How can I lose weight?

Have you been diagnosed with teen obesity? In the United States, there are more children and teens dealing with being overweight these days than in the past. Obesity is blamed on a number of reasons: lifestyle, diet, genes. Whatever the cause, the number one question is,”How can I lose weight?”

Trying to lose weight is a struggle and it is not easy at the beginning. Have hope that you will make it through and it’s not too late to turn this around.

Weight Loss

The areas of the body that will be affected directly by weight loss are the belly, butt, chest, hips, thighs, upper back and waist. It will be these areas that you will notice the biggest improvement as you practice eating healthy and do exercises.

Let’s start with eating healthy. This is probably the most important part of any weight loss routine. Part of the reason for being overweight is that more calories are taken in than are burned off. If you aren’t burning the calories off, they sit in the body and turn to fat. They attach to the areas mentioned above.

Easy Healthy Tips

Start with what’s in your refrigerator. Ask whoever is responsible for buying the groceries, if they would help you by buying foods that are nutritious and stay away from junk foods. Not having junk foods on hand to tempt you can make a big difference. It’s hard to resist the temptation to grab a cupcake if there’s a box of Little Debbie’s in the pantry. But if they aren’t there, the temptation is gone.

Offer to go grocery shopping to help choose healthier snacks and foods. Start with these suggestions:

No fast foods. Cut out the trips to McDonald’s and Taco Bell, etc. Make a decision now to steer clear of these places. If you are very addicted to them, maybe limit the trips to once a week as a treat. But when there, try to choose healthier foods on the menu.

No eating without a purpose. It is understandable the need to eat when bored or when feeling down. Try to occupy your down time with something else. Chew gum or maybe eat a fruit. Drink a large glass of water. Don’t grab food unless you are actually hungry.

Eat your fruits and veggies. Yes, you’ve heard this before, but fresh fruit and vegetables are some of the best foods you can put in your mouth. They are high in vitamins and fiber and highly nutritious. They will fill you up and keep you satisfied. Try reaching for an apple instead of a Doritos or some other junk food the next time you are hungry for a snack.

Avoid sugary drinks. Sodas are one of the worst things you can put into your body. Not only will they turn to fat, they rot your teeth and hold no nutritional value whatsoever. Instead of reaching for a soda bottle, drink water or unsweetened tea.

Teen Exercise

Getting up and doing something physical along with eating healthy will really help escalate the weight loss. Exercise doesn’t have to be boring. There are many fun activities that can get your body to moving like bike riding, skating, swimming, walking, running, dancing, sports. Even playing on a game system like the Will can help add fun to exercise. It’s just important that you are moving your body daily to help bring about desired weight loss.

Stick with it. Eat right and exercise and you will lose weight. It may not be fast, but any weight loss at all should be encouraging, as long as you aren’t gaining or staying the same.