Number 1 Rule of Teenage Weight Loss

Eat Healthily!


Last year, a teenager came to me for weight loss advice. Let's call her Suzie. She said she was "desperate" to lose weight for her school Prom. She wanted to lose about 20 pounds in 4 weeks. I said: "Sorry Suzie, the most you can hope for is 8 pounds, maximum." So she went off and starved herself for 4 weeks. What happened? I learned later she lost about 7 pounds, and then developed a HUGE mass of spots. (ouch) Point is, when we stop eating, we stop giving our body the goodness it needs to stay healthy. So whatever you do, don't ignore your health. (BTW, Suzie never made it to the Prom.)



Why Healthy Eating is Better Than "Dieting"


One of the reasons that adults experience weight problems and ill-health, is because they followed drastic or unhealthy weight loss diets during their teenage years. Dieting to reduce weight is not recommended until growth (including internal physical development) has ceased, usually around the age of 18. If you are younger than this, and very overweight, your doctor can help you by putting you in contact with a dietician who will create a healthy eating plan to allow growth to continue but prevent further weight gain. Ideally, discuss this with your parents.




How "Dieting" Causes Problems For Teens



Health research shows that even a short period of very strict "dieting" during your early teens can lead to low bone density, which causes weak bones in later life. Between 12-17 years of age, up to 90 percent of adult bone mass is laid down, so this is not a time to limit your intake of calcium, vitamin D or vitamin C, all of which are essential for proper bone growth.



"Dieting" may also lead to poor intakes of folic acid and iron. Both these nutrients help to prevent anemia, a condition which leads to constant tiredness as well as impaired intellectual performance. If you lead a busy life at school, with exams, sports and so on, you can't afford to suffer from the ill-effects of anemia!



I won't bore you with the dozens of other teen health problems that are caused by "dieting." Just take my word for it - strict "dieting" won't make your weight or health any better. Instead, focus on eating healthy food and taking daily exercise. Sounds boring? Maybe, but it will help to improve your weight and health. Trust me.