Being a teenager can put a load of pressure on you. Having so many sources telling you to be skinny and look pretty can make young girls and even guys feel as though they need to take drastic measures to keep up with everyone else. Everyone wants to be "hot", but most of us are beautiful just the way we are. It may sound cliché, but it's actually not that far from the truth. Usually, all we need is to accentuate the positive aspects of our looks, and/or change our habits to help our weight just a little bit. The idea that you need to be super-skinny just isn't true. In fact, losing a lot of weight can be very unhealthy.
There are many health risks associated with attempting to fit into "societal norms" that dictate that we be skinny. Along with the malnutrition that many endure to get there, there is also the occurrence of eating disorders that threaten the lives of those who develop them. It is important to stress that losing weight and developing our bodies is something that must be done properly or else it could have negative effects as well as having a small chance of succeeding in the long run.
People sometimes think it is a good idea to skip meals, or eat very little at lunch and dinner, and even to skip breakfast! These are terrible ideas, as our bodies require food throughout the day in order to provide proper nutrition to fight illness and to keep our skin looking healthy, as well as allowing us to think properly. School work and classes become hard to focus on when your brain is struggling for energy.
But just as bad as this is the fact that your body does not like to skip meals. When it does not eat, it slows your metabolism down. Since you are a teen and your metabolism is working hard to form your bones and provide everything necessary for puberty to develop your body properly, it is crucial that it receive all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it requires. Since your body uses stored fat when it does not receive calories, it will burn fat. But when it is running low on energy and has used stored fat, it will attempt to regain the stored energy and then some. This is why it is common to regain lost weight when it is done quickly.
The best method for losing weight is to do it by eating healthy, not skipping food. Eating just slightly less than your average intake is good since you will have enough energy and nutrients to satisfy your body and it won't undertake any techniques for restoring lost fat.