I'm probably one of the younger members here. I'm 16 years old and for most of my life I've been chubby or very fat, with only brief periods of time where I've been thin. I don't even know what it would like to be skinny, and most boys my age aren't attracted to me one bit. Its quite depressing! Currently I'm 5'6'' and 185, and I don't like it. AT ALL.
My highest weight was 215 pounds, and since then I've lost 30 pounds. That was about a year or so ago, and I lost it very quickly. But then after that I've just been flopping between 180-189 (not one pound more or one pound less than that, isn't it weird?! ) because I have a kind of dysfunctional relationship with food and am trying to overcome a binge eating/extreme diet cycle.

I have big and optimistic goals! I'd like to be 115 before I graduate, but thats not all! Since I've discovered I love biking so much, I would some day like to compete in races and marathons.

Sweetypie ~ I was in the same situation you are. I use to be very thin, weighing around 100lbs, and then eventually my weight started to hit its peak. I got to 150, then 180, then...200. I ate healthy, exercised daily, but the weight still packed on. Then when I reached 225 I was eating nothing but crap: TV dinner meals, fast food, cakes, cookies, all the goodies! And that's when I got to my highest of 256. I lived with my grandparents at the time, who never cooked besides Sunday, so I was able to eat anything and everything I wanted. They were over weight too.

Around 16 I started dieting majorly, eating less then 800 calories a day. I lost 15lbs in less then a month. I knew it wasn't good. After that, I would fight myself to eat less. Then I would just binge. I'd eat everything in site. I'd even cry while doing so. I felt uncontrollable.

Then in April of '07 I started a vegetarian diet, limiting me to 1000 calories, going to the gym 4 days a week for an hour. I got down to 230.

Then my ex & I broke up. I practically starved myself, and then I started my binge eating once more. I got up to 246. And I maintained at that.

Once I moved out on my own I promised I'd eventually change my lifestyle. It took 4 months but here I am! I am not dieting ~ but changing my eating habits. Fruits, veggies, and portion sizes. I eat all the yummy food, just the leaner versions and in moderation. One day a week I eat a meal of whatever I like. The spike of caloric intake boosts metabolism and you don't feel deprived. And I do occasionally eat "junk". I had 4 spooky cat cookies the other night, and didn't go over my calories of 1,200/day. There's many things you can do, that will change your lifestyle, and isn't a quick fix.

I think it's so awesome that you're taking your health in your hands at such a young age!! Congrats to you for eating healthy and for developing a passion for biking. That's really mature & smart. Best of luck to you!