A Good Diet for a Teenager

Because teenagers are still growing, it is important for them to get the nutrients their bodies need to ensure optimal health and nutritional fulfillment. Teenagers who need to lose weight may want to go on a diet, however, they should be most concerned with overall health and growth. This is a good time to learn about making the right choices to avoid unwanted weight gain. A good diet for a teenager involves healthy eating and lifestyle changes.

Metabolism

• Eat breakfast every day as soon as you wake up to give your metabolism a jump-start. A good breakfast would include a protein source such as two eggs. A slice of whole wheat toast with a dab of jelly is a good carbohydrate choice, and a 4-oz. glass of orange juice will provide vitamins to give you energy. Eat several small meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism high and burning calories throughout the day. Include a protein source in each meal such as lean meat or soy. Eat sources of complex carbohydrates like vegetables and fruits to provide energy. Snack on nuts or popcorn to increase fiber and reduce hunger. Keep snacks to less than a handful to avoid overeating. Stop eating before 6 p.m. or when you slow down for the night. Less calories are burned as you become less active. Drink 64 oz. of water daily to flush fat and give you a feeling of fullness. In addition, drink water before each meal to avoid overeating.

Junk Food

• Stop eating junk food altogether. Not only does junk food have very little, if any, nutritional value, it is also usually high in calories and saturated fat. Junk food includes processed foods such as cakes, chips, cookies, ice cream and candy. If you cannot stop eating this food completely, limit yourself to a choice of one per day as a treat, and have a small amount of that food. For instance, if you pick chips as your treat, eat only five chips. Put the food on a plate so you do not keep going back into the bag for more.

Fast Food

• Make better choices when going out to eat. If you go to fast food restaurants, try the salad or grilled meat as opposed to the french fries or shakes. Get a diet soda, instead of calorie-laden drinks as well. If the food is fried, it is full of fat, so stay away from fried food choices.

Low Fat

• Eat low-fat foods like raw, steamed or baked vegetables and broiled, baked or grilled meats. Limit gravies, cheeses and sauces to avoid adding excess fats to the meal. Season your food using garlic, pepper and low-sodium salt to add flavor. Barbecue and steak sauces are often low in fat, however, they may be high in calories, so add these for flavor in limited amounts.

Labels

• Read nutritional labels to determine how many calories or fat a food contains. Be sure to read serving sizes to ensure you are adding the nutritional information correctly. To determine the amount of fat a product contains, divide the fat calories into the overall calories. For instance, if it is 300 calories with 30 g of fat, the fat is 10 percent. Saturated fat should be less than 5 percent of your overall fat intake for optimal health.

Calories

• Look at how many calories you are consuming to determine if you are in the recommended calorie range. Depending on their activity level, female teens aged 13 to 18 who are sedentary to active should have 1,600 to 2,200 calories per day, respectively. Teen males from 13 to 18 who are sedentary to active should intake 1,800 to 3,200 calories, respectively. If you maintain a low level of activity, keep the calories on the lower end of this scale and adjust as needed for weight loss, but stay within these caloric guidelines to maintain health. Keep track of your calorie intake for a week to determine what you are taking in, and you will be better aware of where you need to start cutting back to lose weight. There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, so to lose one pound of fat per week, you have to cut out 500 calories per day. Only do this if your calorie count is too high, however, or you may unintentionally eliminate necessary nutrients. Take a multivitamin during any weight loss program to ensure you are meeting nutritional needs.

Exercise

• Begin an exercise program that will hold your interest. Try doing things that are fun like biking, swimming, tennis, football, basketball, racquetball or any other sport you enjoy. This will make it feel less like an exercise program, but you will still burn excess calories. Try to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily to encourage weight loss. Get your friends involved for added support and encouragement.