How to Lose Weight at Age 14

Overweight youth is a growing problem in American culture. According to Baylor Health resources, 12 percent to 18 percent of children 2 to 19 are obese. More junk food and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, such as playing hours of video games, leads to an increase in weight gain. Counteracting this cycle and losing weight for someone at age 14 is a challenge; however, it can be done with a willingness to change habits and persistence to stick to weight-loss goals. A physician's advice and a parents or adult's guidance is vital to success.

Instructions

1

Design a plan. Sit down with an adult and create goals. Determine what size or weight is your end goal, what needs to be done to reach that goal, a date that you want to be that size. Then contact a physician to determine the best way to meet these goals that will best benefit your body and health needs. Make sure your weight loss goals are realistic and do not shift toward too much weight loss. Post the list of goals in a place where you will see it daily and stick to it.

2

Change your diet. Weight gain is due largely to a caloric intake larger than the energy you are expounding daily to burn those calories. A relegated diet is not always necessary to lose weight, but changing your nutritional intake is vital to losing weight. It is a lifestyle change. Avoid sodas and coffee loaded with sugar. Avoid foods high in salts and sugar such as cookies, ice cream, chips and popcorn. Stick to fruits, vegetables, nuts, and foods high in fiber. Determine if you have a habit of eating when nervous or stressed and the time of day this tends to be a bigger issue. Separate yourself from foods that tempt you during these times. Because the teenage years are so vital to growth and development, a physician should be contacted to determine the correct caloric intake a 14-year-old should maintain to both lose weight and meet their bodies nutritional needs. This plan should be monitored by an adult.

3

Find an activity. Exercise is an important part of weight loss, but even more importantly, it leads to a healthy lifestyle. Get involved with a sports team, possibly a school sport that involves teamwork so you are encouraged by peers in your weight goals. If you do not enjoy sports, find a friend and take a prolonged walk or run every day. Play tennis or pick up skateboarding. Go biking or rollerblading. The activity should not be a chore to be checked off your goal list but an enjoyable activity that will motivate you to maintain an active lifestyle long after you meet your goals.

4

Find someone to hold you accountable and walk through the process with you. Weight loss rarely occurs alone. It is a struggle and when results occur slowly, discouragement and depression is possible. Find someone who will hold you accountable to eat correctly and exercise daily, an adult you live with or interact with daily is the ideal option. More importantly, find someone who will encourage you to keep working when you want to quit, maybe a friend or peer to motivate you and participate in your chosen activity.

5

Commit. Doctors closely associate weight loss with psychological and behavioral attitudes and tendencies. Persistence and dedication will push you through the pain and frustration of changing old habits. Commit and stick to the goal plan. If you miss a few days, do not quit. Pick up where you left off and keep going. Realize that this process is a mental, emotional and physical change. Maintain a positive attitude. Action will follow mentality.