So it’s no news today that many people are generally reaching the “overweight” mark at early ages. Many teenagers today are struggling with controlling their out of control weight gain, and it is slowly becoming a burden – socially, economically and physically on their goals and aspirations. Many of them must bear the torture from social pressure and distasteful classifications their peers often have for them. And of course you can imagine, many adults find it rather difficult to comply with weight loss plans, let alone teens. Now how do we get teenagers to understand, take control and appreciate weight loss? Here are a few tips on the card.
As a mother or parent, you must always see it as a responsibility to avail a weight loss supportive home to your teenagers. Nothing gets to a teenager more their own voice telling them “oh, this is here to make……happen”. You must also look to serve as a role model – many teenagers are encouraged to lose weight when their parents carry the shape and weight they would love to have. It is easy for a teenager to take weight loss programs less seriously when mommy has trouble fitting into nice dresses. Your children are more likely to succeed when you are a model for them to look up to.
Second, you should never use negative remarks on teenagers. Not even negative in its literal sense, but sarcastic remarks like; “oh I see we’ll need more cheese after you finish making that sandwich”. No, these remarks play on teenagers and discourage them from giving anything towards weight loss. You should give them some space to be them, do not always insist on weight loss with everything they do; from the early morning to bed time.
A good way to help teenagers lose weight is to relate the effects of being overweight to something they are concerned about. We as adults can understand that excess weight can predispose us to health risks for heart disease, diabetes and the rest. However, a teenager might have a hard time seeing the imminent danger, or the likely hood of a heart condition simply because he or she is overweight. But, when you tell them they might have a hard time making the football team, enjoying gym classes, or making it into the cheerleading group, they might spend some time giving it a serious thought, and are more likely to put more efforts into shedding the extra pounds.
Always include them in the meal decisions. Let them have a say on what everyone should eat to an extent, not just on them that are overweight. It is absolutely important that as a parent you make teenagers feel good about themselves. For a fact, it is what they are concerned about; teenagers at any stage really, are constantly trying to build on or maintain a level of self-esteem and confidence in every aspect of their life. They are on the road, looking to carve out a surviving personality from their little knowledge of what life is about.
Go running with them; active parents have it easier convincing their children to lead an active lifestyle. You might want to cut down on time spent in front of the TV, or on the internet. These two teenage pleasures are by far the most deteriorative on their health; both on inner health and weight. That sedentary lifestyle might not only ensure those extra pounds are well rested around their bellies and bodies generally, but can easily put them in a ripe position to developing clinically challenging conditions years down the road in life.
Once a teenager starts to lose weight, they should be encouraged to keep the weight lost off. Weight loss is a bacterial infection that you cure with medications and stop taking these pills when the infection subsides. You must continue to live the good life with healthy habits that helped get the excess weight off, until it becomes second nature.
Teenagers should be scheduled and encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables; this sounds cliché; however, what doesn’t is when you put some effort in including these vegetables and fruits in their daily meals, as well as you can. Cut down well on the sodas, and have them enjoy at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
Talk to your nutritionist for more information on how to assist your teenage child with weight loss. Teen weight loss is never over, until success is achieved. So don’t give up, keep pushing them reasonably. Eventually, they will begin to prefer how they look sometime into the weight loss regime.