One of the biggest contributing factors to being overweight as a teen has to do with a sedentary lifestyle. There's so much entertainment geared towards sitting in front of a screen that kids tend to do just that. What motivation does your teen have to leave the screens behind and get some exercise? The key to these teen weight loss tips is to make exercise fun!



Teen weight loss tip #1: Does your teen like to spend time at the mall? Teach them the art of window shopping ? fast window shopping! Take your teen to the mall early in the morning and join the mall walkers. As you walk at a brisk pace, your teen can check out all the store windows. This can even serve as a fashion education for you, Mom or Dad!

Teen weight loss tip #2: Racquetball! Many physical activities help a person work off a bad mood, but racquetball allows your teen to pummel a bad mood! Teenagers are not lacking in emotional ups and downs. This ramped up tennis-like sport can really work off stress and calories at the same time. Check out your local parks and recreational facilities for free courts and go purchase a couple of cheap racquets and balls for you and your teen.

Teen weight loss tip #3: Let's go fly a kite! Kites can actually become a pretty cool hobby that offers exercise as well. Find a big field free of trees and go run some kites. This might be something a group of your teens friends will find fun and challenging as they learn to do tricks with their kites. Hey, maybe they'll start a new trend!

Teen weight loss tip #4: Bring your teen to the gym with you. Most fitness clubs offer use of their entire facilities for teenagers. If this is something in your budget, it can be a great way to help your teen make exercise a part of their lives. There are so many options for working out at a gym that your teen is bound to find an activity they love. They might even be encouraged by observing healthy people at work on their bodies.

Teen weight loss tip #5: Become running (or walking) buddies! Going for a run or brisk walk in the morning with your teen not only benefits your child, but you as well. So set those alarm clocks a little earlier and hit the road. I haven't met many teenagers that love to jump out of bed in the morning, so you may have to use a little bribery. It takes three weeks to make something a habit, good or bad. Tell them if they run with you for three weeks, you'll buy them that new video game they've been wanting. Hey, I know, bribery isn't the best parenting method, but break the rule for something this important! You're giving your child a chance to form an exercise habit that they just might keep for a lifetime!

Teen weight loss tip #6: Golf. What? Tiger Woods is in fantastic shape! Alright, so I realize that golf isn't as ramped up as the rest of these tips, but walking an 18-hole course over two hours burns more calories than you might think. Couple that with carrying a golf bag and you've got a pretty decent activity! Obviously, you need to leave the golf cart behind. Besides, if your overweight child is less of the athletic type and more of the book worm, intellectual type, he or she will probably enjoy a skilled sport such as golf.

Teen weight loss tip #7: Exercise classes. If you don't belong to a gym, our local community center or parks and rec organizations might offer classes for your teen to explore other areas of exercise. Perhaps your teen just hasn't found something they like. There are so many forms of exercise out there that the possibilities are endless: yoga, Pilates, Yogalates, kick-boxing, karate, Kung Fu, hip-hop?

The best teen weight loss tip I can give you is to just get your teen moving. Be a positive influence for your teen and get moving with them!