Weight Loss for Teenagers
From LoveToKnow Teens
Weight loss for teenagers can be a difficult pill for many to swallow. While it may seem absurd that teens want to lose weight because they are still growing and their bodies need nutrition, obesity is on the rise in the United States, and teens looking to lose weight in a healthy way are taking steps towards good health. Furthermore, sometimes losing a few pounds can make a teenager feel more confident. If you have been looking for a few tips on how to drop a few teenage pounds in a healthy way, keep reading.
How Does the Body Lose Weight?
The body takes in nutrients through food in order to survive. Each human needs a certain amount of nutrients each day in order to maintain a certain weight. When someone takes in less nutrients, the body must help itself. The body begins to use stored fat cells for the additional fuel it needs. This is why one of the two most common things that you can do to lose weight is consume less calories. When less calories are consumed, the body begins to use fat cells to make up the difference, which is how weight loss occurs.
What Difference Does Exercise Make?
The second major thing you can do to lose weight is exercise. When the body exerts itself through exercise, it begins to need more nutrients. As a result, it burns through the nutrients quicker than if you don't exercise.
Tips on Weight Loss for Teenagers
Are you a teen looking to lose a few pounds? Here are a few tips that can help you lower your weight healthily:
- Make better food choices. Losing weight doesn't have to be difficult. Choose an apple over a bag of chips. Get a whole grain sandwich for lunch instead of a burger. Better food choices can add up!
- Get active! Whether it means joining a sports team at school or just walking more than you usually do, any activity is going to help you lose weight.
- Eat three meals a day. While this is important at any age, teens especially need nutrients spread out throughout the day.
- Try not to eat snacks. Cutting out snacking can be hard but it can help a great deal. Forgo the nachos and candy at the movies and you may suddenly find yourself losing weight.
- Find a friend. If there's someone you know who would also like to lose weight, team up. Together, you can help one another make healthy choices and make weight loss fun!
Weight Loss Myths
If you are interested in weight loss for teenagers, you probably already know that there are many myths out there. The following are a few myths that you shouldn't fall for:
Myth #1: Starving myself will help me lose weight quicker.
Wrong! When the body does not receive food for long enough, it goes into starvation mode. When the body does this, it holds on to everything that it has and begins to ration fat cells rather than burn through them quickly. As a result, starving yourself won't do anything but give you a headache.
Myth #2: If I exercise every single day, I'll lose weight quicker.
While exercising daily is a great habit to get into, starting out that fast can harm your body. When you work your muscles, they need to rest. If they don't rest, they don't work as well and won't help you lose weight. If you would like to work out every day, be sure to switch up your exercises daily (for example, alternating lifting weights with running) so that each part of your body rests, which helps you lose weight best.
Myth #3: I can eat whatever I want as long as I run every day.
Exercise and healthy eating go hand and hand for weight loss. No amount of time on the treadmill can counteract eating a triple cheese pizza every day.
One Last Thought
It might seem like weight loss is a difficult goal to conquer. However, a few simple choices can make the biggest of differences.
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This page has been accessed 733 times. This page was last modified 02:12, 22 June 2009.
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