to the food item to enhance its taste, like table sugar, honey, syrups etc. The excess intake of calories in your food items will only result in weight gain rather than providing you with the required nutrients.
20. Don’t compare yourself
You should not compare yourself with others. Every human being is different and so are his eating habits. Moreover, the body type differs from one to another. So you should know your body’s requirements first then decide on your diet plan accordingly. If you are thinking about losing weight then it will only be fruitful if you are ready for rough workouts because they are crucial for healthy weight loss. Calculate your daily calorie intake first then go for the food items that will provide you with 100-200 calories less than the amount needed by your body, but be sure to include all the essential nutrients in them.
21. Reduce stress of body fat
Nowadays, most people are suffering from obesity due to stress. The reason behind it is hormones that produce stress. When you become anxious or nervous then these hormones start releasing in your body. So try not to take tension because keeping the stress under control will ultimately keep your weight under control as well. However, it is not possible to remove stress completely but you can definitely minimize it. It’s better to go for outdoor activities like trekking, jogging etc. because these activities will keep your mind calm and relaxed.
The Bottom line
In order to have a healthy and successful weight loss journey, it is important to set realistic goals and find a support food group. Teenagers face a lot of challenges when it comes to weight loss. It can be hard to know where to start, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with diet and exercise. We hope these tips will help you get started on the right track and achieve your goals. Remember, slow and steady wins the race, so take things one step at a time and you’ll see results before you know it. Some of these tips may be more applicable than others depending on your personal situation. But we hope that you can find at least a few ideas here that will help you get started on the road to better health. If you have any queries regarding the above context then feel free to share with us through a comment below.