Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Battling Teen Obesity

By Patsie Adams

More and more teens are becoming obese. It's a growing epidemic that burdens health care costs. More significantly, it is causing unhappiness among teens who already face the difficulty navigating the tricky path of adolescence.

If you look at the average teenager's diet, you really won't be surprised why many of them are overweight. It is a steady stream of fast food junk.

And so the quest for free weight loss programs for teens continues. Well, it is possible to lose weight without spending a fortune.

Any good weight loss program for teens must not prey on an adolescent's desperation to shed pounds. It must also not set unrealistic goals. What it should consider is that a teenager is still growing and developing.

Teenagers are still developing so they should not do any drastic dieting with overly restricted calorie intake. This can negatively affect their growth and development.

A free weight loss program for teens should be well thought-off and planned. It should first consider a teenager's existing regular diet and activity level. Only from here can it make diet and exercise recommendations.

As mentioned, many teens just don't have the healthiest lifestyles. If junk food is a big part of their regular eating then that should be the first habit to break.

The new teenager's diet must primarily consist of lean proteins, vegetables, whole grains and fruits. Prepared creatively, these healthy foods can taste as good as their usual pizza, burgers and fries.

In fact, this does not mean no burgers or pizza ever. If these are prepared using healthy ingredients - lean beef burger patty, whole grain bread buns with light cheese - anyone could lose weight. Another important thing though is moderating portion size.

Also make sure the teen's free weight loss program involves exercise. It is essential they work their heart, lungs and muscles to lose weight - not to mention stay healthy. Generally, you need to get some cardio at least three or four times per week for at least twenty minutes at a time.

This doesnt mean that any teen who is not gym-orientated or who does not enjoy jogging has to start doing those particular activities. There should be some form of exercise that will appeal to any teen. Its just a matter of finding it.

Daily activities should not be discounted. A brisk walk done a few times a week can be good enough exercise. Something as simple as waking to school everyday could make a big difference. The key to doing exercise regularly is finding something they actually like doing.

Finally, do not set your teen up for failure. Look for a program that sets doable, realistic goals. Take things a step at a time. Encourage them to stick to the plan. Failing too many times may get demoralized and making it harder to lose those extra pounds. - 17273

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home