With hormones raging, it is relatively common for teenagers to face weight problems. During the teenager years, kids are going through a tremendous amount of pressure from schoolwork, peers, home responsibility, making friends, and more. When I grew up, we did not even own a television. Instead, my brother, sister, and I would spend time outside building “forts” in the desert, looking for turtles, riding bikes, playing ball, swimming, and so on. We were so busy with outdoor activities that we had little time or interest on being indoors.
Many teenagers today are not motivated to do this. We see a growing number of kids spending all their free time on the computer, watching movies, or chatting on the phone. Parents need to stand back to see if this is the situation in their home and if so, make changes. While you might find your teenager bulking at the idea of going for a walk, shopping, ice-skating, etc, you are still the parent. The key to success is obviously setting boundaries when the children are small but even as teenagers, it is never too late.
If you find you have a teenager who is not active and eating all the wrong foods, drastic steps may be necessary. After all, a teenager dealing with a weight issue only enhances current pressures, as well as increases the risk of dangerous health problems to include diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and more. You will need to go through the house and slowly begin to remove all junk food. Expect to hear some major groans but this is for the child’s benefit.
The truth is that many teenagers battling weight will tell you they hate the way they look and feel but have no idea where to start in making changes. If you have a child starting to put on weight, you want to teach him or her about healthy choices. Your teenagers will need to understand that losing 20, 30, or 40 pounds will not happen overnight but that by eating healthy foods and incorporating exercise into the daily routine, the weight will come off. Be encouraging, joining your teenager in going to the gym, walking, jogging, or playing a sport. In addition, do not make separate meals specific to the overweight child but change the entire household’s way of eating.