Healthy dieting tips for a teenager?

If it's possible where you live (some areas have free services like this) you should see if you can talk to a registered dietitian. My main concern is that people on the internet here - while maybe knowledgeable about losing weight as adults - are probably not the best to ask for information on dieting safely as a developing teenager. A registered dietitian would be the best source of information on how to manage weight as a teenager, or at least would know what type of professional to talk to.

What other comments have said about carbs and fat being nothing to focus on since they're just energy sources is true, but an important caveat is that the quality of the carb or fat is important.

Processed carbohydrates (aka refined carbs) like white flour products or refined sugars are bad for your metabolism (spike your blood sugar), your energy, and are generally bad for health. It's also much easier to overeat refined carbs. Whole grains however are generally very healthy. Try to get the least processed form of the grain. For example steel cut oats are whole grain while quick oats are processed grains. Steel cut oats have more nutrients and are more filling because they have more fiber, compared with quick oats.

Saturated fats, mostly found in animal products like meat eggs or dairy, are controversial. Saturated fat consumption is a risk factor for heart disease according to most mainstream institutions etc but there are some studies that suggest saturated fats are not harmful. However I'm not aware of any research suggesting that they are particularly good for you in anyway. But poly and mono unsaturated fats have been found to be good for your heart in moderation. These are the more common fats in plant foods, like in avocado. Point is that it's probably safer to have mono or poly unsaturated fats over saturated fats when possible. Try to get most fats from plant sources. On a related note people tend to overeat meat. You might find reducing meat intake (to few times a week or less) to be helpful in controlling weight since it's high in calories. Reducing cheese intake can also help since it is very calorie dense. Beans, split peas, and lentils are good replacement foods.

Last thing I'll say is that while protein gets a lot of spotlight for being satiating, fiber is also an excellent nutrient that fills you up. your body can't break down fiber, instead it makes its way to your colon where bacteria eat it and release useful biproducts for your body. Point is that it adds volume to your digestive tract and tends to fill you up. This has the effect of making you eat less throughout the day as your body is literally fuller with food for longer.

Actually one more thing, limiting oil can help with reducing calorie intake, although I'm not aware of any other health benefits to this. For example a tablespoon of olive oil is 120 calories. But it's a good idea to get enough fat in your diet. Nuts and seeds can be a good source of fat. But if they're not raw or otherwise minimally processed then they're very easy to overeat. Point in case see how many raw almonds you will eat compared to roasted, oiled, and salted almonds.

/r/loseit Thread