How to lose weight as a teenager: exercises and diet for girls and boys

One of the most difficult periods in life is adolescence. It is not easy for both the children themselves and their family and friends. It seems that just recently the cheeky baby was drooling in his mother’s arms, and now the quickly grown-up daughter is spinning in front of the mirror, not paying any attention to her parents. At this age, children are especially critical of each other’s appearance. This is where inventing shortcomings that simply do not exist comes into play, and for girls all their problems begin to revolve around their own figure. That is why the largest percentage of patients with anorexia are girls aged 13-17 years. From the mouth of a child you can often hear critical phrases about dissatisfaction with oneself. But how to lose weight in adolescence, when the body is just growing and any stress is serious harm?

Indications

Before you rush into all seriousness and furiously search for an answer to the question of how to get rid of extra pounds, you should evaluate the real situation to determine whether this is necessary at all. Indeed, in adolescence, many problems with appearance are often invented by the teenagers themselves; parents must come into play here. For any teenager, the issue of appearance is very important. Shameful pimples, freckles and curly hair - any “deviation from the norm” is perceived very painfully by children. It is girls who are most concerned about the issue of losing weight. If excess weight does not exceed 2-3 kilograms, there is no need to go to extremes, everything can be easily corrected with physical exercise or dancing. Any sports club will be very useful. If obesity really interferes with the child’s life and the presence of excess weight is obvious (BMI more than 25), then you will have to take care of yourself.

Are there ways to quickly lose weight for teenagers 12-13 years old in a week, a month?

Due to the fact that any person develops excess weight within a few months, it is not possible to get rid of hated fat deposits without damaging your health in a week. Hunger strikes and strict diets (low-calorie, mono-diets) are strictly prohibited for teenagers, as they threaten severe stress for the body.

Strict dietary restrictions are especially harmful for girls, since nutritional deficiencies cause irreparable damage to the developing reproductive system. For boys, strict diets are harmful because insufficient nutrition leads to a decrease in physical endurance.

Lack of nutrients in the diet leads to other health problems:

• increased bone fragility;
• dermatological problems;
• excessive hair loss;
• kidney problems;
• diseases of the stomach and intestines.

Within a month, provided you follow a healthy diet, excess weight will noticeably disappear, especially in those children who initially had over 10 excess kilograms.

What causes obesity in teenagers?

Whatever one may say, the world does not stand still, we are all constantly in a hurry to get somewhere, and so-called fast food has become an integral part of life. An abundance of nourishing, refined food, a variety of gadgets, which seem to have chained children to armchairs and sofas, contribute to weight gain. And even if you managed to tear your child away from the computer and phone, then a bottle of sparkling soda and Snickers accompanies him for walks on the street. The good news is that in recent years the fashion for a healthy lifestyle has been gaining momentum and there are fewer fast food lovers.

Causes of excess weight in children

It has been proven that the main reason for weight gain in children is heredity, which consists of a genetic predisposition to obesity. Endocrine diseases are also inherited and cause obesity.

In addition, a number of other reasons can be identified:

• Poor nutrition. This factor is confused with heredity, because in families with overweight parents, children also suffer from excess weight, but this may not be due to genetic characteristics, but to the lack of a healthy eating culture.
• Lack of physical activity. Modern children often prefer to spend time playing with gadgets than sports and active activities (see also: are sports allowed while breastfeeding?).
• Problems of a psychological nature, when children “eat up” sweets, problems with socialization, troubles when changing teams or schools. Most often, this behavior is observed among children in high school, especially girls.

How to start losing weight?

First of all, you need to start with doctors, namely a trip to an endocrinologist. If a teenager is overweight or even obese, only a competent doctor can help him cope with this problem. After all, the most important thing here is to do no harm. If the problem is somewhere around 5-6 extra kilos, then there is nothing to worry about. Include running in your teenager's life, send your child to swimming, football or any other sport of interest. It’s the girls who have the hardest time, as for them sometimes losing weight becomes a fixed idea. They ignore the advice of doctors and often simply destroy their body, exhausting themselves with hunger strikes. But you can lose weight the right way, while maintaining excellent health and acquiring the figure of your dreams.

What should a teenage girl not do to lose weight?

It would seem that all methods are good in the fight against excess weight, but there is a line that cannot be crossed.

Diets

To begin with, I want to say that everything that I described above about nutrition is not a diet, it’s just proper nutrition . And all these fashionable diets that models go on and recommend to everyone will only help to worsen their well-being and create the image of a dying person.

If during the whole day you can look at sausage twice, chew a piece of cheese once during the day, and then drink kefir or eat a quarter of an apple at night, then in a month you will lose ten kilograms and several tens of thousands for treatment.

If a person your age does this, then the rest of his life he will spend money not on food, but on pills. If this is the method of losing weight that you expect, then the result will be justified.

Starvation

This is generally a very bad way. At first, of course, the weight will go down, but then everything that gets into your mouth will instantly turn into fat.

Because our body is designed for self-preservation, unlike you, if you decide to use the fasting method in order to lose weight.

If your body realizes that there is a catastrophic lack of energy, then it will begin to store everything that is possible in fat deposits and at the same time get rid of everything unnecessary, namely muscles, because they spend a lot of energy, which is not in the body anyway. As a result, you will, of course, be able to lose weight, but the quality of your body will become much worse. In particular, forget about the buttocks.

Use pills and fat burners

Absolutely forbidden. These pills are dangerous even for adults and have many side effects. They can cause such harm that later the problem of losing weight will fade into the background.

Basic rules for losing weight for teenagers

First of all, young people will have to give up loaves, baked goods and various baked goods, sweets and confectionery. Reducing the amount of fast carbohydrates you consume will already trigger irreversible weight loss processes. In order for the process to go faster and the effectiveness of weight loss to increase, you will have to say “bye-bye” to hamburgers, fries and other fast food products. The same goes for packaged juices and a variety of sodas. Try to curb your appetite; eating so much that it’s hard to breathe is prohibited. Follow the rules of healthy eating, preferably more often, but less. Parents should make sure that vegetables, fruits, dairy products and healthy cereals are present on the table every day. As for meat and fish products - three times a week. But you’ll have to say goodbye to smoked sausages and fried potatoes, just stew, boil and bake. It will be necessary to minimize the consumption of dumplings, dumplings, pies, since dough is a heavy food for the stomach, and also high in calories. Now pizza is only on holidays. And if everything is clear with the basic diet, then it’s time to switch to the second important component of any weight loss - sports. You don’t need expensive gym memberships here; it’s enough to spend your leisure time actively. For example, walking with friends, riding a bike, skating, and so on. Parents should instill in their child the love and habit of playing sports.

Sports for weight loss

Regardless of age, the desire to look good is worthy of respect. And this is especially important in adolescence, when the child is just developing his character, self-esteem, worldview, and principles. Therefore, if a child experiences unpleasant emotions when looking at himself in the mirror, and this is also fueled by the ridicule of his peers, there is a real reason to sound the alarm. If you don’t start the fight in time, then all these negative emotions will develop into complexes that will haunt a person throughout his adult life. Among teenagers, the most common reasons for increased interest in sports are the following:

• The desire to build up muscles in order to look older and more courageous is the main reason for boys.
• The desire to get rid of extra centimeters on the waist and hips is the main task of most girls.

It remains to be seen which exercises are most suitable for teenagers.

Aerobic exercise

Doctors believe that the safest exercise for a teenager is aerobic exercise. This is a type of physical activity that involves repeating vigorous movements while listening to upbeat music. An important condition is a flow of fresh air; it is best to do aerobics outdoors. A set of exercises usually takes about 40-60 minutes. It is with this load and this time of work that the process of burning fat in the muscles starts. Exercise options for a 15-year-old teenager to lose weight may be as follows:

• This could be bike rides through the forest to make the most of your effort.
• Jumping rope.
• Various outdoor games: volleyball, basketball, football, badminton in the country and so on.
• Take your child to dance.
• Buy a fitness or Pilates membership for children.

You can do the exercises at home, and then we will look at a detailed complex for losing weight. But if it is virtually impossible to encourage your child to play sports at home, then you cannot do without a coach and sports. For the effect to be as positive as possible, it is necessary that the training brings pleasure to the child, then the desire to exercise will not dry up. If your child is actively interested in any sport, enroll him in the section immediately. For girls, going to dances would be an excellent solution; such activities will help not only get rid of extra pounds, but also raise self-esteem, teach you to keep your back straight and be a real princess. It is important that the child does not lose the desire to play sports. Only regularity will bear fruit. Proper motivation and exercises for teenagers to lose weight are the key to successful weight loss.

What types of gymnastics are suitable for children?

To teach a child to lead an active lifestyle, it is enough to choose a sport that requires mobility: football, swimming, badminton, roller skating and skating. But for weight loss in children, gymnastics is ideal, aimed at using all muscle groups. Children under 14 years of age are not recommended to attend gyms and professional sports clubs, because these activities place excessive stress on the child’s body. Therefore, regular gymnastics promotes effective weight loss and prepares the child for further activities.

Simple exercises can be performed without a trainer and at home.

You can set aside any time for gymnastics and select the intensity. One of the simplest types of gymnastics for weight loss is daily exercises. In the morning it raises the tone of the body, and during the day it improves well-being. In order for gymnastics to bring pleasure and results, you should adhere to clear rules:

1. Regularity and gradual training is the surest path to success. Only daily exercise will help you lose weight;
2. Moderate physical activity that stimulates energy expenditure;
3. Short breaks between exercises, fast pace of classes;
4. The training takes place one and a half hours after and before meals;
5. Pay attention to cardio training, do not overload the child with strength exercises. Cardio exercise allows you to keep your heart rate in the fat burning zone;
6. A well-thought-out set of exercises that includes different muscle groups.

A set of exercises for a boy

First of all, it is worth noting that you need to exercise for at least an hour three times a week, only under such conditions can we talk about any result. The standard set of exercises for losing weight for a teenage boy is as follows:

• The simplest and most effective exercise is push-ups. Take a starting position for push-ups, with your hands 15 centimeters wider than your shoulders. As you exhale, slowly lower yourself down until your chest touches the floor. As for the number of repetitions - as many as possible, but with each workout you should try to do one more. This exercise allows you to keep your whole body in good shape.
• Let's start training our arms. Take the dumbbells that are most comfortable for you, they may be the lightest. Take the starting position: stand straight, arms at your sides, palms pressed to your thighs. As you inhale, you need to raise your arms up so that your shoulders touch your ears, and as you exhale, return to the starting position.
• Wide pull-ups also place tension on the entire body. You just need to hang on the horizontal bar so that your arms are 15 centimeters wider than your shoulders, just like when doing push-ups. As you inhale, gently stretch up until your chin touches the horizontal bar; as you exhale, we lower back to the starting position. All movements should be slow and smooth, without jerks or sudden falls down.
• Now we will get rid of the tummy and pump up the abs. Hang upside down on the bar with your legs wrapped around it, like a monkey. Hands behind your head, and as you exhale, you need to smoothly raise your body so that your head touches your hips, after which we exhale and return to the starting position.

These are 4 basic exercises for losing weight for a 13-year-old teenager, for which you won’t need any tools other than dumbbells. It won’t be difficult to give them 15 minutes in the yard in the evening.

Diet for teenagers 11-16 years old

Before deciding to apply the diet to your child, you should first consult with your pediatrician. It must be started carefully and if you feel unwell, it is recommended to interrupt it immediately. We recommend several diets for teenagers 13-16 years old.

For eleven year olds

1. For breakfast we recommend low-fat cottage cheese with honey - 150g. and a boiled egg with tea.
2. For lunch you can have vegetable soup, chicken fillet - 150g.
3. The afternoon snack will consist of freshly squeezed vegetables or fruits with a slice of black bread. For dinner you can eat boiled fish and vegetable salad.

For twelve year olds

1. Eat 200g for breakfast. oatmeal with honey, boiled egg and tea.
2. For lunch, vegetable soup with turkey fillet - 160g.
3. For an afternoon snack, eat a couple of apples.
4. For dinner, low-fat cottage cheese is suitable - 160g. and boiled fish.

For thirteen year olds

1. Take 200g for breakfast. lean beef with tea.
2. For lunch, eat fish baked in foil, cabbage salad and tea.
3. For an afternoon snack there is only fruit.
4. Dinner will consist of a casserole without added sugar and yogurt.

For fourteen year olds

1. For breakfast, one hundred grams of boiled meat, a couple of slices of bread and a couple of tomatoes are enough. Lunch will consist of borscht without broth, 3-4 baked potatoes, and cabbage salad.
2. For an afternoon snack, yogurt and a few crackers are enough.
3. For dinner you are allowed to consume one hundred grams of turkey fillet and tea.

For fifteen year olds

1. The morning meal consists of 200g. low-fat cottage cheese with honey, boiled eggs and tea. For lunch you need to eat borscht without broth with one hundred grams of boiled veal and a couple of tomatoes.
2. For an afternoon snack, take a glass of kefir with a few slices of black bread.
3. One hundred grams of chicken fillet with tea is suitable for an evening meal.

Fitball exercises for teenagers

A training device such as a fitball is very popular among fitness enthusiasts. And it was invented not so long ago, in 1963, by an Italian toy manufacturer. Initially, the device was intended specifically for children, but soon adults also appreciated its importance for training. Fitball fits perfectly into a training program for teenagers. This sports equipment has a number of advantages:

• Firstly, it is funny and brings extremely positive emotions. Fitball is of interest to teenagers, and therefore it is quite easy to involve a child in exercise.
• An important advantage of the projectile is that it improves posture and trains coordination.
• The fitball is universal; it is perfect for both boys and girls. It also doesn’t matter at all what the child’s initial weight is.

This equipment does not take up much space; it can be placed at home and trained at any convenient time for both adults and parents.

A set of exercises for girls

Like any workout, exercises for losing weight for a teenage girl begin with a warm-up. This includes the following basic exercises: walking, which alternates with running in place, bending to the side, swinging your arms. After the warm-up part, you can begin the training itself. Let's start weight loss exercises for teenagers at home with cardio:

• Running in place - 30 seconds.
• Jumping with arms stretched up – 30 seconds.
• 3 steps forward and the same backwards – 30 seconds.
• Walking in a half-squat position – 30 seconds.

Now your heart is ready for the strength part of the workout, just don’t forget to drink water during breaks.

Power section

Let's start exercises for losing weight for a teenage girl:

• Push-ups from your knees - as many as you can.
• Squats – 20 times.
• The plank is an ideal exercise for losing belly fat for a teenage girl, performed for 20 seconds.
• Lunges forward – 10 times on each leg.
• Exercise “bicycle” - lie on your back, raise your legs up at an angle of 90 degrees and spin imaginary pedals - 30 seconds.
• Exercise “chair” - you need to sit down against a wall, leaning your back on it, as if you were sitting on a chair.

The strength part of the workout is over, now you can take a sip of water and relax. It is advisable to stretch after training. For example, stretch your hands to your socks, turn your neck in different directions, and so on.