How to Burn Fat & Build Muscle for Teens

It's hardly a secret that the American diet is composed of more than the allotted 30 percent fat, according to the American Heart Association. Teenagers are particularly susceptible to becoming overweight due to the abundance of junk food available in machines at school, video games and the ease with which we can order anything online without having to budge from the couch. In addition, many teens are obsessed with their body image and will do anything to burn fat and build muscle. Unfortunately, they go about it in a very unhealthy way and end up jumping on the bandwagon of fad diets and fat-reducing food plans. Diets and fat in and of themselves are not the problem. It's in not knowing how to integrate the two. Here are tried-and-true ways for teens to burn fat and build muscle.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit your doctor for a complete physical. It's important to know the condition of your health before you start any sort of diet and exercise program.

• 2

  Set realistic goals. You need to know exactly where you are in order to know where you're going. Aim to lose no more than 2 pounds per week. Anything more than that is widely considered to be unhealthy. Once you know how much weight you need to lose, it's time to overhaul your pantry if you want to burn fat and build muscle.

• 3

  Stop eating fatty, greasy takeout like pizza. Limit your fat to 3 teaspoons per day. If you like, you can have a total of 3 tablespoons of low-fat dressing. Stop the late-night snacking. Limit these for special occasions. By setting limits on your fat intake, you automatically begin to lose fat. But dropping weight quickly is not all you want. You want to build muscle ,and you want to do it healthfully.

• 4

  Exercise. Nothing builds muscle better than weight-resistance training. The best way to implement a weight-resistance training program is to join a gym. Joining a gym gives you structure and a wide array of machines from which to choose. There are many inexpensive gyms run by every local city. Once you've joined a gym, it's time to implement a consistent workout.

• 5

  Be consistent. Your gym attendance should be no less than four times per week. Your workout should include 45 minutes of cardiovascular training on the treadmill. Start out walking very fast pace (say at a speed level of 4.5) before trying to run. Put the incline on 6.0. Aerobics make you burn fat. Incorporate free weights and circuit training into your routine. Initially, it's best to ask a personal trainer to show you how to use the equipment so that you don't injure yourself. Start out with low weights and gradually increase them once you find the exercise easy to perform. This usually occurs every two weeks. Remember, you want to constantly challenge your muscles. To tone your quads, use the leg extension machine. For triceps, use the arm extension machine; or hamstrings, use the leg press; for inner and outer thigh, use the abductor and adductor. By following all the suggestions listed, such as good diet and exercise, within 30 days, you will see how easy it is to burn fat and build muscle.