Dieting - how to lose weight sensibly

There are several important points your teenager should remember when trying to lose weight permanently. The main thing to remember is that she doesn't have a weight problem, she has an eating problem.

Other considerations are:

1. Try to reach a goal shape or size rather than goal weight. Goal weights (from height/weight tables) are very bad guidelines as they do not take muscle, bone size or water into consideration. This is why so many people panic if they gain weight when they start an exercise programme. If your child wants to weigh herself, then she should do so once a week only at the same time and place. Bear in mind that a person's weight will be affected by what she has eaten or drunk recently and hormones can also result in some water retention.

2. The changes that your teenager makes to her eating habits and lifestyle need to be permanent. This is why most diets don't work as people use them just for weight loss and stop as soon as they achieve their goal weight or when they are sick of the diet.

3. Drink eight glasses of water a day. This prevents toxin build-up and helps people to lose weight.

4. Don't rely on willpower to say 'no'. Never allow your teenager to get starving hungry, as hungry people eat too much and make bad choices. Make sure your teenager eats five to six meals or snacks per day (every three hours). Also don't keep high-fat foods at home. Even the strongest willed person will eventually be tempted.

5. Try to eat low-fat foods as much as possible during the week. Bear in mind that low-fat, balanced eating with five to six meals is not only going to help your teenager control her appetite and weight, but is also going to aid with concentration when studying as well as make her more energized on the sports field. On the weekend, it is possible to relax a little and allow your teenager to have a couple of high-fat treats but limit it to a couple. As you can see from the suggestions below, it is still possible to order low-fat or healthier 'junk food'.

6. Don't limit the filling foods like bread, crispbreads and fruit too much rather make sure the sandwich toppings are low fat.

7. Hamburgers (preferably flame-grilled chicken burgers) with no sauce or mayonnaise are not such an unhealthy option as long as the chips and sauces are avoided. Your teenager can have mustard, chutney or tomato sauce with the burger and have a small coleslaw with her hamburger or even have two hamburgers or just an extra roll if she is still hungry.

8. Limit fruit juice intake - it is quite useful to keep a big jugful of diluted fruit juice in the fridge. Avoid keeping carbonated cool drinks at home and limit intake of sweetened cordials. Keep a bottle of iced tea in the fridge - weak Rooibos tea, sliced lemon, a few mint leaves, sweetened with sugar or sweetener.

9. Pizza - have vegetable toppings such as spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus and mushrooms. Ask for half the usual amount of cheese or, for the really calorie-conscious, replace the mozzarella cheese with a little feta cheese. Have ham, seafood or chicken for meat toppings. Avoid bacon, sausage, salami and mince.

10. Smoothies are a great way to take in fruit and dairy especially if you are in a rush or if your teenager doesn't like fruit and/or dairy. The weightconscious should choose smoothies made just with fresh fruit or even blended with fat-free yoghurt. Avoid the smoothies that have ice-cream or non-dairy creamers added.

11. Low-fat sausage rolls can be made using chicken or ostrich sausage and hotdogs can be made with reduced fat viennas or reduced fat pork bangers. Avoid pies and samoosas.

12. Health bars can be misleading - many supposed health bars have more fat than regular chocolates. Choose low-fat health bars (look for bars that have less than 5 g of fat per bar). If your teenager feels like having a chocolate, he can have a wafer or cereal-based chocolate - there is less chocolate and therefore less fat. However, remember that even overeating on low-fat bars can prevent weight loss, so these should be eaten in moderation.

13. Most sweets, for example, jelly babies, boiled sweets, wine gums, etc. are fat free but add extra calories so your teenager should just have a few if she is watching her weight.

14. Low-fat ice-creams or fruity ice-Iollies are available for occasional treats.

15. Chips or crisps are generally unhealthy. Look out for baked or low-fat varieties and if you are having chips eat only a small packet occasionally. Pretzels and popcorn are healthier options but are not necessarily lower in fat.

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