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Teen weight loss: Healthy habits count
Encourage smart snacking
It can be tough to make healthy choices when school halls are lined with vending machines, but it's possible. Encourage your teen to replace even one bag of chips a day with a healthier grab-and-go option from home:
- Frozen grapes
- Oranges, strawberries or other fresh fruit
- Sliced red, orange or yellow peppers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Baby carrots
- Low-fat yogurt or pudding
- Pretzels
- Graham crackers
- String cheese
Watch portion sizes
When it comes to portions, size matters. Encourage your teen to scale back, eat slowly and stop eating when he or she is full — both at home and away from home. It might take just one slice of pizza or half the pasta on the plate to feel full. An occasional indulgence is OK, but even then there's no shame in sharing a meal, ordering a smaller portion or skipping dessert.
Count liquid calories
The calories in soda, fruit juice, specialty coffees and other drinks can add up quickly. Drinking water instead of soda and other sugary drinks may spare your teen hundreds of calories a day — or even more. For variety, suggest flavored water, seltzer water or unsalted club soda.
Make it a family affair
Rather than singling out your teen, adopt healthier habits as a family. After all, eating healthier foods and getting more exercise is good for everybody.
- Encourage the entire family to eat more fruits, veggies and whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice and oatmeal. Keep these foods in plain sight, and be sure to set a good example yourself.
- Leave junk food at the grocery store. Healthy foods sometimes cost more, but it's an important investment.
- Try new recipes or healthier alternatives to family favorites.
- Eat in the kitchen — not on the couch while watching TV or playing computer or video games.
- Limit screen time. Instead, plan active family outings — such as evening walks or weekend visits to a local recreation center. You might even make physical activity a topic of family conversations, rather than what or how much anyone is eating.
Be positive
Being overweight doesn't inevitably lead to a lifetime of low self-esteem, but your acceptance is critical. Listen to your teen's concerns. Comment on his or her efforts, skills and accomplishments. Make it clear that your love is unconditional — not dependent on weight loss. Help your teen learn healthy ways to express his or her feelings, such as writing in a journal.
If your teen is struggling with low self-esteem or isn't able to cope with his or her weight in a healthy manner, consider a support group, formal weight-control program or professional counseling. Additional support may give your teen the tools to counter social pressure, cultivate more positive self-esteem and take control of his or her weight. The benefits will last a lifetime.
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- Luttikhuis H, et al. Interventions for treating obesity in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD001872.
- Van Mater HA, et al. Obesity and metabolic syndrome. In: McInerny TK, et al. American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care. Elk Grove Village, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2009:2320.
- Helping your overweight child. Weight-control Information Network. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/over_child.htm. Accessed Aug. 5, 2009.
- Klish WJ. Clinical evaluation of the obese child and adolescent. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 6, 2009.
