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Weight loss Motivation & Support
Motivating and Helping Your Teen to Lose Weight
If your teenager is overweight, you may be concerned about
their health and well-being. You probably want them to lose
the weight, but aren't sure how to broach the subject. The
good news is that your teen is most likely aware of the
problem and wants to lose the weight, too. While they have to
do the work and make the effort on their own, there are plenty
of ways you can offer motivation and support.
Teenagers can often be sullen, moody and withdrawn. Not all
of them are like this, but let's face it, many of them are at
times. This is often because teens are dealing with hormonal
and bodily changes, peer pressure, school-related stress, and
identity issues all at the same time. Many teens feel isolated
from their parents and think that Mom and Dad don't understand
what they're going through. They may react with anger or
irritation if you mention their weight. So, how can a
concerned parent help their overweight teen? Here are some
ideas:
First, tackle healthy eating and exercise as a family
rather than singling out your teen. Call a family meeting to
announce the new changes. At that time, explain to the entire
family the importance of eating healthy and exercising. Let
your family, and your teen, know that these changes aren't
going to be unpleasant. For example, if your family is used to
keeping snacks like cookies and chips in the cabinet, keep
those snacks but switch to the low-fat, low-calorie versions.
Also, make sure to provide a wide variety of healthy snacks
such as fresh fruit and vegetables with lowfat dipping sauce.
Ask your teen to recommend healthy foods that they like to
eat. When cooking meals, stick to low-fat, low-calorie foods
like skinless chicken and steamed vegetables.
When it comes to exercise, encourage your teen to choose
activities they enjoy doing. Even if your teen isn't athletic,
there's bound to be something they'll like. Encourage them to
play sports, or ask them if they want to take a dance or
aerobics class. Also, make working out a family affair.
Purchase a family membership to your local gym and attend
together. Go for regular walks after dinner. By making
exercise something the whole family does together, your teen
will be more likely to stick with it. This will ensure your
teen doesn't feel like they're being singled out or picked on
because of their weight issues.
The good news is that teens are usually quite willing to
make an effort to drop those extra pounds. Body image is a
very important to many teens. They feel pressured to look good
and may try to model themselves after more popular kids at
school or even celebrities. As a parent, it is important to
encourage your teen to look up to role models with healthy
body types and offer them the means to make positive changes
on their own. This in addition to family-wide diet and
exercise can be just the thing to help your teen reach their
weight loss goals.
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