Any kind of weight loss for teens can be a challenge for all involved especially for counselors at teen weight loss camps. Why is that? Counselors have to deal with the eating issues that teenagers face along with their hormonal lows and highs.
Doctors often recommend additional counseling for obese teenagers, as this may establish a reason why the child is suffering from the weight problem. Obviously, overeating is a key problem but the reason behind the weight gain itself may be complicated.
There are 10 big reasons as to why obesity occurs. They are:
- Depression
- Family issues
- Genetics
- Lack of exercise
- Low self-esteem
- Medical conditions
- Medications
- Overeating
- Peer issues
- Poor eating habits
Some teens are being lazy, eating whatever and whenever they want; really obese teens tend to have an underlying factor or two behind their excessive weight. However, it’s not known whether the factors cause the child to become obese or if the obesity caused the factors.
The majority of overweight teens want to lose weight but they have a misconception that losing weight gets quick results. However, teen weight loss camps like ours help them understand the truths and myths on weight loss along with setting realistic goals and developing exercise and nutritional plans. Besides doing all this, weight loss camp will help tackle the emotional characteristics facing teens and their weight loss.
Through the use of counseling, teens are able to recognize the underlying issues that causes them to eat more than they should and address them head on. If a teenager eats lots of food when his/her parents are fighting, they can discover a different method that allows him/her to deal with those emotions, all without picking up a lick of food.
When teens tackle the problems of unhealthy food choices and lack of exercise, they can begin to meet their weight loss goals. However, parents play a big role in their teenagers weight and health by making health food choices of their own. Some well-meaning parents have thwarted their teenagers weight loss plans because they’re afraid their child isn’t eating enough. It’s hard enough to diet but for obese children, it’s even worse when parents are trying to force more food into them. Sometimes, it’s more than just the fear of them not eating enough food but the fear that the child will accomplish their weight loss goals, something the parents have been unable to do themselves.
Teenagers who can recognize their overeating triggers will succeed in losing weight. Under a substitution method, they can do exercises instead of eating junk food.
Another big reason for teenagers to overeat is boredom. Boredom isn’t classified as an emotion but it’s the lack of having something worthwhile to do. Teens will use the emotional terms to clarify why they overeat. However, by substituting these emotional responses from eating to exercise, they can begin to tackle their weight problem.
