No teenager should be doomed to be overweight. 60 minutes of exercise a day and a healthy diet can combat obesity. Understandably for a teen who is unfit, 60 minutes of daily exercise can seem daunting but this is where the role of parent comes in. You can motivate your teen to get moving. The key is to start gradually and offer plenty of support along the way. Here are our top five tips to help get your teen interested in fitness and exercise:
 
1.     Build Slowly
Kids who aren't used to exercise may not be willing to withstand much before wanting to quit. The best thing to do is to start small. Going for a small ten minute walk every day is a good start and once your child becomes used to this level of exercise you can increase it by five minutes per week. Once your child is more confident, encourage him to try other exercises such as cycling, swimming, running or trying a team sport.
 
2.     Make Screen Time Count
Your teen probably spends a large amount of time in front of a screen, be it at a TV or a computer. During this time, they are not being active. Your teen should spend no more than one to two hours a day in front of a screen so it’s important that parents proactively try to prevent this time being exceeded.
 
 
3.     Make exercise enjoyable
The best exercise regime is the one your teen is actually happy to do. If your teen is into outdoor activities, check out local outdoor clubs that have outdoor activities such as camping and hiking. If your teen likes dancing, or gymnastics, look for classes that would interest her in your locality. Remember, any activity that doesn’t involve sitting on the couch is a help. That can even include chores such as hoovering, pulling weeds or trimming bushes.
 
4.     Consider Weight Training
Strength or resistance training is a good option for teens not used to aerobic exercise. Research suggests that doing resistance training three days a week can lower body fat and increase muscle strength in overweight teens. It’s not necessary to join a gym as your child can do sit ups and crunches or do exercises at home. However, it might be a good idea to talk to your child’s GP for advice first.
 
 
5.     Encourage Participation in Sports
If your teen is uncomfortable with the idea of competitive sports, why not suggest doing a sport non-competitively, such as cycling or running? It’s important to remember that building a healthy interest in sports won’t happen overnight, take it one step at a time and with encouragement your teen will get there. 

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