I'm only 17 years old and in HS, but I've been a member here for a while. I've been reading lots of posts, but I'm so intimidated by all of the excercise types and plans and such...I don't know if anyone really wants to read it all, but I'm in a really new situation, and its hard to accomplish anything!

I just moved to a new state a couple weeks ago beacuse I had problems in school and had to come down here to finish. While I was at my old house, I managed to lose a lot of weight and feel a lot better beacuse my dad put me on a family gym membership at the Y, and I just ran on the treadmill there. I had a bike, and I made the choice to stop drinking soda and drink more water. My dad would help me get the foods I needed and such..it was really easy.

Now, I live with my overweight sister and her daughter, and I have night school and classes after school, so I'm suddenly busy. I don't have my bike, and I'm not allowed to walk around. I'm trying to find a gym to go to that maybe I can go to before school, but the idea of going someplace new (Ballys) total fitness) scares me, especially since I'm so young. I can't find anything healthy to eat, and she resists buying new foods, and I feel bad for asking. I keep giving up and eating junk food, and I've became a bit of a couch potato beacuse theres never anything to do. I want to be stronger and more healthy and get in good habits, but I don't know where to start! If I go to the gym..I won't know what I'm doing...I dont have anyplace to really do excercise videos beacuse the only working VCR/DVD player is in the living room, where my sister always is. All of these things that other people are doing, I find impossible for me...Any suggestions? Sorry to rant so much, but I'm really confused!!!

Just realized I posted this on the wrong thread...Sorry!

just take baby steps. you're in such a new and stressful situation don't try to do everything and don't try to fix everything.

for right now just pick one thing that YOU CAN DO. ie. not drink pop, go for a walk (or run)on your lunch and just do that one thing. once you have a handle on that, move to another.

remember YOU CAN DO IT! keep a journal and vent and write your goals there. come here. do whatver it takes to keep you feeling sane.

& remember this situation that you're in now is only temporary. it won't last forever.

The same thing happened to me when I moved back this summer. You just have to find new ways to keep active, be creative. Like putting on some great music and dancing for half an hour. (my favorite...) Or go to a track near you to run.

Don't be afraid of eating the way you want even if those around you are completely different. It's your health, and eventually everyone will get used to it.

Another option is to talk it over with your sister, and ask that you be allowed to have one hour or two of the TV time to exercise. Your sister could even join you. Secondly, could get a book with exercise pics in it to do it in your room. The important thing is, don't give up and every little bit helps. I consider cleaning up the house to be an exercise, parking in the very last lot of the grocery store an exercise, etc.....

I think you definitely have options. As suggested before run/walk at local track or at lunch during school. There are exercises you can definitely do in your room (ie, pushups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, crunches, etc). If you have the money you can choose one of these items to purchase: ball, weights, resistance band, mini-stepper, steps to assist with your workout. If you need help with coming up with exercises you can check a book out from the library, purchase a book, or find some online. You could run in place in your room. Think outside the box. See if there are other kids in school in your same situation and form a club and figure out things together and support each other. Do you have a tv in your room? There are exercise programs on cable channels and pbs. Good luck.

There's a secret key hidden in your message:

"I made the choice to stop drinking soda and drink more water."

I think you can see from some of the responses that you can still make some good choices for YOU, even though your living arrangements are not ideal. Don't let other people turn you into a couch potato. Don't let your frustration turn you into a couch potato.

If you can join the gym, there will be people there who can help you -- they usually give you an orientation to the machines when you join. You can also look up workouts at the library or on the web and design your own program.

You can do it! Make the right choices!

Get a fitday account (www.fitday.com) and plug in your foods. See how on target it is. Whatever your norm is, reduce it by 500. Take what you know about being healthy and apply it. Don't let all the eating plans intimidate you. Do what you already know. Most important though is to learn to measure food (at least until you learn how to portion control). Doing this will set you on a path that is more realistic for your body. Stay away from fast food if you can.