TALLAHASSEE, FL- It's Teen Talk Monday on Sunrise.
Family Therapist Jane Marks shares with WTXL Sunrise Anchor Christine Souders and viewers about helping teenager face the challenge of being overweight.
Jane Marks said dealing with weight loss is a common obstacle among teenage boys.
Marks answers this question from a local parent and WTXL Sunrise viewer:
My sixteen year old son is approximately 50 pounds overweight. I am searching for strategies to help him manage this weight issue. I know it is affecting his self-esteem. Before he goes off to college, I would like to encourage new health habits that will serve him in the future. What do you suggest for teenage boys? You often give advice for girls, but what about guys?
Marks shares this expert advice with parents:
1. The first thing that a teenage guy needs to do is take a long hard look at this lifestyle. Is he spending a lot of time in front of the computer, video games, and how much time is he spending in motion? Is he playing a sport, is he enthusiastically walking, riding bikes, walking upstairs, getting an early start to the bus stop. One solution to this issue is to stand up when you play video games. Small changes make a big difference.
2. Take a hard look at your calorie intake for the day. Most boys need between 2000 to 3200 calories a day. If you are eating much more than that and are less active, this may be another sign of excess calorie intake thus weight.
3. Let's examine his eating styles. For most young teens, breakfast, as we have talked about has never been part of the eating schedule. Eating three regular meals a day can make a huge difference. If you are a breakfast or lunch skipper, it sets the stage for extreme hunger at the end of the day which is what we see is typical of most boys when there is a great deal of carbohydrate load up.
4. Even though you may be eating correct kinds of foods, the quantity of food also matters in some cases. It is important for young guys to tune in to portion sizes. We always remarkably laugh at how teenage boys can eat you under the sink, however, I've known young men to drink as much as a liter a day of Coca Cola. Remember that is going to add almost 2500 calories a day to what is already being consumed.
5. Drink plenty of fluids. Not Cokes. Water is the best liquid that not only hydrates the body but also removes toxins from the system. In most cases we advise at least 2 – 3 liters a day of water. It could include unsweetened juices and green tea is also an option.
6. One trick that we have found particularly effective for most young men is not eating after 8PM at night. Late night snacking is certainly not conducive to weight loss so it is advisable to finish most of your heavy foods by 8PM. Certainly a little yogurt or peanut butter right before bed is okay, but beyond that it also increases the possibility of weight gain.
7. High fiber foods are particularly helpful when trying to maintain a good weight.
8. One of the toughest things to do is give up unhealthy snacks and processed foods. Most young boys love to snack on chips, French fries, cakes, sausages, biscuits, pies and candies. Just the sound of it in those terms, when you speak to a young man, they kind of light up. Again, staying away from these specific foods makes a big difference in maintaining a healthy weight. Healthy snacks would include whole fruit, whole grains, whole grain crackers, hard boiled eggs, dried fruit.
9. For young men, be careful about staying away from fad diets. Fad diets are a big no especially if you wish to lose weight on a long term basis. Numerous fad diets promise quick weight loss but they also typically result in regaining the weight after the cessation of the diet. Again, try to increase physical activity.
10. While exercise is important, walking is probably one of the greatest options in the world to burn calories. Use the stairs as many times as you can. According to certain studies, walking for fifteen minutes in a day, every day, can increase your life expectancy by three years. This is one concept that most kids will not forget.
Marks said it is easy to fall into the trap of bad eating habits and bad self-care habits. Hopefully these tips will help teen boys relook at the whole concept of weight management. Remember the habits that you establish at this point will carry well into adulthood and will shape how you feel about taking care of your health. It also serves to support extraordinarily positive body image. Again, hopefully these tips this morning will be transformational. Good luck.
