When your child becomes a teen, some things change when it comes to their obesity. Since they are a teen now, they are closer to being an overweight adult, so the problem is more serious. Second, teens are generally less interested in cooperating. That means it will be more difficult in getting them to see this as an issue that needs attention. It also means that you may face more difficulty in getting them to live a healthier lifestyle. While a change in diet and exercise can usually solve weight problems, you may also need to consider something like a weight loss camp to get the process “jump started.”
Frequently, when a teen gets home from school they usually have a snack then play video games or watch TV until dinner. After dinner (when they eat again) they may watch more TV or do homework and then go to bed. You may have noticed that this is a lot of eating and no time exercising. This lack of exercise has become a habit. Sometimes we will find that teenage girls sit around and eat just because they have nothing better to do.
When your child with a weight problem becomes a teen with a weight problem you have to take a different approach to getting them to lose weight. You won’t get very far unless your teen is willing to help themselves.
Start with a little education. Take some time for the both of you to research obesity and see what the side effects are. Additionally, spend as much time or more researching what benefits a healthy lifestyle can have. This may open their eyes and they will be willing to try to lose weight.
If you are willing to make the sacrifice for your teen’s health, and decide to lose the weight together, that may make a difference with your teen. If you can keep them motivated and hold them accountable, then they can do the same for you. You will be a team and have better success. You can make a competition out of it and see who can meet certain goals first. You can even offer a special incentive for the one that does, such as a spa treatment.
Beware of ads that say things like ‘lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks with no diet and no exercise.’ These ads are usually placed to get you to try products that most likely won’t work anyway. Some of them may contain ingredients that are even damaging to your overall health.
Always remember that your teen is not the only teen in the world to be overweight. If you are not sure what to do, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are professionals that are trained to help people that are overweight that can guide you in the right direction. They may recommend anything from a family diet to having your teen go to a weight loss camp.
No matter which of these tips you choose to follow the important thing is to do something. Teens that are overweight soon will be adults that are overweight. Getting them to understand exactly the seriousness of the issue they are dealing with is the first step to helping them get back the life they deserve.
