If you’ve gained weight as a secondary school student or since you’ve gone to college, there are many ways to change your lifestyle to see great weight loss results. To begin with, exercise is hugely important and doesn’t feature very prominently in most teens’ schedules. There are so many benefits though, not just to your weight – you’ll have an improved sense of wellbeing, lower risk of diabetes and stroke, and better cardiovascular health. Most people dread the thought of working up a sweat and building their heart rate up, but the benefits are so huge. Exercise can be as intense or slow paced as you want, depending on what you choose, but as long as you’re moving and your heart rate has quickened, anything goes – from jogging around the block to dancing in your living room! The best way to motivate yourself is to make your workout fun, so try different things out to see what you like. You can also make changes to your everyday routine such as using the stairs instead of the lift or walking to work and college. Get a friend involved and you’ll not only enjoy it more but you’ll also stay motivated to keep it up.
Where your diet is concerned, the best tip you can follow is to not go on a diet – in other words, diets that are designed to offer quick results usually fail. The best way to lose weight and be healthy at the same time is to simply cut down on the fatty and sugary foods, and replace them with healthy, homemade alternatives. Teens are notorious for eating fast food and unhealthy snacks, but these make it so much easier to gain weight. You are what you eat, so make your meals healthy and nutritious. Opt for healthy snacks such as homemade popcorn, yoghurt, pretzels and granola bars. Fruit and vegetables are also fantastic snack foods, offering a healthy boost of energy. Replace all of those cans of fizzy drink with water or the occasional glass of fruit juice, to give your body the hydration it needs without a constant supply of sugar. The body also needs protein, so make sure you get plenty of meat and dairy products, as well as peanut butter and legumes.
If you’re going out with friends, you don’t need to feel as though you can’t join in, but simply act in moderation. If you’re getting a pizza, try not to eat the whole thing – share with a friend or just eat a few slices and stop when you’re full. At the cinema, opt for the freshly made popcorn instead of the branded types that are laden with toffee. And you can treat yourself to an ice cream at the beach, just limit those visits to once a month rather than every week. Weight loss and a healthier lifestyle is simply about willpower, balance and forward-planning – once you have that covered, it’s easier than you think. If you’re unsure how to go about it, gather a great support group in the form of your family and friends who will ensure you stay motivated even when you don’t feel like it. Maintaining a healthy weight can do wonders for your self esteem and confidence, as well as ensuring that weight-related health concerns are reduced. Your GP can offer advice if you’re not sure how to go about changing your lifestyle – if you’re new to exercise and are making drastic diet changes, it may be useful to run it by them to make sure it’s safe.
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