Teenage Diets

As a teenager, it’s pretty common to feel motivated to start a diet, whether if it’s to look great for prom, or just to feel better about yourself. It's also pretty common to give up on that diet. If you've experienced this, you’re not alone. I’m going to be talking about why diets fail and what you can do that works instead.

If someone told you that their diet didn’t work and you had to guess why, chances are that you would think “they just didn’t try hard enough!” Most of the time, that's simply not the case, and this type of thought is actually quite harmful. Eating is regulated by your hormones, brain signals, and environmental cues. When you restrict calories significantly, your body responds by increasing your levels of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry, and decreasing your secretion of leptin, that makes you feel full. In other words, the more you diet, the more you’re going to feel like overeating. And it’s not your fault.

For teenagers, this effect is even more pronounced since adolescence is a crucial period of growth and development, meaning your body really needs extra energy and nutrients. Restricting your diet doesn't just feel horrible, but it can actually interfere with your bone development, hormonal balance, and brain functioning during one of the most important windows of your life.

Diet culture itself presents its fair share of issues. The “healthy” diets that are marketed to teenagers are typically short-term, restrictive, and often end up villainizing food. A 2020 review published in Obesity Reviews found that restrictive eating in adolescence is associated with an increased risk of binge eating and actually gaining weight over time. This is also psychologically harmful, as diets make you feel like you need to track every calorie, eliminate entire food groups, or follow strict rules, which can increase anxiety around eating, causing a whole new set of problems separate from weight itself.

A few things worth noting about teenagers and dieting specifically: teenagers don't control their food environment. You eat what's in your house, what your school serves, or what you can afford, and a lot of teenagers aren't the ones controlling that. Another issue is that social eating is a big part of teenage life, whether it's having pizza at a friend's birthday or going out to the movies and ordering an extra-large popcorn/soda. A lot of what you eat is influenced by your peers.

Okay, that’s enough criticism. But what actually works then?

Instead of focusing on what foods you can't eat, try eating more whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains. When you eat filling and nutritious foods, you are less inclined to eat unhealthy foods because you’re already full. This makes restricting sweets and snacks much easier.

We all know exercise is great, but running on the treadmill or lifting weights isn’t something everyone likes. Find something you enjoy, whether it's playing a sport or dancing. If you enjoy your workout, you'll be consistent with it. Nobody’s asking you to do a workout you don’t enjoy. Another important tip is to sleep well. Sleep helps prevent an increase in ghrelin and decrease in leptin. It also gives time for your muscles to heal so you can gain muscle. Also, make long-term goals for yourself. Don't just say "I want to lose weight before prom,” or you’ll end up gaining it back. Instead, think "I want to be healthier and live a longer life." 

So if you've ever failed a diet, please don't blame yourself. The diet probably failed you. It could have been designed for adults, straight-up ignoring your teenage biology, and you were probably set up with unrealistic goals from the start. What works isn't a quick fix, so be patient. You'll get there!