[AshMichele]

I'm currently sixteen years old, therefore I'm pretty much pressured daily at school to always look a certain way. Celebrities are always saying "Love the way you look, and the body you're in. It's what makes you, you." As inspiring as that sounds, they know as well as I that that's nearly impossible. People are always going to be concerned with how much they weigh.

I'm 5'8 and weigh around 155. Checking my BMI online, it says that it is normal, but not by much. Every time I look in the mirror, I have to quickly look away. My own parents and brother tease me about how much I weigh. I'm tired of my weight holding me back from being happy. I'm tired of feeling guilty every time I eat because people are watching and judging. That being said, I have made a goal. I want to be down to 130 (at the least) by summer.

I really don't know much about diets. I was actually online looking for a good diet plan when I came across this site. Right now, I am eating Special K cereal for lunch, and dinner. I can't eat breakfast because I find that it sometimes makes me sick to eat really early. I have found that Special K gets old really quickly. I really wanted your advice. I know that I won't feel happy unless I reach my goal. Do you have any advice for diet plans? What has worked the best for you?

[moonkissed]

Maybe have your mom take you to the doctor who can give you good information and advice.

If you are only eating 2 bowls of special K a day that is NOT healthy hun. If you eat too little it will not only make you sick but will not help you lose weight. The most important thing is to be healthy.

I wouldn't try to diet at all. Just kick out bad foods except in moderation like sugary sweets, junk food and soda. Instead drink lots of water and fruit & veggies.

But eating 3 healthy meals a day is the key to being healthy and having a good weight.

Try to be active. Take walks, bike ride, play sports etc...

Maybe even visit your school counselor and talk to them about how you feel.

[AshMichele]

That's my problem. When I go to the doctor for a checkup, or whatever, I question them about how to lose a little weight. They never seem to take me seriously (which is a super big pet peeve of mine), so they simply tell me to be more active. I'm in sports, so a majority of my time revolves around that and school work, so I don't know how to be more active than that. I'm kind of big boned, because of my dad's side of the family so that doesn't really help matters much.

I was thinking of eating Lean Cuisine for dinners, but I've heard it sometimes doesn't help. Is that true?

[EveLHaelf]

First of all, we've all been there in High school feeling self conscious and bad about what we see in the mirror. Unfortunately that mentality follows most of us into adulthood. I second talking to a counselor about how you feel and trying to find available resources to work on self esteem.

What sports are you involved in? If the sports are mostly cardio based, I would suggest weight training 2-3 times a week to help build muscle and tone up.

As far as nutrition, eating two bowls of cereal is not going to help you. Lean protein like chicken, turkey, fish, beans will also help build muscle. Lots of fruits and veggies to give you fiber and help you feel full longer, and whole grains to give you the good carbohydrates your body needs for energy. There is a diet section here where you can find one that sounds right to you! I also recommend limiting any soda and replacing it with lots of water throughout the day. Whatever you choose to do I wish you the best of luck!

[RienQueNny]

All that matters is that you burn more calories than you eat. Wether it's in the form of Lean Cuisine or Special K or fruit salad.

Of course you want to eat healthy foods like fruits/veggies/beans/lean meats/fat free dairies. And limit the sugar, deep fried stuff and pre-packaged anything.
You can find out what your BMR is at this website: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
That will tell you how many calories a day your body needs to simply function, and then you can find out how many calories a day you burn with sports and also in your every day activities. Once you know that, keep track of what you eat in a day (there are lots of helpful websites just for that purpose out there, like SparkPeople or FitDay).
Once you keep track of everything it's relatively easy to make sure that you don't eat more than what you burn in a day. This will for sure help you lose weight if you really want to.

[AshMichele]

Thank you so much. That really helps me a lot. <3