Weight Loss College
If your son is obese or heading that way you should be looking at diet plans for overweight teenage boys.
Studies show that kids learn from their parents and that includes their eating habits. So if your children are suffering from weight problems, perhaps the whole household could do with remodeling! We know that you need to combine healthy eating and moderate exercise in order to become slimmer and more toned.
Before you do anything, try not to make a big deal of your son’s issue. Teenagers are self conscious enough and you do not want him to feel worse than he probably already does. All those hormones raging around are difficult enough to deal with never mind overanxious parents. I am not suggesting you ignore the problem, quite the opposite. Just don’t tell him that he needs to lose lots of weight.
The first thing you need to do is take your son for a full medical checkup. This is to ensure that there is no underlying condition causing his weight gain. Also if he is obese, you should follow your doctor’s advice with regard to suitable activities as well as a recommended calorie intake and suitable weight loss program.
Eating is a pleasant activity and food is there to be enjoyed and this is the attitude we need to adopt in our homes. As soon as you start banning particular items, you are almost guaranteed that your child will want them. Instead, we need to re-educate them gently into the ways of healthy eating. Mention the word diet and you will probably have a rebellion on your hands. So don’t mention low calorie or low fat, but just gradually swop the obvious items. For example if they like cottage cheese, get the one made with skimmed milk and use low fat mayonnaise.
You can reduce your child’s calorie intake subtly so that they may not even notice. For example, try slightly reducing the size of their meals. If they love pizza or curry, make your own at home. You can reduce the fat and salt content thereby helping them to lose pounds. Encourage them to eat more fruit and vegetables. Ok so that last one may not be easy but there are ways around everything. Think of how you used to mask vegetables when they were toddlers i.e. in soups, blended into tomato sauces etc.
Review their overall level of activity. It may be that your teenager already has a healthy diet but just doesn’t work out enough. Try encouraging him to take up extra activities such as ball games, swimming, running etc. While he might not want to go out walking, he could be interested in golf.
Be careful with the type of exercise program you choose. The American Academy of Pediatrics say children shouldn’t try to lift heavy weights, power lifting or bodybuilding until they have stopped growing. Boys can continue to grow until they are 18 or more.
Diet plans for overweight teenage boys are similar to those for the rest of us. It is not rocket science just healthy eating combined with regular exercise.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, nor should it be interpreted or substituted as medical advice. Prior to making changes to your physical exercise routine and your diet, you should always consult your personal physician. Better safe than sorry.
