im trying to set my life on course, and i hope its not too late. My parents always want me to lose weight but then when i try, they just push me too hard and i just break down. I want to lose weight, and i want to lose it fast. But i need help on what excersises is best for this because i've seen what other people my age are doing to get rid of pounds and i dont think its the right thing to do . Does anyone have suggestions?

You are not going to lose it fast. It's taken you 13 years to get to the weight you are now. You aren't going to lose it overnight.

Have you been to the doctor to see if there are any medical causes for your weight? Do you have heavy parents/family? What are your typical meals now? How tall are you?

You will need to make gradual changes and also remember that you are still growing and will need to eat enough calories to allow you to mature properly.

Walking is a good exercise, especially when you are very heavy.

Sarah

Good Job Sarah!

Congrats on making the first real changes in your life. I was overweight too as a teen and it is the hardest thing in the world. My parents used to be so cruel to me too, and I would try to lose weight and then give up because of the pressure. I wasn't doing it for myself, and now I am... First, I know you'll want that weight to drop off right away.. Dont worry, it will come off but slowly is the best. I waited and waited when I was a teen because I'd give up, because I wanted it right away, that in the end, I only lost weight in my early 20's... youve got lots of time to make the changes, and don't let anyone else tell you how you should look and feel, it is up to you, you lose weight because you want to be healthy and strong and feel good about yourself, not make anyone else happy... screw them!! and keep us posted, Im sure many of us see ourselves in you and just want you to know you will do it....

Congrat's on trying to change your life now. My daughter is 13 and has been on the Atkins diet with me. Her's was modified to allow enough calcium and fruit . She lost 27 lbs. and feels so much better about herself. Check with your doctor to see what would be the best plan for you. Start small by giving up all the fattening soda, that helps a lot. Drink more water. The only exercise we really get is walking, but it helps a lot to lose weight. You are never to old or too young to try to improve your health. Good Luck and welcome to forum.

Hey Litelle! It is so AWESOME that you are going to do this!!! You will have so much more fun in your teens once you can do any activity you want, and you feel vibrant and healthy, and you can wear cute things... you will enjoy your life so much more.

Unfortunately, probably the hardest thing about losing weight is that it doesnt happen quickly. You are going to have to decide to behave differently every single day for quite a while. You should do research on foods, metabolism, and muscle. Your body is very sensitive to what you do to it. You can mold your body, but youre going to have to commit to it, and not do it just when you feel like it.

Some key things to remember, other than that you have to work at this every single day: muscle burns fat. Build (later maintain) muscle every day and youll be burning more calories even when you sleep! Also, your metabolism slows down after 3 hours. So if I eat a 250, 300 calorie meal, after 3 hours I make sure to eat a, say, 100, 150 calorie "mini-meal" (I hate to say "snack", cause snack sounds so un-filling. I am sure to choose something thats not going to leave me starving). Also, sugar is your enemy. If you have it in you, your body will burn it instead of fat.


Best of luck, I hope I can be of some help, and you will be so grateful once you start making progress!

It's never too late to set your life on course. I'm with everyone else in saying that walking is a great exercise. I have an elliptical but I'd rather go walking. I started out doing a mile and I'm up to 2 miles now. I've really noticed my butt shrinking.

There is no safe fast way to lose weight. I've found over the years that if I try to starve then I end up finally giving in and eating more than I usually would. Then I gain my weight back plus more. And in my book diet pills are a big NO NO! Diet pills have put me and many other people in the hospital, not to mention having a continuous headache for 5 months.

This is the first time that I have tried to lose weight the healthy way and it is working. Plus I feel great! I try to do some kind of exercise everyday and I drink a lot of water. I have to admit I don't eat as strict as I should. But I do try to stay below a certain number of calories a day. For me to lose though I have to eat atleast 1500 a day, if I get any less my body doesn't want to give up it's fat. The main thing is you have to do it for yourself and no one else. Your parents sound alot like my husband. When he knows I'm trying to lose all I hear is "are you going to eat that?" and "don't you need to get moving?".

Just keep trying and you'll do it!!

People say that 2 lbs a week is a good rate of weight loss - not too fast.

There are 52 weeks in a year and 52*2 is 104 lbs. It might not seem fast enough while it is happening, but a year from now it will be well worth it.

There are lots of good weight loss programs out there and lots of people to support you on websites like these. I am currently going to WW because I like the accountability of someone else weighing me each week. But it doesn't really matter what plan you choose. In order to lose weight you have to eat less and exercise more. Simply changes like only drinking diet pop or water instead of regular pop, or getting an apple instead of a basket of fries in the school lunch line, or just walking a mile or two each day can make a big impact over a year.

There are some really good threads in this forum where people post what they eat daily to give you some ideas for food. I am a keep it simple person. I have oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch, an apple for a snack here and there, and then a normal dinner (but no seconds or anything). The important thing is to develop a plan that you can live with and follow. If you cut things back to drastically, you set yourself up for failure. Most research show that writing down what you eat every day can have the effect of making you eat less. Start there. You can do it on this thread, or by a little journal to write in, but start writing down what you are doing. And let us know how it goes.

We wish you the best.

GO FOR IT!! When I was the same age I was almost exactly at your weight, don't ever give up, If I had been doing then what I am now it would have made for much happier teenage years....

Remember it isn't a diet, just a lifestyle change, you will find out it isn't as bad as you think, don't limit yourself, you can still have some of the things you like, just less of them or you can have alot more of the healthier stuff and feel fuller, combine each, every day....

It is going to be a little tough at first, our bodies were used to consuming much more, and you will miss your overeating tendancies, when I got frustrated I had a cool glass of water and went for a walk, anything to get me away from the food, avoiding it when you get into a mood you know you used to overeat in is key.....

as for your family, you don't have to announce what you are doing, just do it, my husband is the same way and when he sees me eating something he thinks I shouldn't have I remind him that I KNOW what I am doing and go on with my day.......

he backs down because he knows I have 100 pounds worth of progress to back me up, and you will too....

good luck!!!
Safiyah

There isn't a lot I can say that others haven't said already. But when I was your age I too was overweight and nothing ever happened expect I got fatter and fatter. Here I am now - sure I am only 20 - but I wish I had of done something sooner! I could of spent these last few years feeling good about myself and not always looking to make sure I am not the fattest person.

If you ever want to chat just let me know and feel free to PM me anytime.

Good luck Sarah - you can do it and don't let anyone try and tell you otherwise!

Well to answer some questions im just 5 ft 5 and a half inches, i am starting to go back to the gym since i have the whole week off so i guess thats a start. Anywho my dr's have many opinions on why i keep gaining weight, i had asthma so i had to take that inhaler medicine which contained an amount of steroid in it- thats one theory. Another is that i eat too much fatty foods....i really dont, its just that im too scared to go out in public and excersise because these days most people in the world are stereotypical. They see whats wrong on the outside and they point it out. Well thank you all for giving me tips and relating my situation to some of yours. Its really motivating

Litelle, you are doing the right think by coming here and posting. First off, you will need to accept some part of the blame for your eating, but I know exactly how you feel about so much of it. Try to think if it as being healthier, and don't worry too much about the scale. Don't let your parents worry too much about the scale either. Just try to focus on eating a lot of healthy foods: vegetables especially, and lean protein (lean chicken, some deli meats, tuna, there's quite a few threads on good protein sources around here). As for working out, I am in a healthy weight range and I still HATE working out in front of people. I go walking at work now and sometimes I just freak out that too many people will see me that it makes it hard. I started with and still heavily rely on workout videos, especially the Walk Away the Pounds videos. I do not know if this is an option for you or if it's something your parents would be willing to help you with. If they have any workout videos you could try those too, and if you don't have your own tv just schedule a time that the tv is yours and ask them to be in a different room if you are self conscious about it (I know I was to begin with). Anyways, I am glad to see you posting here and I hope we will see you around as you continue on this journey

Hi Litelle

First off, congratulations on your determination to lose weight in a healthy way... you are right and the way many people -- especially young people -- are doing it can be dangerous, and you don't want to destroy your health in the process.

Unfortunately it doesn't happen fast! But it CAN happen. As others have I urge you to be sure you do this under a doctor's supervision. And I understand as I too must take meds which cause weight gain as a side effect. But when it comes down to it, it is up to US what foods we stick into that little hole in our heads!!

Let me encourage you to get right out there and exercise. Yes it is embarrassing, especially at first, as people DO have stereotypes but sometimes we just have to swallow our pride and hold our heads up high and go do it anyway!!!

Hang in there!!! I am proud of your for the effort you are making!

less than a week, lost 4 pounds dont worry ladies! it was done by excersise. I walked around the golf course every morning and attended 2-3 classes each day at the gym........ mostly the upper body one x.x jeez they made me work my tricepts, bicepts, forearms, abdomen etc MY ARMS ARE SO SORE!

Congrats! Just keep it healthy! Also, don't overdo it with the exercise. Remember if you get too sore, you won't be able to exercise the next day! Drink water too!