How Much Weight Should a 16 Year Old Lose? The Honest Truth

First Things First: Should a 16-Year-Old Even Be Losing Weight?

Let’s be real for a sec — adolescence is a weird time. Your body’s doing its own thing: growing, shifting, hormones going wild. So the idea of “losing weight” at 16? It’s complicated. Like, really.

Not every teen who thinks they need to slim down actually should. In fact, many 16-year-olds are just… growing. What might feel like “extra weight” could just be normal development. Still, if there's legit concern — from a doc, not TikTok — then okay, let's talk responsibly about it.

Talk to a Professional First (Seriously)

Before even thinking about pounds or diets, talk to:

• A doctor (not your friend’s mom)

• A registered dietitian (they’re not all scary, promise)

• Maybe even a counselor if body image stuff is creeping in

They’ll help figure out:

• If weight loss is even appropriate

• How much (if any) should be lost

• What’s safe and what’s absolutely not

What's a Healthy Weight for a 16-Year-Old Anyway?

Good question. And, spoiler alert: there’s no single number.

Depends on Height, Sex, and Body Composition

A 16-year-old boy who’s 6 feet tall will obviously weigh more than a 5'2" girl. And that's fine. What really matters is:

• BMI-for-age percentile (used by pediatricians, not perfect, but useful)

• Muscle vs. fat ratio (more muscles = higher weight, but healthier body)

• Energy levels, sleep, mental health (all linked to healthy weight)

So instead of fixating on the scale, think bigger: Is your body doing what you want it to do? Are you active, alert, and feeling good? Or are you sluggish and always tired?

How Much Weight Can a 16-Year-Old Safely Lose?

If — if — a doctor agrees that some weight loss is healthy, it should be slow, steady, and supervised.

The General Rule: 0.5 to 1 pound per week

That’s it. Not 5 pounds in 3 days. Not some “summer shred” thing. Just:

• Gradual changes to diet (not skipping meals)

• More movement (not punishing workouts)

• Realistic goals (not some celeb you saw online)

Even losing 5 to 10 pounds over a couple of months can make a big difference — if it’s done right.

Red Flags to Avoid

Here’s where I’m gonna get serious. If you're:

• Skipping meals

• Overexercising

• Obsessed with the scale

• Hiding eating habits

Then it's not about health anymore. It's something deeper. And you need help, not judgment. Please talk to someone.

Tips for Healthy Weight Management at 16 (Without Losing Your Mind)

Forget “diets.” Just... rethink your habits.

Eat Real Food (Not Just Less Food)

Eat enough — seriously. Just make it good stuff:

• Whole grains, veggies, proteins, fats (yep, fats are not evil)

• Less soda, more water

• Treats? Still allowed. Chill.

I used to inhale 3 croissants before school, every day. Switched to eggs and toast — not starving by 10 a.m. anymore. Small swap, big vibe change.

Move Your Body, But Make It Fun

Hate running? Cool, don’t run.

• Dance

• Skate

• Play basketball with friends

• Go for long walks while binging podcasts

The point is to get moving — not to suffer.

Sleep. No, Really.

If you’re sleeping like 4 hours a night, your hormones (and appetite) will be all over the place. Fix that, and suddenly you’re not craving 3 energy drinks before noon.

Final Thoughts: Focus on Health, Not Just Weight

Look, weight is just one part of the picture. Being healthy at 16 isn’t about being skinny. It’s about feeling strong, sleeping well, staying active, and having energy to do the things you love.

So yeah, a 16-year-old can lose a little weight if it's medically needed. But they definitely don’t need to chase some arbitrary number. You’re growing — and that’s not just okay, it’s exactly what’s supposed to happen.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.