Well, I need a good kick in the rear. Seriously, people. I've been here almost a year and not dropped more than 3 lbs. and quite honestly, I hate myself over it. But, onwward to the future. So, I need some motivation, and I was just wondering if you could go back to being 15 what would you have done differently.... or even go back 5 years. My dad always says it's "easier to do when you're younger" and I was just wondering if you think so too, I don't know, I just need some words of wisdom. Anyone? Thanks in advanced for everything. Love, Apryl

It may be easier to lose weight when you're younger, but I also know that the younger you are, the more likely you are to do stupid and unrealistic things to lose weight. When I was 16 I would have had no problems starving myself for a few weeks, and anything less than five pounds a week lost would have been agonizingly slow for me. Now I eat healthy and don't overdo it with exercise (but still DO exercise constantly), and I'm losing at a nice, steady rate of about two pounds a week. I'm still young, but just past that age where it starts to get harder, supposedly.

-Peekaboo

If I could go back to when I was 15:

I'd be 210-220, and I'd think I was soooooo fat.

But I'd wish I have the me that I am now to talk to.

Seriously, what I would do is exercise every day. My high school had a lot of good sports teams & a pretty good weight room. I'd go back & work out in the weight room w/the guys & not be intimidated. I'd also walk every day, at least do something. I'd hope that by working out a few times a week & walking every day would give me a good enough feeling to want to do it into college.

I TOTALLY agree with SAPF!! I would release my inner jock and not worry about what anyone else thought! I would have at least TRIED to run on the cross-country team!

I also agree that it's easier to lose the weight when you're younger. I lost about 40 lbs. in four months back in my early twenties, and I did it the right way (as in not starving myself). Now, at almost 36 (!) it's lots harder.

I also know I would have taken more pride in my body as a teen. I was a size 12 for God's sake...I WASN'T FAT!!

Lets see 15. I was between 145-165 all the time, and I thought I was huge. I had a baby when I was 16 almost 17 and was 133 lbs. Still thought I was huge.

Why? I am thick waisted and I didn't excercise. Not excercising made me lazy and all the easier to pack on the pounds as life got more hectic. College was the worst, fat butt sitting around all the time studying and eating. Bad, bad food habits from there.

My advice to you is find the movement bug. The more I move the better I feel. Also start to learn to love yourself. The more self loathing you do and sitting around wishing you were a super model the more likely you are going to sit around some more. Choose to be a beautiful person inside and out and the want for food slides away.

I lost weight alot faster at 24 than I do at 30, and have been on more diets. Quit dieting start living.

Miss Chris

Apryl, you have introduced a great topic! I think that I say it is easier when your younger, but I say it as a cop out (I'm too old now, I could never do that again, etc). However, I do think that it is easier to change your habits as they develop, rather than after.
You need to keep in mind that as you exercise, your body will change, but not necessarily loose any weight. If I remember right, you walk a lot (to/from school?). Have you noticed your legs looking any firmer. After all, guys love girls with great legs!!!
When I was 15, I was about 145, ran track, marched in the marching band, and played basketball. I was always exercising and keeping generally busy, but I never felt that I was very skinny. That was because I mainly hung out with short, little, petite people. I have learned not to compare myself with others and to appreciate what I have.

When I was 15 I weighed about 200 pounds, I played tennis, was on the "gold" swim team for backstroke and the 500 long distance swim, I was in drama and academic team, the newspaper and the literary magazine and was captain of the color guard (I wore this skanky little skirt in front of hundreds of people every friday on the football field!).

And I thought I was super duper mega fat but I didn't let that stop me.

If I had to do it over again, I'd stop that self-hate. There were enough people hating me because I was fat AND awesome that I didn't need to add to that deprecation.

I don't want to look back on my life and say, "When I was 27 (which I just turned on Saturday) I tried 4 different diets and was miserable for the whole year." I want to say, "When I was 27 I got into a whole nutritional thang and I learned how to tango."

My advice to your Apryl is to stop hating yourself. It does nothing to propel you forward. Someone on another forum says to "fall in love with the process." I'm trying to do that now.

i have to say though, when we were younger and lived with our parents, the eating right was harder. they serve foods, we eat. now that we buy our food and have more control, that part is a little easier.

Apryl...did you happen to watch any of the College Championships in women's softball? Well, there was a girl on one of the teams who weighed more than me and you know what? She was kick-***! Man, she could run, she could throw, and boy could she smack the piss out of the ball! I looked at her and thought, "Man, what I wouldn't do to feel that self-confident." Then, I realized that there's no reason I can't be that confident. The same goes for you.

oh wow!!! You guys are the best!!!!

when i was in high school, i was kind of like a great dane puppy. all arms and joints and legs, and no matter what i did, i just felt HUGE. now i know that i was just a BIGGER PERSON. i'm 5'9" i'll never be a tiny, fragile, cheerleader size. no matter what.

so, i wish i had figured out how to maintain the 70 pounds i lost the first time i dieted. exercise. exercise. exercise. and sensible food.

and the self hate!!! my goodness!11 WHAT A MAJOR ISSUE!!!

See, apryl. it's like this. we have to live with ourselves. and we can't do that if we don't stop the self hate. we're worth the care and the time. and i'll be 50 years old next month, and i'm STILL struggling with this!!!!

Let me tie it in with your journaling question as an example. let's say that someone you care about needs to keep track of something for his/her health. like blood sugar levels. and what they'd eaten and when they['d taken their medicine. you'd be supportive, right? SO, why not do it with yourself. you are worth it.

i've never met an overweight person who put him/herself first. this has to happen.