Optimise your teens nutrition and learn how to best manage their eating habits.
Are you trying to lose weight or wondering if you are carrying too much weight for your age? Teenage years are a time of extreme bodily changes, especially as you hit puberty. These changes can be confusing and leave you wondering if you are growing and gaining weight at the expected rate.
A quick search on Instagram or Google for, “how to lose weight” might leave you more confused than ever, as you are bombarded with conflicting information about how to lose weight. Diets are not the answer. They can result in greater weight gain long-term, they can negatively affect growth and your relationship with food. In a nutshell, they can do a lot of long-term damage and leave you in a war against food and your body for years.
It is important that you get assessed by a qualified professional before attempting weight loss to see how you are growing for your age. Good nutrition is absolutely essential during the teenage years in order to reach your growth potential, as well as build strong bones. Nutrition is also important in order to maintain good energy levels, not to mention how it promotes good mood and mental health.
The teenage years can be a stressful time and sometimes it can be hard to prioritise good nutrition. Our team of registered Dietitians and Nutritionists will be able to assess you on an individual basis and explain to you where you are at health-wise. We will educate you about diet and lifestyle so that you develop a healthy relationship with food and your body, which will benefit you both now and in the future. Getting your nutrition sorted now can save you years of dieting in later life.
Our team of Registered Dietitians and Nutritionists are here to help you to make healthy changes and build the best foundations for a healthier body and lifestyle.
Book in for an initial consultation to assess and discuss:
Height for age
Weight for age
BMI for age
Current diet and lifestyle
Energy levels / mood/ sleep, etc.
We will take into account your entire diet and lifestyle and, based on our findings, we will set a realistic goal for you. As you might be still growing, it is important to understand that weight loss is not always the end goal. In many cases, weight maintenance will be a healthier goal to ensure that you reach your full growth potential; this will be tailored on an individual basis to help you to achieve your goal in the simplest and most effective way possible.
You will receive a starter meal plan which explains how you can meet your nutritional needs using food alone (rather than supplementation)
We also provide you with a recipe book with easy and tasty breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas
After the initial consultation, if you would benefit from further improving your habits then we suggest our Healthy Life programme, which is geared at helping young people (aged 5-18 years) to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to make healthy choices for life.
Our programme is structured in a way that involves the entire family, as research shows that everyone benefits and nobody is singled out. A support structure and encouragement from loved ones can make all the difference.
The programme consists of 5 sessions. Each covers a different topic, and challenges and goals are set for the you at the end of each session. Your Dietitian or Nutritionist will recommend how often you should attend and you can decide this together. There is no time limit in which to use the sessions but, in general, reviews will be every 2-3 weeks.
How does your diet compare to current healthy eating recommendations? In this session we’ll teach you about different food groups, so it’s clear what to aim to include in your diet but, most importantly, why these nutrients are needed so that you reach your health and growth potential.
In this session we look at the important role that fruit and veg play in healthy growth. Through education and fun challenges, we look at how you can include fruit and vegetables in your diet in an enjoyable way.
We know from recent statistics that young people are getting too much screen time and not enough physical activity. In this session we look at what counts as exercise and how everyone can get moving more. The most important thing is finding movement that you enjoy and can maintain for life.
Clever marketing and advertising are often targeted towards teenagers, making junk food extremely appealing. No food should be banned or completely restricted as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. In this session we discuss the dangers of eating junk food regularly but how you can still include these foods in your diet and be healthy.
We know that it can take weeks or months to maintain new healthy habits. In this fifth session we look at what might be getting in the way of adopting healthy habits, and provide solutions to overcome unhealthy habits once and for all. We are not looking for drastic changes that can’t be maintained. The goal is to incorporate realistic changes that can be maintained for life.
Our team of CORU registered dietitians are highly experienced and skilled to guide and empower you in making long-term changes to help you and your family achieve your health and nutrition goals. Our team pride themselves in providing the most up-to-date, research-backed approaches to help you optimise your and your family’s health and nutrition.
The initial consultation is €45. We would prefer you to attend for a consultation first to ensure that your child or teenager is happy with our approach. If you decide to sign up for the Healthy Life Programme, it is €200 for 5 sessions. It’s worth noting that you may be eligible to claim part of this back if you have private health insurance.
Use our free signposting service to speak to a Dietitian on the phone for 15 minutes to ask questions and see what the best option or service might be for you, and they will guide you in the best direction for your individual case.
© Spectrum Health 2024
