How to Lose Weight Fast for Teenagers
Obesity has become a growing challenge for most people in recent years. The burden is even heavier for teenagers who often have to cope with the teasing, bullying and emotional torture from their peers. It can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. In a desperate attempt to deal with the problem, most teenagers may fall prey to fad diet tips, over-hyped pills that never work and unhealthy weight loss strategies such as self-starvation. Luckily, this article outlines 8 healthy tips on how to lose weight fast for teens.
1.Drink a lot of water
Water makes up 50 to 60% of our bodies. Apart from helping you deal with weight loss, drinking lots of water can also help boost your immune system, keep your skin healthy and improve your metabolism. Avoid drinks such as sodas and processed juices since they add a lot of calories into your system. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, you can try fruit and vegetable juices. However, such drinks are usually devoid of fiber and should not be used as a substitute for eating whole vegetables and fruits.
2. Get plenty of sleep
Teenage life can be quite fun and adventurous. But with so many parties and events that often extend overnight, teenagers tend to compromise on a good night sleep, which should be at least 8 hours a night. If you ever want to lose weight, getting enough good sleep is not an option but an absolute necessity. Sleep deprivation can lead to stress and weight gain. Find an appropriate sleeping schedule and stick to it. Also, avoid sleeping with the TV on since the light will disrupt your sleeping pattern.
3. Differentiate between hunger and boredom
Eating gives us a lot of pleasure, and teenagers tend to overeat when they’re feeling stressed, lonely or bored. Stress eating is a sure way to gain excess weight. If you’re not sure whether you’re genuinely hungry, take a glass of ice cold water when the cravings kick in. They should disappear within 30 minutes if you weren’t really hungry. You can also try chewing sugar-free gum to dull the cravings.
4. Cut down on carbs
Excess carbohydrates are converted into fat and stored in the body. If you want to lose weight fast, you may want to cut down on the amount of carbs intake. However, you shouldn’t make the mistake of eliminating carbohydrates from your diet completely. Your body still requires enough energy to perform daily functions. Lack of enough carbs may lead to fatigue and slow brain function.
5. Keep off junk and processed foods
Unhealthy eating is one of the greatest hindrances to teenage weight loss. Eating french fries, pizzas, cakes, burgers and other foods rich in fats and saturated sugars is counterproductive if you want to lose weight fast. Such foods also contain high levels of cholesterol. Apart from obesity, eating fast foods can expose you to risks of heart disease.
If you have to eat snacks, opt for healthy options instead. You can make eating vegetables tasty and interesting by adding peanut butter or hummus. Other options may include popcorn without the added butter or salt and Greek yogurt (you can drink it plain or add berries or honey).
6. Exercise regularly
Sedentary lifestyles have immensely contributed to obesity in teenagers. People will choose to drive instead of walking or cycling even over short distances. They will pick the elevator over a short flight of stairs any day. The surest tip on how to lose weight fast for teens is exercise. Exercise or any form or physical activity is important for mind and body fitness. If you don’t fancy going to the gym, you can try simple home exercises such as dips, squats, and crunches.
You can also exercise while still having fun by engaging in sports and hobbies. Because of their competitive nature, sports enable us to endure more than we would normally do. Some fun sporting activities may include downhill skiing, soccer, and basketball. You can also try other fun activities such as swimming, yoga and even dancing.
7. Avoid fad diets
If you want to lose weight fast, it is easier to get carried away by the wave of fad diets. However, they are not a good idea if you’re hoping to lose weight in the long term. The adolescent phase is a very integral stage in your body growth; you need all the necessary nutrients to stay healthy. Most of these fad diets are nutritionally deficient and can pose a lot of health risks. Although you may lose weight on the short term, you will gain most of it back after the diet.
8. Healthy dieting
Unfortunately, the first thing that comes to mind when most teenagers hear the word dieting is starvation. But it is by no means a healthy way of losing weight. You should focus on consuming a balanced diet and eating smaller portions instead. Eating food rich in fiber and protein will help keep hunger at bay and cut back on calorie consumption.
Fruits and vegetable are also an excellent source for vitamins and essential minerals. Always go for whole grains and avoid fatty meals. Plant-based foods are always a good option since they are unlikely to make you gain weight. These include rice, sweet potatoes, legumes, beans, oatmeal, fruits, and vegetables.
In summary
Excess weight gain is a growing problem among teenagers. It can lead to a host of issues such as lack of self-confidence and depression. Teenagers often fall victim to scam products and tricks that promise the world but actually deliver nothing. Some of these tips are often counterproductive. However, there is a solution for teenagers interested in losing weight the healthy way.
The tips mentioned above provide healthy advice on how to lose weight fast for teens. But there are many reasons that can contribute to weight gain among teenagers including genes, body type, level of activity, medical history, etc. It is important to seek advice from a doctor first before you can commit to any weight loss plan or diet.
