If you are small and want to lose weight, all you need to do is look after your health by making healthier food choices and increasing physical activity. You also have the ability to change your habits and set goals to change your lifestyle.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Eating Properly
Step 1. Ask your parents to take you to the doctor
Before making any changes to your eating style, you should consult a doctor. It will help you determine if and how many kilos you need to shed. It may also help you come up with a weight loss plan in the most correct way and keep track of your progress.
Your doctor can also recommend a dietician who can work out a diet plan that suits your needs
Step 2. Choose leaner cuts of meat and other proteins
When deciding what to eat, opt for leaner meats. For example, steak, burgers, and other cuts of red meat often have a high fat content (although not always). The best choices are chicken, fish and beans.
- If you are a girl between 9 and 18 or a boy between 9 and 13, your daily meat intake should not exceed 140g. On the other hand, if you are a boy between 14 and 18, you can consume up to 185 g.
- These portions are probably smaller than what you are used to eating. For example, consider that 30g of protein equals 1/3 or 1/4 of a can of tuna (depending on size), 1 egg, 1/3 to 1/4 of a hamburger (depending on size) and 50 g of beans. For example, if you ate a burger, it could make up the bulk of your daily protein requirement, which equates to 85-115g.
Step 3. Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables
If you're hungry several times a day, get fruit and vegetables instead of packaged snacks. Munch on a few stalks of celery stuffed with peanut butter, a few carrot sticks or an apple instead of cookies, chips or sweets.
- Other healthy options are tomato slices with ricotta or hummus-stuffed pepper strips.
- If you are between the ages of 9 and 18, you should never forget to consume 250-350g of fruit per day. If you are a boy between 9 and 13, you should eat 375g of vegetables, while between 14 and 18, 450g. If you are a girl between the ages of 9 and 13, you should consume 300g per day, while between the ages of 14 and 18, 375g.
Step 4. Give preference to whole grains
They include pasta, rice and wholemeal bread, corn polenta and oat flakes. Refined cereals, on the other hand, are rice, bread and white pasta. Whole grains are better suited to your diet because they are less refined and contain more fiber. This means they will keep you full for longer.
- If you are a girl between the ages of 9 and 13, you should eat the equivalent of 145g of cereal per day, while between the ages of 14 and 18, 170g. If you are a boy between 9 and 13, you should consume 170g, while between 14 and 18, 230g. At least half of your daily requirement should consist of whole grains.
- 30g of cereal is the equivalent of a slice of bread, 125g of cooked rice, 50g of cooked pasta or 125g of breakfast cereal.
Step 5. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products
They are an excellent source of calcium and protein and also add flavor to food. However, when choosing which ones to eat, opt for low-fat, if not totally fat-free, such as skim milk, low-fat cheeses, and fat-free yogurt.
If you are between 9 and 18, you should always consume 125ml of milk or 250g of yogurt, but also 30-60g of hard cheese
Step 6. Avoid sugary sodas
They can increase your daily calorie intake. So, try to avoid sports drinks, sodas, and fruit juices. Instead, drink unsweetened water or herbal tea.
If you don't like the taste of plain water, try adding an orange slice or just some juice to make it tastier
Step 7. Pay attention to the quantities
It's tempting to eat until your plate is empty. However, if you pay attention to the sense of satiety, you will eventually end up eating a lot less.
Step 8. Avoid high calorie foods
While it's okay to indulge in something sweet every now and then, try not to consume high-calorie foods, such as cookies, desserts, candy, and potato chips, every day. Make it a reward, not something you eat on a daily basis.
Part 2 of 4: Being Physically Active
Step 1. Go play
You should move around for at least one hour a day. Start by detaching yourself from the TV. Forget the phone. Step away from the computer. Go out with friends and do something that keeps you moving.
However, if you are not used to exercising, try starting gradually. Get as far as you can, gradually increasing your workload
Step 2. Consider playing a sport
You don't necessarily have to join a basketball team that plays at a competitive level. You can enroll in football school or participate in a championship held between various districts of the city and sports associations. Ask your parents to help you find a sport you enjoy. By practicing it, you will keep yourself moving all year round and can have fun.
Step 3. Try something new
Perhaps you have never enjoyed physical activity because you have never been passionate about the sports you have practiced before. Maybe tennis isn't your thing at all, but you have plenty of opportunities. For example, you might try dancing, swimming, or skipping. Alternatively, archery or horseback riding allows you to be outdoors and, in the meantime, will keep you moving.
Step 4. Take some breaks
Even small gestures can make you more active during the day. For example, when you take a break from studying, perhaps you usually just listen to some music or indulge in a few games. Instead, try getting up and dancing. Walk around the house (if you live in a cottage, run downstairs or move into the living room). Do a few hops with your legs apart. It can be helpful to immediately release your energies.
Part 3 of 4: Adopt Healthier Habits
Step 1. Involve your family
Most people have no problem accepting the idea of staying healthy. See if your family members wish to join you. Talk to your parents about making healthier changes for the whole family.
For example, you could propose to your parents, "I feel like I'm putting on weight and I'd like to change this. What do you think if I involved the whole family? I think we could all gain in terms of health."
Step 2. Hide junk foods
If possible, it is best not to bring products of this kind into the house. However, if someone else wants them, of course you can't throw them away, but you can invite those who consume them to keep them out of your sight. Maybe you could set up a pantry for foods high in fat and sugar that you can't access, or maybe others could keep particular types of snacks in their respective rooms. If you don't get the chance to see them, I would be less inclined to eat them.
Step 3. Be less rigid with yourself
Every now and then you will happen to make a few exceptions to the rule. It is part of human nature. The secret is not to overdo it. Try to maintain a correct course of behavior 90% of the time and everything will be fine. By blaming yourself, you won't solve anything.
Step 4. Sit down at the table
It is preferable if you sit down to eat with your family because in this way you can all share the meal time together in perfect harmony. However, even the simple act of sitting at the table instead of eating standing up or in front of the television can allow you to pay attention to what is on your plate and learn not to gorge yourself on food without thinking.
If your parents aren't excellent cooks, try learning a few simple and healthy recipes to make for your family every now and then. For example, it is quite easy to cook fish in the oven, but also to boil vegetables. If you're into it, ask your parents if you can sign up for a basic cooking class
Step 5. Don't skip breakfast
This way you will have enough energy to start the day. Furthermore, you will not be easily assailed by hunger pangs over the next few hours and, as a result, you will not be tempted to gorge on various snacks throughout the day.
If you can, include some protein, whole grains, and a fruit or plant-based food. For example, try a cup of oatmeal with some low-fat yogurt and blueberries. You could also eat wholemeal bread with hard-boiled eggs and some strawberries
Step 6. Get enough sleep
It's an easy tip to follow, but not so much if you have a lot of things to do or if you're a night owl. Basically, by sleeping enough hours, you have a chance to stay healthy and lose weight. If you are in school, you should be resting 9-11 hours a night.
Step 7. Find time to reduce stress
Let's face it: sometimes a child's life can be tough. You have to go to school and juggle friends and family. However, stress can also lead you to gain weight or prevent you from losing weight. You may not be able to eliminate it completely, but you can learn to manage it.
- One way to manage stress is to put into words the tensions you are under. Keep a diary and, at the end of the day, write down any worries you feel overwhelmed by. Simply writing could be a huge relief to the mind.
- You can also try meditating or breathing deeply. It's not as absurd as it sounds. By breathing deeply, you will be able to give yourself a moment of your own during which to focus on the air that enters and leaves your body. Close your eyes and just think about breathing. Breathe in slowly through your nose, counting to 4 in your mind. Hold the air for 4 seconds and then slowly draw it out. Try not to be influenced by any kind of feeling or thought. Keep breathing like this for a couple of minutes until you feel calmer.
Part 4 of 4: Set Goals
Step 1. Decide what you want to change
At this point, you will know which habits of daily life you should correct. One way to start making changes is to set goals that allow you to adopt more concrete ways of acting. For example, let's say you want to eat a healthier diet and move more.
Step 2. Break your goals into more manageable stages
The goal of "eating healthy" is too broad. You will probably have a rough idea of how to go about it, but you really can't reach it out of the blue. Instead, start by making a point of engaging in actual behaviors.
For example, instead of "eating healthy," you might try amounts of "swapping a sweet snack for fruit every day", "eating three servings of vegetables a day" or "cutting out three fizzy drinks a week"
Step 3. Write down everything that helps you achieve your goal
By analyzing the most useful aspects, you will be able to respect the goals you have set for yourself. For example, if you have decided to "eliminate three fizzy drinks a week", try writing: "I don't want to suffer from blood sugar imbalances. I will eat less sugar. I will consume fewer calories. All of this can help me lose weight."
Step 4. Remember your goals
Once they are put in black and white, arrange them in a prominent place. Repeat them out loud every morning. If you have the opportunity to see them at any time, you will be able to respect them.
Step 5. Realize that all this work requires a lot of patience
You can't change all your habits overnight. Even changing just one can take time. All you need is a pinch of persistence, and eventually, you will have acquired new and healthier habits. Once you are able to correct one, you can do the same with the others.
Advice
- Ask your friends to help you. They can come running with you or you can organize a bike race with them. Make things fun!
- Try to keep yourself busy. If you crave a snack because you're bored, but aren't actually hungry, find something else to do.
