According to this study published on the National Library of Medicine website, adolescent obesity is a global concern. Adolescents, particularly teenagers, are shifting into the obese category due to their unhealthy eating habits and decreased physical activity. It also does not help that a significant portion of their day is spent either glued to their phones or sitting at their study tables. Unlike adults, teenagers can lose the puppy fat with just a bit of effort provided they follow the right strategies. Hence, in this article, we list down 5 tips to lose weight as a teenager.
5 Tips To Lose Weight As a Teenager:
1. Engage in More Outdoor Activity:
Leading a sedentary lifestyle is one of the major reasons why teenagers are gaining weight. Engaging in outdoor activities or making walking a part of their lifestyle, decreasing TV time, and limiting mobile usage can all help kickstart weight loss.
2. Don’t Eat Until You’re Full:
Do you know there’s a cultural practice taught to Japanese children so that they don’t overeat at the dining table? This practice is called “Hara hachi bu,” which means “eat until you are 80% full.” This practice can be put into use not just by teenagers but adults as well to lose weight. Eat until you are satisfied and no longer feel hunger pangs-do not continue to eat until the tummy feels full and stretched out.
3. Measure Your Portions:
If you want to lose weight as a teenager, start measuring out with cups and spoons. Even cooking oil should be used sparingly. Follow a healthy diet and meal prep for the entire week. Measuring food for every meal using a kitchen scale would help you to control portions and cut down a lot of calories. As we all know by now, less calories in and more calories out helps burn fat and lose weight.
Also Read: 5 Effective Tips For South Indian Weight Loss
4. Increase Protein and Fiber Intake:
For complex carbs, brown rice is great, but you can include millets and quinoa in your diet. If you like pasta, wholegrain pasta can be a good carb source. Switching from refined carbs to complex carbs will help you a great deal with your weight loss journey as a teenager; but what really brings a change in your transformation would be to increase protein and fiber intake.
Protein and fiber aid in weight loss by promoting satiety, reducing overall calorie intake, and supporting metabolic health. Protein helps build and repair muscles, which increases calorie expenditure, while fiber slows digestion, stabilizes blood sugar and reduces hunger. Good vegetarian sources of protein include lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, tofu, and edamame, while non-vegetarian options include chicken breast, fish, eggs, lean beef, and Greek yogurt. For fiber, excellent vegetarian sources are beans, broccoli, berries, whole grains, and nuts, with non-vegetarian sources being limited but can include fibrous cuts of meat or fish paired with fiber-rich vegetables.
5. Cut Down on Sugar Intake:
Last but not the least, avoid sugary foods and treats. You can indulge in them occasionally. Use artificial sweeteners like stevia in your tea and coffee.
Apart from the above-mentioned tips, use a healthy cooking oil like olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil because they are good sources of fat that keep you fuller for longer and curb the appetite for unhealthy foods. Also, avoid processed foods and try to cook food at home, and you can successfully lose weight as a teenager.
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