If you want to lose weight, know that you are about to embark on a long-term journey with important health benefits. Instead of relying on one of the most drastic and trending diets of the moment, think about making small changes in diet and lifestyle to achieve initially modest results. Opt for whole, healthy foods and focus on physical activity. Track your progress and update your goals when you start seeing some results and in a few months you will be well on your way to becoming a healthier and happier person!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Managing Weight Loss Goals
Step 1. Use a body mass index (BMI) calculator to determine your ideal weight based on your height
Search the Internet for a body mass index (BMI) calculator. Find your height and age in the list or enter them in the appropriate form. You will see 3 weight categories indicating "normal" or "healthy", "overweight" and "obese". If you currently fall into one of the last two categories, look at the highest value in the "normal" category to determine how much weight you should lose.
- If you already fall into the "normal" category, it probably isn't that healthy to lose weight. Consult your doctor before making any diet or lifestyle changes.
- Keep in mind that your natural build determines how weight is distributed. Don't expect to look like all other people who are the same height and weight as you. Each physicist is different.
Step 2. Set small, manageable goals at the start of your weight loss program
Instead of starting with very ambitious or near impossible goals, like shedding 50kg by the end of the season, start with a milestone within your reach that you can realistically achieve. In general, most teenagers can aspire to lose ½ kg to 1 kg per week, achieving great results over the next few weeks and months. Try to dispose of 2.5-4.5kg during the first month.
- As you notice the pounds lost, you will begin to feel more motivated to set and achieve new goals over time.
- Don't be discouraged if you don't lose even a pound the first week. Stay optimistic and stick to your weight loss plan and you will begin to see results gradually.
Step 3. Keep a nutrition and exercise journal to track your progress
By writing down everything you eat on a daily basis, you will immediately gain more awareness of the speed at which calories can be forfeited. Keep a log in which to write down all the foods, exercises, pounds indicated by the scale or the body measurements you take from time to time. Add your total calorie consumption to the end of the day and write down how many calories you burned during your workout. Make a note of any diet or lifestyle changes and use the diary to track your progress.
- Try using a weight loss website or application to record what you eat and your exercises. Most of these tools automatically estimate the amount of calories consumed or disposed of for each piece of information entered.
- Analyze the contents of your food diary to see what works and what doesn't, to adjust accordingly. For example, if you always go to the vending machine to buy a snack after swimming, start by bringing some fruit so that you have something healthier to eat.
Step 4. Weigh yourself in the morning, once a week
Step on the scale on the same day every week, at the same time. To be more precise, weigh yourself in the morning before breakfast and after you go to the bathroom. Also, measure your waist, hips, thighs, and upper arms so you can see where you lose weight.
- Weighing yourself every day increases the risk of becoming obsessed with the scale or fixating on daily results. Water retention can add nearly five pounds a day, so the scale can also be misleading in some ways.
- Remember that weight loss is an ever-changing process. Developing healthy habits and losing weight takes months, if not years; they are not goals that can be achieved in a few days.
Step 5. Don't be too hard on yourself
Emotionality and stress can make you believe that losing weight is a difficult test to pass. However, by setting a set of manageable and within your reach goals and relying on a progress tracking system, you can keep a positive attitude. Celebrate every success, small or important, and be indulgent with yourself if you don't achieve your goals or make mistakes from time to time.
If you spend a day in front of the TV instead of going to the gym, don't blame yourself. If you let yourself be tempted by junk foods after a stressful exam, the world doesn't fall at all! Try not to repeat the same mistake the next day
Part 2 of 3: Follow a Healthy Diet
Step 1. Get the right amount of calories every day
Daily calorie intake depends on age, gender, height and activity level. During adolescence, men need 2000-3000 calories per day, while women need 1600-2400 per day. Search the Internet for tables that indicate the recommended amount of calories or consult your doctor to determine your needs. After that, when planning meals and keeping track of daily consumption in your food diary, try not to exceed the recommended daily calorie intake.
- A 14-year-old boy who plays a lot of sports may need as much as 3,000 calories a day, while his classmate who does not lead a very active lifestyle may only need 2,000. However, a 14-year-old girl who has a of moderate activity will need around 2000 calories per day.
- If you allow yourself to overeat one day, don't cut your calorie intake the next day, otherwise you risk getting into a vicious cycle of overeating and hunger.
Step 2. Eliminate sugary drinks from your diet
Avoid drinking sodas, sports and energy drinks, fruit juices and sugar-rich slushes or milkshakes. Rather, limit yourself to water or sugar-free drinks. Instead of drinking concentrated fruit juice, try making a fresh one with a juicer. Also drink skim milk to add some calcium to your diet.
Step 3. Drink about 8 glasses of water a day to keep yourself hydrated
Always carry a bottle of water with you and refill it frequently to consume the equivalent of 8 x 250ml glasses per day.
- If you want to add some flavor, try making flavored water or fruit tea to sip hot or cold.
- Drinking enough water throughout the day will help you feel fuller.
Step 4. Reduce food portions at each meal
Ask for smaller portions when eating out or consume around 30-50% less than you normally would. Limit the amount of food on your plate so you don't succumb to the temptation to empty it. Also try using a smaller plate. Remember that you can always add something else if you are still hungry or if you haven't gotten enough calories.
- Instead of stuffing yourself with chicken breast for dinner, cut it in half and save the rest for the next day.
- Tell the diner waiter that you just want a slice of baked pasta instead of the usual two.
- Having less food on your plate doesn't mean eating it quickly. Chewing slowly allows you to extend the meal and helps you lose weight. Also, by chewing well, your body will digest the food you eat more easily.
Step 5. Prefer whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins
Avoid industrially processed snacks, sugary sweets, and high-fat junk foods. Aim to eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day and make sure they make up half of each meal. Opt for bread, rice and wholemeal pasta, and lean proteins, such as those found in white meats and fish. Finish with fruit, which contains natural sugars, rather than refined sugar desserts.
- Choose baked, broiled or steamed protein foods instead of fried or breaded foods.
- When eating out, order the more "light" or "low calorie" courses. This way, you will be satisfied while following your weight loss diet.
- It is not a problem to eat sweets in moderation. You don't have to delete your favorite pizza forever or turn down a piece of cake on a friend's birthday. You can give yourself a break from time to time, but limit yourself to just one slice. Avoid fizzy drinks and replace chips with carrots to make your meals healthier.
Step 6. Avoid eating when full or feeling low
When you're at the dinner table, pay attention to what your stomach is telling you. As soon as you start to feel full, put the silverware down and empty the plate so you don't feel tempted to keep eating. If you are bored, angry or tired, don't snack just to kill time.
- Avoid midnight snacks, but drink water or herbal tea to quench your thirst.
- If your friends tend to eat junk foods, offer to bring something healthier, like chickpea hummus, to share with everyone.
Step 7. Eat 3 meals a day interspersed with a couple of healthy snacks
Avoid skipping meals or starving. Even if you have a busy lifestyle, try to eat three times a day with the right portions. If necessary, wake up 15 minutes earlier to have a nutritious breakfast of eggs, Greek yogurt or fortified cereals and fresh fruit. In between meals, indulge in a couple of high-fiber or protein-rich snacks to avoid a hole in your stomach.
Try munching on an apple, a packet of unsalted nuts, or a cereal bar between meals
Part 3 of 3: Physical activity
Step 1. Get one hour of moderate physical activity every day
Before or after school, set aside some time for gymnastics. It doesn't matter if you lift weights, walk on the street, swim or run on the treadmill because you can lose weight if you move around 60 minutes a day and burn more calories than you consume.
- You can easily find time to train by breaking it down into small sessions. Try taking a 30-minute exercise class, doing 10 minutes of stretching and aerobic exercises as soon as you get home, and running your dog for 20 minutes in the evening.
- After school, instead of challenging your friends to a video game football match, suggest that everyone go to the park and kick a real ball.
Step 2. Join a sports team or join the gym to get in shape
Sports teams and gymnastics classes can make physical activity more fun and help you stay motivated. Choose something you like and find out through school friends or some acquaintances so that you can sign up for a course or join a sports association.
- Consider a competitive sports team, a sport organized within a particular institution, or an amateur sports group.
- Don't be discouraged if you encounter a lot of difficulties at first. You will develop strength and endurance as the weeks go by.
Step 3. Walk, get up and take the stairs when you can
Use an app or fitness tracker to count your steps. Start with a relatively easy goal and increase your steps each week so that you walk more and more. At home, at work and at school, take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. When watching TV or studying for an exam, do it standing up. Alternatively, play your favorite song and dance in your room for a few minutes.
- Walk briskly, but slow down if you start to get out of breath.
- Instead of hunching your back, keep it straight when standing or sitting to work with your torso muscles. If you stand up, you burn more calories.
- Instead of taking the bus or a lift to school, try cycling if you live nearby.
Advice
- Get in the habit of reading nutrition tables on packaged foods.
- If you are considering losing weight, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Weight loss is important for keeping your body and mind healthy, not trying to look a certain way with the intent of impressing someone or feeling better about yourself.
- Consult your doctor, dietician, or nutritionist before making any drastic changes to your diet or lifestyle.
- Request support from your parents (or whoever takes their place). If you let your family members share in your goal, they could offer you moral help and support.
Warnings
- Avoid "miracle" diets and supplements to lose weight. Generally, they are not effective and can lead to unhealthy habits.
- Avoid starving or throwing up after eating. If you think you have an eating disorder, see your doctor, therapist, or adult you trust for help.
