Helping Your Teen to Lose Weight You probably remember what it was like to be a teenager. You probably felt awkward, embarrassed, and weren’t sure how to feel about your developing body, especially if you were a girl. That is why it is important for you today, as a parent, to do what you can in order to help your daughter if she wants to lose weight. Here are some ideas you can use to make sure that you help her lose weight while remaining supportive.
The first thing you want to do is to make sure that she knows that weight loss isn’t your idea. It can be very damaging to a teenager for her parent to feel that she is “fat”. You have to make sure that she views you as a supportive person in her life, not as a taskmaster or someone who finds her unattractive. Make sure she knows that you love her at any size and that you are there to help.
You definitely want to have a talk with your family doctor, to rule out any health conditions which could cause extra weight. This is also a good time to ask about calorie requirements and whether any supplements are acceptable, in case your daughter wants to use some.
Next, you have to help her get her diet under control. If one person in your home is trying to lose weight, it is only considerate to make sure that you and everyone else try to eat as healthy as possible as well. Losing weight does not mean that you have no appetite, just that the food you eat is nutritious and nourishing. Therefore, try to cook in a more healthy way as much as possible.
This is also a good time to mention that you need to make sure that she does not develop an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are very dangerous diseases that millions of girls succumb to every year. Don’t let your daughter be one of them. Keep your eyes on her actions as much as you are able to. Impress upon her that she needs food to function in her life.
After you help with her diet, you need to get her exercising. Most teenagers don’t like exercise unless they’re athletes. The only time they run they are in gym class. Therefore, it’s important that you talk with her about what physical activities she enjoys. She may want to try rock climbing, or she might like dancing. Physical activity is something that will help her whittle away the pounds.
Help her to set goals, and reward her for them. This can be a fun thing that just the two of her do. Let her dictate her own goals, within reason. And then, be her cheerleader, ready to celebrate when she meets her goals. Remember, don’t reward yourself with food.
Weight loss is a journey, so soothe her when she feels disappointed. Use the advice in this article to make sure that your daughter loses weight in a safe way that leaves her very happy.
