Teen Weight Loss

     Obesity among teenagers in the United States is reaching almost epidemic proportions, with estimates now declaring a third of all teens are obese, while up to half are overweight. This is a relatively recent development, with most experts attributing the phenomenon to poor dietary habits.

In making your own assessment, remember that some kids have large frames, which means their bones are larger. Muscle weighs more than fat, so a kid who works out and has a large frame may weigh more than the proscribed definition of ideal weight for their height. It's also important to note that many pre-teens may still have a store of baby fat which magically disappears during a growth spurt. A teen weight loss regimen may not make sense in these cases.

However, common sense will tell you if you're overweight or obese. You also know if your diet isn't the best. Combine the two and you may see it's time for a diet to sensibly reduce. Teen weight loss programs should be carefully analyzed either by consultation with your doctor or a nutritionist. Teens are growing rapidly, going through growth spurts followed by periods of stability. Your nutritional needs at your current stage of development needs to be considered.

That said, a teen weight loss program may be less than enchanting to the teen in question, as radical changes in diet may be necessary for effective teen wieght loss. However, in the end, you'll be a happy teen who will likely be sharing that teen weight loss plan with friends.

We all know that fried and fatty foods, too much soda and empty calories (read junk food and candy) are major culprits which your teen weight loss program must address.

One good strategy for success is to be gradual in changes. Abrupt withdrawal of all the usuals results in a cranky teen who may not stick with the program and who will drift back into old bad habits. For example, make an agreement with yourself for one soda per day for the first week, replacing the remainder of the usual drinks with juices. After awhile, you may come to prefer juices over soda, particularly when you get on the scale and see your weight go down.

Also important to success and results in any teen weight loss program is the inclusion of daily multi-vitamins and supplements of vitamins A, C, E and zinc, which promote good energy levels and are excellent in keeping blemishes at bay.

You know the rest. Boring and unsavory as it may seem, snacks of fruit instead of chips, lots of lean meat like fish and chicken, and as many vegetables in variety as you can eat should be your staples. In order to stick with the program, and not quit over feeling deprived, allow yourself french fries or a burger once a week. You'll soon find these items to be not so appealing. Now there's a teen weight loss program that works!

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