Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Things You’ll Need:
- a variety of healthy foods and snacks
- paper or a notebook for scheduling and journaling
Step1
Discuss with your teen reasons why she needs to lose weight. Emphasize health over beauty--too many teens are already influenced by the media's fascination with the "perfect" body.
Step2
Emphasize that he needs to lose the weight for himself, not to please you or anyone else.
Step3
Reassure her that you love and support her and want to help her as she develops a healthier lifestyle. If appropriate, share your own struggles with losing weight and exercising regularly.
Step4
Develop an exercise schedule and a menu plan with your teen. Consult a doctor or dietician for ideas. Use a notebook to keep track of exercise routines, menus and to journal thoughts and feelings.
Step5
Join your teen on his journey to lose weight. Exercise and diet along with him, and provide plenty of healthy food, snacks, and exercise opportunities.
Step6
Don't discourage your teen if she gives in to temptation. Encourage healthy alternatives to junky and fatty foods. If she does eat that slice of birthday cake, help her recommit to her food and exercise plan.
Step7
Keep communication open. Talk with your teen about the victories and struggles he's having as he loses weight. Let him know he can come to you at anytime for support.
Step8
Learn to recognize eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Make sure your teen is losing weight the healthy way. Talk with your doctor about the signs of an eating disorder, and be diligent in observing your teen's eating habits.
Healthy eating is one of the steps to losing and maintaining a healthy weight.
Novice 
Comments
cougargal14 said
on 10/1/2008 Is there a reason this conversation topic starts with "your teen" and is changed to Her/she? Female teens are not the only ones that need to worry about their weight, or have their weight worried about for them. This is where society norms start.
CrazyAce said
on 3/21/2008 This talk would be much easier if the parents didn't spend their whole life stuffing their mouths and their kid's faces with Fast Food. DON'T be a fat, lazy parent, and chances are your kids won't be either. God help the stupid parents.