When you’re a teenager, there are so many restrictions and limitations – you have to wait till you’re sixteen to get your license, you can’t drink until you’re eighteen, and you have to study hard to get good grades. Naturally, you have to make a few compromises to fit in with your peers. One of the more obvious ones is that you have to lose weight. It’s not just a passing phase – being overweight is a major health issue, especially when it comes to teenage girls. That’s why we’ve put together this article, to help you navigate your way through the minefield of information and advice regarding dieting and weight loss. Here are 12 easy tips for teenage girls to lose weight:
Eat Healthy
The most basic rule of all when it comes to dieting is to eat healthy. Avoid foods with added sugar and you’ll be on your way to a slimmer you in no time. You also need to be careful with the types of fats you eat as well. Trans fats are terribly, terribly bad for your health, so try to avoid them as much as you can. There’s also good news for vegan fans out there – you can lose weight without having to cut out all the amazing food that veggies provide!
Exercise
The next important thing to consider when you’re trying to lose weight is to exercise. Moving around helps burn calories and promotes weight loss. So, make sure you get at least a few hours of exercise every day. If you think that walking is really taxing, take the bus or train to work instead – it’ll help get you there faster, and who knows – maybe you’ll even lose a few pounds along the way! Remember: the more you move, the more you’ll burn, so make sure you get your quota of movement every day!
Try and do some research on the best exercise routines for your body type. For instance, if you have a pretty sweet figure, you might want to try out a routine focused on building up your muscles or losing some weight. Maybe you have a very athletic body and you want to focus on your cardio – there are plenty of workouts out there that will help you target those muscles effectively! Do what suits your body best and doesn’t hurt you too much, and you’ll achieve great results!
Whether you play sports or not, getting plenty of exercise is essential for weight loss. It’s never easy trying to figure out what activity suits you best and what exercises are most effective for weight loss. Don’t worry – you don’t have to be an elite athlete to benefit from exercise. Even a little bit of movement can make a world of difference.
Avoid Stressful Living
When you’re a teenager, you’re often faced with a lot of academic and social stress. One of the biggest causes of weight gain is the incessant battle for self-confidence and self-worth that teens have to fight every day. This constant barrage of “Am I doing okay? Am I fitting in? Will people think I’m intelligent? Will people like me?” leaves teens with a constant stress level that leads to weight gain. If academic pressure is getting to you and you’re constantly concerned about your looks, it might be time to find a new school.
Being at a new school doesn’t have to be stressful – make sure you make the most of your new surroundings and meet new people. Join clubs and make new friends. You’ll have a better chance of fitting in if you’re not struggling with your identity alone. Being overweight in a world full of skinny people can be extremely stressful – it’s natural for teens to worry about their bodies a lot, but there are better ways to deal with this than shoving yourself to lose weight.
Watch What You Eat
We know what you’re thinking – it’s the age-old question: eat healthier, eat less rubbish food, and you’ll lose weight. While it’s true that unhealthy food doesn’t do any favors to your waistline, you can still eat what you want as long as you’re mindful about what goes into your body. Keep a food diary for a week or two so you can identify exactly what you’re eating and whether or not it’s helping you meet your goal. If you keep track of what you eat throughout the day, it’ll be much easier to identify foods that are contributing to your weight loss and eliminate them from your diet.
Try to eat more fruits and vegetables than you normally do. They’re both excellent sources of fiber and nutrients that will boost your body’s health. Not only will this help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, but it’ll also help you feel happier and more comfortable in your own skin. Even better, some fruits and vegetables have been shown to speed up weight loss!
Eat When You Are Depressed
It’s well known that eating when you are depressed can cause you to gain a lot of weight. Depression can make you feel bad about yourself, so you may turn to food as a comfort mechanism. Instead of eating to comfort yourself, why not try looking at food as a way to elevate your mood? There are plenty of nutritious foods out there that are excellent for your body and can help you attain a better mental state. Consider trying some of these foods if you’re feeling down – they might just make you feel a little bit better!
Avoid Drinking Alcohol
There are so many different types of alcohol out there, and while some people think that certain drinks will make them thinner, the opposite is usually true. Alcohol can cause you to put on weight because it contains high amounts of sugar and empty calories. If you’re already at a healthy weight, you might not want to risk going up a few pounds by drinking. Even if you are, drinking too much can cause you to put on weight – it’s all about moderation! If you want to lose a few pounds, it’s better to cut back on your alcohol intake than to start drinking again.
Don’t Eat After Your Exercise
A healthy person’s digestive system works in synchronization with their body – after you exercise, your body needs to restore itself so it can function at its best. Therefore, it is best to wait at least an hour after your workout before eating. This allows your body to fully digest the food you consumed during your workout. When your digestive system is working effectively, you’ll automatically feel fuller, longer, and more satisfied with how much you eat. Plus, exercising improves your mental health, so it’s important to take care of your body the right way.
Reduce Stress
The amount of stress you experience in your life will determine how well you cope with starvation. A lot of teens go through a very stressful time dealing with changes in their bodies and their appearance. Even if you don’t mind your body and you’re proud of your curves, the increased levels of stress caused by unfamiliar hormones can wreak havoc on your waistline. There are things you can do to reduce the stress that you experience, such as talking to a friend or listening to instrumental music – both of which have been proven to lower blood pressure and anxiety. Make sure you pay attention to your body and how you react to stress – if you find that your blood pressure is rising or that you’re displaying worrying signs of anxiety, it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate your situation.
Watch What You Watch
There are certain shows out there that are so bad for your health that you should avoid watching them if you want to lose weight. The stress that these shows cause can elevate your blood pressure and cause you to put on weight. Some examples of these shows are The Biggest Loser and Shark Tank. Avoid watching shows like these if you want to lose weight, and remember: the food you eat while watching these shows can influence your weight loss efforts. So, make sure you’re mindful about what you consume while trying to shed those extra pounds!