First, some facts about teen girls and belly fat. The normal, or healthy, percentage of body fat actually increases for girls as they enter their teens. So it's not unusual for a previously angular or "boyish" figure to become more rounded. It's also not unusual for girls to "thicken" a little in their middles prior to growth spurts. Think of it as a piece of elastic getting thinner as it gets longer. Finally, if a teen girl is carrying too much fat, one month isn't much time to take it off, as the recommended healthy weight-loss rate is between 1 and 2 pounds per week. That said, teens -- girls and boys -- need regular exercise and a good diet to grow and stay healthy.
Body-Fat Percentage
The best indicator of obesity isn't weight, or even how a girl looks in a bathing suit, but her body fat percentage. Teen girls should consider having a trained professional evaluate their body fat percentage and compare it to norms for their age. Note that body fat is measured over various parts of the body because you can't lose fat just in one place, like your belly. Teens who are normal weight according to weight charts can have too much fat, just as teens who are "overweight" for their size can have a healthy fat percentage. If you do have excess fat, you'll have to take measures to lose fat and increase muscle all over your body, not just in your belly.
Activity Level
Teens should try to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. That's activity, not necessarily "exercise." Unfortunately, teen girls may give up childhood games and activities, like riding bikes, because they don't want to look weird. There are other ways to stay active, such as working out with a friend or finding a teen aerobics class at your local YMCA. Other non-exercise ways to keep active are social dancing, which can burn about 329 calories in an hour, according to Shape, engaging in sports or getting paid to do yard or housework.
Muscle and Bone Building
Teen girls should include muscle- and bone-building activities in their 60 minutes of activity at least three times per week. Conveniently, many weight-bearing activities build both muscle and bone and also burn calories. They include jogging, dancing, sports, weightlifting and body-weight exercises, such as pushups and squats. To flatten a rounded tummy, teen girls can hold planks for up to 60 seconds -- which are also weight bearing -- or do standards like crunches and crunch twists, or try a medicine ball situp toss with a friend. Teen girls who belong to sports teams will often get all three -- aerobic, muscle and bone work -- through playing and training.
Calorie Cutting
Teen girls need calories, including fat calories, in order to grow. Generally, teen girls between the ages of 13 and 18 need between 1,800 and 2,400 calories a day, and as much as 3,500 if involved in strenuous sports. So the idea shouldn't so much be about cutting calories as eating healthy. Spread calories over the major food groups -- dairy, protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains -- and limit empty calories from added sugars and saturated and trans fats often found in snacks and fast food. Girls between 9 and 19 also need more calcium than at any other point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Choose calcium-rich foods that are low in excess fats, like low-fat milk. Combining increased activity with resistance exercise and healthy eating should make belly fat disappear, though it may take longer than a month.
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