Easy Dieting Tips for Teens

With the obesity epidemic reaching an all time high in the United States, there is definitely cause for concern when it comes to being overweight. Weight loss can be a very delicate subject for teens and it is important to promote a healthy body image - which is not always easy with photoshopped pictures of ultra-thin women everywhere we go. Here are some easy dieting tips for teens to help encourage safe and healthy weight loss:

Set Realistic Goals

No matter how motivated you are to lose weight, the reality is that healthy weight loss does not occur overnight and setting unrealistically high goals can actually discourage rather than encourage weight loss. If you set unrealistic standards, you will only feel like a failure if you do not reach them. Aim for a goal you know you can reach, for instance 1 to 2 lbs. per week or 5 lbs. per month. When you meet your goals, you will feel good about yourself and motivated to lose more weight.

Cut Out Sodas & Sugary Drinks

Sodas and sugary drinks add a lot of calories to your diet and are more readily available than healthier alternatives. With vending machines at school and free refills at every mini-mart, it's easy to consume hundreds of calories of soda per day and not even realize it. Considering that 16 oz. of soda has around 200 calories, swapping these drinks out for water is an easy way to cut down.

Add Daily Exercise

Adding daily exercise is possibly the easiest and most effective dieting tip out there, which can easily be done by joining a sports team at school or by using gym facilities. Regular activities with sports like soccer, basketball or track burn calories quickly and increase your metabolism. If you are not very interested in group sports, you can set up workout or jogging sessions with friends before or after school.

Keep a Food Journal

Keeping a food journal is an easy way to be aware of what you are eating. Random snacking throughout the day and irregular meals make it difficult to actually remember how many calories you have consumed. Keep a small notebook in your bag and every time you eat something, jot down what it is and how many calories it contains. This will give you a more accurate idea of how much you are really eating and if you need to eliminate certain elements out of your diet.