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Many teenagers wish they looked better in the mirror. The result can be extremely frustrating and a real self-esteem nose dive. When they carry some extra pounds, they feel unattractive. So naturally, they want to do something about it, and the sooner the better. Maybe Mary wants to loose 10 pounds before the big dance Friday night. Maybe Billy wants get rid of that spare tire.

But before you try to starve yourself or drink a Slim Fast, you have to know that it's just as important to loose weight in a healthy and safe way! It will take some time, maybe even a year. But you will appreciate the realistic advice from nutritionist Linda Ojeda's book, "Safe Dieting for Teens."

Ojeda has the weight-loss answers, and the encouragement to boot. As a nutritionist, Ojeda has helped people get on the healthy track and make a difference for the better in their lives. She's the perfect motivational speaker, whether she's talking to weight-loss program participants or counseling teens through Safe Dieting for Teens

In this amazing book, she sets achievable goals in the battle of the bulge. She insists that taking it slowly, consistently (but not obsessively), and being patient and nice to yourself will bring along the desired results.

Ojeda understands overweight teens' cries for help from firsthand experience. She too was trying to shed the pounds, using the fad diets popular during her teenage years. She knows all too well the heartache that accompanies not feeling good about your body. Yet Ojeda also stresses that you can still love yourself even before you loose your first pound. Having good self-esteem in other areas in your life is a giant first step to reaching your weight-loss goal, and not compromising your health in the meantime.

Here, Ojeda gives us the lowdown on fad diets, working towards your goal in healthy steps, and, especially, feeling good about yourself. In this interview she describes how she learned about dieting through first hand experience; the "new" high protein diet; how teens can feel good about themselves; how to fight junk food cravings; bulimia & anorexia; role of parents for dieting teens; and that teens have a real choice and that being overweight is not inevitable.

I'd like to welcome Linda Ojeda to the Meet-the-Author interview. Thank you, Linda, for joining me.

First Hand Experience

Joanne:
What motivated you to write "Safe Dieting for Teens?"

Linda:
Linda:
I was chubby as a teen, not all my teen years but at least two of them so I'm very sensitive to the special problems excess weight causes young people. I remember my "cute" math teacher noticing I had put on a few pounds and I felt so embarrassed by his comment that I stopped eating for a while. Starvation didn't work for me so I just paid attention to what I was eating. For some reason, I never looked for a diet book. I just ate less--not better just less food.

Fast forwarding to my adult years, I became a nutritionist working for two major weight-loss programs--a medically supervised fasting program and one that supplied its own food. Many of the people I worked with could not stay on these restricted plans (which I totally understood) and my heart went out to them so I came up with a program for the diet drop-outs where they didn't have to eat weird foods and could go to real restaurants with their friends and family and still lose weight. The program started out for anyone who felt like a diet failure because I worked with all age groups, but it eventually became a book exclusively for teens when I realized that this is where I could really make a difference. If a young person can figure out the principals of safe dieting early, we nutritionists wouldn't have to worry about them as adults. I want teens to get the message before they get into the habit of chasing after each new popular diet that may be harmful, unbalanced, or insufficient in nutrients. Yo yo dieting sets your body up for failure and each time you lose and regain your weight the harder it is. Hopefully, this book will save teens the anguish of continued failure and provide a realistic approach to eating for life.

What is old is "new" again - high protein diet

Joanne:
What were the diet fads when you were a teenager, and how do they compare or contrast with those of today?

Linda:
What a great question!
I remember the high protein diet was in vogue when I was in my late teens and it has returned with thousands of new followers. We often think when we hear about a great new diet book that there is something new the experts have just figured out, but usually their exciting new theory is a remake of another diet from the past. There is relatively little new information when it comes to weight loss, and the high protein diet is a good example of this. I'm not an advocate of any diet that eliminates one total food group whether it is protein, fats, or the latest carbohydrates. We need all these nutrients to keep us healthy. Remember this when your friends are telling you how great their diet is working. Any diet that restricts calories will work, but is it healthy and can you maintain it for life? These are more important questions to ask.

Another diet that I remember and actually tried was the grapefruit diet. The promoters claimed that grapefruit actually burned calories, but of course, it's not true. It sounded good and I wanted to believe that grapefruit was the magic food that would melt the fat even when I was sleeping. But no food can do this. Does this sound familiar? Many pills, even natural herbs and vitamins make such claims. Don't believe it. Nothing will burn your fat but exercise or take off your weight but taking in less calories than your body can burn itself.

Getting started - feel good about yourself

Joanne:
What can teens do to feel good about themselves before they begin loosing weight?

Linda:
It's easy to give a pat answer to this but it's difficult to do because many over-weight teens feel so badly about themselves that it's hard for them to recognize the many good qualities they already have. It really helps the weight-loss process if you can begin to feel good about yourself before you start to change your body. If you already like who you are, you are more likely to do the things that you need in order to get to the weight down. So here are few suggestions to build you up and make you emotionally strong.

• Write down your good qualities.
  What do you most like about yourself? (Examples: your hair, your voice, your smile, your sense of humor, your caring nature, your intelligence)
• What can you change?
  Is there something (other than your weight) that you can change easily that would help you feel good about who you are? (Examples: learn to play tennis or swim, take dancing lessons, try a new hairstyle, join a club, redecorate your bedroom, buy something that makes you feel pretty or confident) Start doing as many of the things on your list that you can.
• Start a scrapbook
  of things you want for yourself in the future. Collect pictures from magazines that show people you would like to emulate, places you would like to visit, and things that you would like to own someday. As you place them in your book, actually see yourself in the picture enjoying yourself and living the life you visualize.
• Start a walking program immediately.
  Get outside and walk around your neighborhood or go to a nearby park and enjoy the flowers and the trees and all the things you miss when you're riding in a car or on a bike. As you're walking, think about your various lists and choose one thing that you can begin easily and figure out how you will put that one thing into action. Smile at the people you meet (even if they don't smile back, it makes you feel good) and know that you are starting a process that will change your life for the better. Also know that you don't have to rush this. In fact, it's better if you take the time to just think about what you want first and then do the little things that would make you feel better immediately, and soon, you will be ready to ease into your weight issue.

Junk food cravings

Joanne:
How can teens battle the junk food cravings?

Linda:
This is a tough question because there are so many theories regarding food cravings--some physiological (relating to the type of food you eat) and some psychological (relating to the feelings you get from eating specific foods). If you have a serious bingeing problem, it would be best to get professional help. I can offer suggestions for the rest of us who occasionally pig-out on chocolate, need a bag of cookies now and then, or just can't eat one potato chip.

• Few experts mention lack of good nutrition
  but I think it ranks very high on the list of reasons why we crave food. If we are not getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals our body signals us with cravings that will hopefully replenish these nutrients. Unfortunately, the body isn't specific in telling us we need an orange or a cup of broccoli. The message comes only as a general suggestion and we interpret it as a food we love. There is an easy way to solve this. Choose more nutrient-rich foods and you are less likely to inhale the cookies. Generally, have some protein with each meal (egg, chicken, meat, fish, beans, nuts) and healthy carbohydrates with meals and for snacks (whole-grain cereal or bread, fruits and vegetables). Also, I think it's a good idea to take a multivitamin/mineral tablet each day because we rarely eat all those foods I mentioned.
• Low blood sugar
  results when we haven't eaten for more than 4 hours or we've had too much sugar at one time and our body can't handle it. The result of both of these is we feel anxious, nervous, jittery, and depressed until we eat something. Unfortunately, many times we choose something sweet or a diet coke with caffeine to raise our blood sugar fast. This may work for the short-term but it's really hard on the body and after a while doesn't work as well. A better way to combat blood sugar lows is to not wait all day before eating. Plan your day to eat small snacks. This may take some time getting use to and you have to give it some advanced thought. But it will stop some cravings and keep your metabolism active so you will continue to burn calories. Starvation (even from breakfast to dinner) lowers your metabolic rate and your body hangs on to the fat. Here are a few snack suggestions: fruit, yogurt, low-fat cream cheese on whole wheat bagel, small handful of nuts, small amount of peanut butter on whole grain bread, small amount of cheese on tortilla, cup of soup, small bowl of cereal with milk or soy or rice milk, or a small bean burrito.
• Sometimes we are allergic to foods
  and actually crave the foods that are not good for us.
  They may be OK foods for some, just not for us. For example some people are allergic to milk, wheat, corn, peanuts, strawberries, or chocolate. We are often addicted to foods to which we are allergic. You can test this easily by trying to eliminate the food in question from your diet and see how hard it is. If you feel that you "need" this food it is a good sign of a food allergy and therefore should be minimized in your diet. I'm not an advocate of the "cold-turkey" approach. Totally eliminating a food that you crave is too stressful for many of us. Cutting down amounts and number of times when you eat it seems to be more realistic. I must say that there are some people who cannot eat just one of something and totally need to stop eating the addictive food--much like an alcoholic who cannot take even one drink. Another way to determine a food allergy is totally eliminate a food for a few months and then eat a good portion and see if you have a reaction. Some people will notice they have a runny nose or rash or upset stomach when they start eating a food that they haven't had for a while. This does take time and many people don't want to bother knowing if they are sensitive to a food they love, but if you are willing to take the time, you may conquer your food craving.
• Some cravings are the result of early conditioning.
  Simply stated, our Mom gave us cookies as a reward and it makes us feel good (loved, protected) when we eat a cookie. It takes time to test this one out, and for some, maybe even a good counselor. There is no doubt that food can be very comforting and soothing to us. To find alternative ways of feeling good takes a lot of soul searching and patience. But it can be done. Noticing when and why you eat is the beginning of the process. Get a journal or use notebook paper and write down how you feel when you are bingeing. Do this for several weeks and see if there are patterns in what, when, and why you eat. Don't rush it or feel badly when you do this. Pretend you are a reporter and just jotting down facts. There are many books that talk about the relationship between what you eat and how you feel. Check them out at the bookstore or library. There are also wonderful small support groups that help deal with this issue. Look in the newspaper, church bulletin, library, or recreation center for information.

Bulimia and anorexia

Joanne:
Eating too little is also a mainstream problem in America. Restricting your food intake to dangerous extremes can be a sign of bulimia or anorexia. What's the key to loosing weight safely, as your book title suggests, with the results teens want without developing an eating disorder?

Linda:
You're right eating too little is a major problem in America, and so is eating too much. According to the statistics more teens struggle with too much than too little, but any of us who are offering dietary advice need to be aware that weight-loss can be taken to the extreme. I have seen it happen even under the guidance of major diet programs. One thing I noticed in these large supervised programs was that the people who never deviated from the diet, the ones who were "perfect" dieters, were the ones who often went too far and surprisingly, were also the ones who regained their weight in record time. On the other hand, the diet drop-outs and the "cheaters", who weren't so compulsive, didn't loose their weight so quickly but did keep it off without going to extremes. The point I want to make is, there are "obsessive" personalities who take many things too far and end up harming their bodies. If you are of this nature, a professional counselor is really needed, not a diet program or a book.

If there is a key to dieting,
it's take it slowly.
Look at your eating patterns. See what you can easily change and start there. Then slowly (as you're reading how to improve your diet nutritionally) make the changes that cut down calories, fat, and amounts of food. And move your body while you're doing this. Generally, move more and specifically get on a physical activity that will burn calories and build muscle. But don't try to do it by Saturday. Think of this as a long-term process. Give yourself 6 months, even a year, definitely don't try to lose more than 2 pounds a week. If you see yourself getting obsessive, get help.

Role of Parents for Dieting Teens

Joanne:
How can parents be supportive of their dieting teens? What can they do to keep them on track and not loose sight of their goal?

Linda:
My answer may surprise you.
I think parents should remain in the background on this issue.
It's not that I think that parents cannot be supportive. They can by making sure there are good choices of low-fat and healthy foods available. But my experience is, the parents oftentimes want to make the teens program their responsibility and if the teen slips and eats a ding dong, which is quite normal, the parent makes them feel guilty or they feel guilty for not being in control. No one wins here. It's not good for the parent's to be in control of what the teen chooses to eat--even if it's not the best choice. Let her/him decide when s/he is strong and when they just can't pick a carrot over the cookie. This is a learning process and with that comes mistakes. If you understand that changing behavior takes time then you won't punish yourself for an inappropriate choice.

There comes a time in ones life when it is up to you to make decisions about your life. As a teen, you may not be able to decide where you live, what school or church you attend or the rules of the house. But when it comes to what you eat, you have total control. You know that. Just because your Mom made a great meal for you does not mean you are going to eat it. In fact, teens that become anorexic are exerting control through their eating. Some unhappy teens lash out at their parents by eating either too much food or not eating at all. It's obvious that food can be a tool both to help you and harm you. And you need to figure this part out--alone or with the help of a professional.

Teens have a choice

Joanne:
When a teen looks in the mirror after reading your book, what do you hope they see?

Linda:
Hope. I want them to understand however it happened that they are overweight, it is not a life-sentence. They have a choice and it is up to them to make this change. Even though they may have a long way to go, and maybe their parents are not supportive or too supportive, it is ultimately up to them to do the work. It's not easy. There are no quick and fast ways to lose weight. It takes time to do it right and you have to be gentle with yourself while going through this process. Let yourself make decisions that are not always "the right ones." And learn to trust yourself, that you are moving in the right direction and one cookie isn't going to make a huge difference in your total program. If you feel you need a day-off your program, go for it. This is life in the real world. Some days we watch what we eat, some days we don't. We just have to make sure there are more days that we watch it than not. That is the secret. Don't obsess. Be realistic. Be kind to yourself. And learn how to manage your life for the long term. Life is to enjoy. Even when your trying to lose weight you need to remember that life is good, you can enjoy it because you are worth it. You deserve to have all life has to offer.

Are you interested in this book
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Homeschool Teen on the National Scene
How I became a part of "Seventeen" Magazine
by Joanne Spataro, creator of FreshAir TeenZine
& Member of the Teen Advisory Board of Seventeen Magazine
I was so excited when the mail came. I started flipping frantically through the newest issue of Seventeen magazine. I found the wonderful spread on the new Teen Advisory Board members. I was one of them, with my picture on the glossy pages. I was chosen for this prestigious position from hundreds of other applicants. My months of hard work and persistence had paid off! Do you have a dream to share? Do you think you can make a difference? Find out more on how I did it and how you can too!!

Meet the Author
Deb Carpenter
"Nature's Beauty Kit"
hosted by Joanne Spataro
interview & FREE beauty tips
Deb Carpenter’s book, "Nature’s Beauty Kit," offers many wonderful, beauty recipes that can be made right from our own backyards. She’s appreciating nature’s gifts ever since she began collecting recipe clippings from newspapers, and from her grandmother’s own stash. She completely filled a drawer with these recipes. So Deb thought it was time to make a book out of her collection. And I’m so glad she did! "Nature’s Beauty Kit" includes tons of clever recipes, like homemade hair rinses, facial masks and shampoos. Deb thinks hair rinses will be a winner with teens, since it gives hair natural highlights!