The Diet for Teenagers Only

Here's the deal. You are in the biggest, most important growth spurt of your life. This is the most critical time for you to learn to eat right and treat your body with the respect –– and the nutrition –– it deserves.

––from The Diet for Teenagers Only

Teenage girls face a relentless assault on their self–esteem: television, the Internet, and magazines all barrage young women with images of perfection –– and that perfection is closely linked with being thin. Sadly, research shows that only 14 percent of teenage girls are happy with their body shape and size. More than half of them think they should lose weight. And most shocking of all, obesity among teenagers has tripled in the last decade alone. Young people are victims not only of poor self–esteem and eating disorders, but also of larger health issues.

In The Diet for Teenagers Only , Carrie Wiatt and Barbara Schroeder give teenagers the dietary weapons they need to fight back and make smart, independent decisions about nutrition. Written in a conversational, lighthearted voice, but filled with practical tips and must–have information, The Diet for Teenagers Only is a breakthrough diet plan specifically tailored to fit teenage needs and lifestyles. Among the essential ingredients of this diet you'll find:

• color cutouts of favorite foods that clarify what portion sizes should look like;

• recommended 7–day meal plans for different calorie needs –– and create–your–own–menu options;

• easy–to–follow recipes and grocery shopping tips that inspire teenagers to take nutrition into their own hands;

• a complete illustrated exercise program to complement weight–loss efforts, boost energy, and strengthen young bodies; and

• a personal food diary for charting daily progress.

  For teenagers who struggle with food and their weight, or for those who simply want a head start on designing a smart and satisfying food lifestyle, no other diet book will do. The Diet for Teenagers Only serves up fun, safe, and inspirational ways for teenagers to lose weight and be healthy, while never losing sight of the larger picture: While striving to improve your body can be a very healthy goal, learning to love your body is a far more important achievement –– and one that will last a lifetime!

Trust builds as readers discover "Things They Never Told You;" like how puberty naturally increases a girl’s body fat, diet soda promotes weight gain, and carbohydrates aren’t all bad. No mention of ideal weight spoils the fun, here; rather, Wiatt and Schroeder utilize an age-appropriate BMI (Body Mass Index) to help judge who’s truly overweight and who simply needs "a better body image reality check." Doodled stars and hearts further enliven the book’s chummy tone, but never upstage the important stuff: food portion guides; nutrients for healthy bodies; calorie requirements based on BMI ranges; low-fat cooking techniques and recipes; weekly menus and shopping strategies for weight loss; and discussions about how a teen’s emotions often drive her eating cycle. Q & A sections slip between meatier chapters, allowing tough issues like fasting, cravings, and eating disorders to be addressed with empathy and pragmatism. Surprisingly helpful are the restaurant and vending machine guidelines, featuring side-by-side substitution lists, titled "Eat This" and "Not That". Brimming with loving encouragement and the wisdom of gals who have been there, The Diet for Teenagers Only sends a clear message to girls: form good habits now.--Liane Thomas