I agree with the above posters.. all good ideas. Very tough situation and one that I fear for my own son. So, we are working on it now before it becomes a self-esteem issue at that critical age (he's only 8 now, but chubby). Hopefully some of the below will help you a bit!
We have worked on my son's eating habits to where he has not gained any weight for about the past 8 months. I basically want to stabalize him so he will "grow" into his current weight, but recently we have also added more activity... so maybe he will slim down sooner than growing into his weight.
Here are some things I am working on with him, and although my son is young your son might benefit as well:
1.
The food he really loves we have found healthy substitutes for. For example, no regular hot dogs, only the 98% fat free turkey ones. For pizza, we use a low carb tortilla for the crust and put lean meats & low fat cheeses on it then bake it in the oven just like a pizza. He used to LOVE regular pancakes. Now we have found some organic/multi-grain toaster waffles that he likes just as well and sugar free syrup (sweetened with splenda, not aspartame). He loved cheetos & doritos, but now they have both in BAKED form so we buy those for lunches. Sugared cereal - buy multi/whole grain cereal and sprinkle with Splenda. Instead of whole milk he now drinks 1% milk. You get the idea - you have to search around a maybe be a little creative, but once he sees that he can still have his favorite things it becomes fun to try and make or find alternatives.. kind of like a game.
2.
We always shop together. If we are at the store and he says something like, Mom.. can we buy some ice cream treats? We look together in the frozen foods for a healthy alternative and he gets excited when we find one.
3.
Non-healthy foods are fine one meal per week for him - like if we go out.
4. I keep a plastic tub of
healthy snacks in the fridge that he can have all he wants of during the day. So if he is hungry in between meals, he just goes to the fridge and picks something from the plastic tub - grapes, baby carrots w/low fat ranch dressing, apples, etc.
5.
We keep the evils out of the house (candy bars, cupcakes, etc). But, if he goes over to grandma's house or we stop at a convenience store.. he can have a cookie or two.. or even a 3 musketeers once in while. I am hoping to teach him that he *can* have the foods his friends & other kids he sees.. but in moderation, with the greatest portion of his diet being healthy.
6.
We do fitness together. My kids come with me to the little fitness center we have here in town. The only rule for them is that the entire time they are there they must be active (small kids get bored easily on one thing lol!) - even something as simple as jumping up and down. Also, we have a Wii so I got Wii Fit and Wii Active - he is a game lover and will do those for an hour or more at a time. Also, 14 would be an awesome age to start some weight lifting training. He might really get into trying to get "buff"! I just got a set of dumbbell weights at walmart for only $20.
7.
We celebrate little victories together. High-fives & good vibes.
I am hoping that he will see that eating right isn't a *BAD* thing. It's a good thing and you are loving yourself by doing it!!! At this point I am just trying to be a good example to him. I am losing weight totally for myself, but he sees how good I am feeling about it and the food choices I am making.
All that said, teens like to have some control and decision making power. Make sure he knows he is in control over his new ways and it is up to him - Mom can help but shouldn't have to be the food police.