Finding a simple and healthy teen-friendly diet plan is one of the first steps towards weight loss for teenage girls. There are many other things you can do to boost weight loss results and importantly, make weight loss an enjoyable experience so that they stay motivated.
Join in
Few moms are perfect, and most dads could benefit from shedding a few pounds too. When you make weight loss a family affair – share the pain as it were – teen girls won’t feel singled out as the one with a problem. Sharing a healthy weight loss program is also a great opportunity to bond at a time when teenage girls and their moms are too often at loggerheads.
Get a regular makeover
Whether you have a “girls beauty nights” at home or splash out on trips to a beauty parlour or spa, a makeover reinforces the idea of making a positive change that’s not all about weight. Looking good makes us feel good too, affecting confidence levels and motivating us to be the best we can in all sorts of ways, inside and out. Of course it’s also a well-deserved reward.
Take some photos
Before weight loss really gets underway, have your teenage girl rummage through her wardrobe and find the outfit she’d most like to never wear again once she’s her ideal weight. Take a picture. If you’re participating in the diet plan too, have her take one of you as well. You can stick these on the refrigerator or hide them away to shock yourselves with later.
Boost weight loss with exercise
For teenage girls and adults alike, regular exercise burns calories and boosts the metabolism, speeding up weight loss and contributing to health while also toning and firming the body – important as skin loses it’s under layer of fat. Body-conscious teenage girls are often extremely shy about participating in sports, overweight or not, but simply walking 15 minutes a day is enough to make a significant difference. Be sure your teen is aware of this – that just a little exercise can make a big difference. If she is totally against it, think creatively. There are fantastic interactive exercise and dance programs available that she can enjoy in the privacy of her room, alone or with friends.
Visit a Specialty Kitchen & Cookware Store
The ideal diet for teenage girls should be healthy and simple, and like The Idiot Proof Diet involves no calorie counting or portion control. While you won’t need fancy scales or calculators new kitchen gadgets can add a sense of fun and professionalism to the process of weight loss. For instance, if your is enjoying healthy shakes and smoothies, consider a fancy new blender that can be all theirs for keeps. Shop together – specialty kitchen and cookware stores are often overlooked but fascinating once inside – and great for a game of “guess what this is for.”
Be supportive when weight loss derails
It’s almost inevitable that teenage girls will fall off the weight loss wagon now and then – times when it’s essential to eliminate any sense of failure. This goes without saying but try to remember that your main aim is to encourage your teen to stay on track rather than give up. You can reinforce the idea that all is not lost by planning “days off” in advance, when a big party or seasonal event is coming up involving plenty of delicious food. It’s better that she enjoys the occasion, doing her best to eat somewhat sensibly, rather than fret about it during and after. Remind her that any weight gained will be minimal and easily lost again, but the occasion won’t repeat itself.
Encourage teenage girls to take a weight loss break
It’s a good idea for teenage girls to take a break and ease up on weight loss from time to time. Flexible diet plans like The Idiot Proof Diet, which has three-day breaks built-in to the program, will allow her to shift gear without gaining weight. Taking a break will help keep the issue of weight in healthy perspective, important to protect teenage girls from becoming obsessive about weight loss, or despondent enough to give up.
Many of these tips for encouraging healthy weight loss in teenage girls can apply to teen boys as well. However, it’s especially important to not only encourage but be involved in teenage girls’ weight loss programs. Teenage girls are more susceptible to problems of poor self-esteem linked with poor body image, and at greater risk of taking weight loss to dangerous extremes.
A healthy dose of realism, fun and humour will keep weight loss in perspective, and with a little thought – you know your teen best – you can probably think of many other ways to encourage healthy weight loss.
If you haven’t yet found a suitable diet, you’ll find summaries of the best known plans in the Weight Loss Programs category. Be sure to steer clear of any that are complicated, lack variety or eliminate or drastically reduce particular foods groups.
This is an original article, exclusive to this site
Copyright © 2010 Caroline Mackenzie
