How to Promote Positive Self-Esteem in Your Overweight Teen

Weight problems don’t just affect adults. Teens, like adults, face weight-related health challenges, including increased risks of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. 

But there’s a key difference: While being overweight or obese has an emotional impact regardless of age, the toll on teens’ self-esteem and confidence can be particularly severe, with an impact that can last the rest of their lives.

As a parent, you want to support your teen without them feeling as if you’re judging or lecturing them. As a provider of weight-management plans for adolescents, Premier Physicians Weight Loss & Wellness offers these tips to help you help your teen with compassion and acceptance.

Forget about diets

Diets are, by their nature, restrictive. Adhering to a diet plan can feel like a punishment, despite its potential benefits for your child’s weight and health. Instead, make it easy for your child to adopt healthier eating habits they’ll enjoy.

Involve them in meal planning by browsing recipes online. Consider trying foods from different cultures to keep it interesting, and use broiling, baking, and grilling instead of deep-frying. 

Letting your child plan healthy meals gives them a sense of control while also establishing habits that can last a lifetime.

Make healthy snacking easy

There’s nothing wrong with snacking as long as those snacks feature healthy foods, not chips, pastries, or ultra-processed options. That said, when you’re hungry, it’s easier to reach for these options than to take time to prepare healthy alternatives.

Make it easy for your teen to snack smart by keeping fresh fruit and crunchy vegetables on hand, with hummus or yogurt for dipping. Portion nuts and cubed low-fat cheese into individual containers so your child can grab and go when they’re hungry.

Make exercise fun

When exercise feels like a chore, it’s easy to see why teens (and adults) would try to avoid it. Help your teen find activities they enjoy, such as dancing, skating, yoga, or swimming, and add in some family activities. 

Take an after-dinner walk, plan weekend hikes or bike rides, or search online for an exercise routine you and your teen can do together at home. The goal is to find activities that feel like fun. Regular activity can have a positive impact on mood, an added boost to their self-esteem.

Support healthy habits

Eating healthy and ramping up activity are great ways to improve self-esteem and manage weight, but other habits play key roles. Make sure your teen gets 8-9 hours of sleep every night to buoy their mood and give them plenty of energy and motivation.

Set limits on screen time and encourage other activities that promote relaxation and creativity, like reading, listening to music, playing an instrument, or drawing.

Help your child incorporate stress-management activities, such as yoga, stretching, or breathing exercises, into their day. You can practice them together — you’ll also benefit!

Model positive behavior

As a parent, you wield considerable influence over your teen. One of the best ways to promote self-esteem is by modeling positive self-esteem. Avoid criticizing your own body in front of your teen or expressing guilt about eating certain foods or overindulging.

Instead, model healthy eating habits and a positive relationship with food so your teen identifies them with responsible and healthy behaviors.

Go a step further by complimenting your teen on their strengths — their sense of humor, creativity, or kindness, for instance. Positive comments can help your teen see and value themselves as more than just a number on a scale.

We can help

Our team has experience helping teens and adolescents navigate weight challenges and establish healthy habits focused on a lifetime of physical and emotional wellness. 

To learn how we can help your teen manage their weight and improve their self-esteem and confidence, request an appointment online or over the phone today with the team at Premier Physicians Weight Loss & Wellness in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno, Nevada.

We also offer telehealth visits to help teens get the support they need from the comfort and privacy of their homes.