7 DIET SECRETS FOR TWEENS

7 Diet Secrets For Tweens

7 Diet Secrets for Tweens was created when I learned one in three American kids suffer from obesity.  That is NOT a good number you guys, so let’s talk quickly about nutrition and losing weight at your age.  Fact is, America is fat and only getting fatter.

As a tween, you shouldn’t have to worry about losing weight.  The thought of dieting for a kid is crazy, but the statistics show us that something needs to change.  Baby fat goes away, but if you eat more candy bars than you eat apples, you might have the beginnings of a problem that only grows over time.  Here are the 7 Diet Secrets for Tweens

1. ASK FOR HELP — Talk to your parents and inform your doctor before you think about going on a diet at your age.
2. SUGAR — Candy Bars, Junk Food and SODAS!!!!  Hate to break it to you, but these things have NO nutritional value at all.  The number one ingredient in most candy is High Fructose Corn Syrup.  The problem with HFCS is that it tricks the body into thinking that it needs to store fat.  SHUTING DOWN THE ENGINE (your metabolism) is a bad thing.  It doesn’t sound fun, but if you want to shed the pounds, reach for fruits and veggies.
3. SLOW DOWN HOMEY — First things we all need to do is slow down and take smaller portions.  When you do this, your stomach is able to send a message to your brain: “OKAY, I’M FULL.”  When you eat fast (I know this because I’m faster than anyone I know, other than my brother Gary), you overeat.  Slow down and chew your food.
4. EXERCISE — If you aren’t playing sports, you need to find a hobby.  Ride your bike.  Jog.  Swim.  Heck, I’d even suggest giving Yoga a try, but you MUST DO SOMETHING.  Trust your Uncle E, when you exercise you will feel much better afterwards.  It’s a chemical thing, so get up and get busy.
5. EASE INTO IT — When you begin this process of letting go of sugary foods and exercising, start with baby steps.  Nobody expects you to suddenly run 15 miles a day.  Start small.  Try 5 push-ups.  Go on a long walk.  Then jog around the block.
6. EMOTIONAL EATING — Some people find comfort when they eat.  In times of stress, don’t reach for the candy or other sugary foods.   If you aren’t hungry, DO NOT EAT.  Drink water.  Chew gum.  Go for a run.  Exercise.  Listen to your body, not your mind.
7. WATER — This is HUGE.  Water is essential in changing your eating habits.  Always have a bottle in your backpack.  When you get a craving for something sweet, fill your stomach with water and eat a piece of fruit.

Eric “Uncle E” DelaBarre is an award-winning filmmaker and the author of Saltwater Taffy, the middle grade fiction novel endorsed by 12 Teachers of the Year.  Copyright April 30, 2012