this is me at the begining of 7th grade

http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fat6je.jpg

click

but that's REALLY dramatic change. I wasnt even on a diet then or thinking about it but that's a good example of how much I have changed over a year haha! fixed my eyes too

this is me 8th grade spring break


a couple body shots of me before the diet:



me now:


okay so noww, I need to tone up my stomach a little more and maybe loose 10 more pounds? Any suggestions on what I should do. Im still not all that happy with my stomach or my body yet.

wow. looking good. glen

You look great. A little toning maybe, but I dont' see where you even have 10 lbs. to lose. Good Job.

Yeah just do some sit ups! Doesnt look like you have 10 more pounds to do. Looking good though.

How old are you? I really don't see how you could lose another ten pounds - where would it come from?!

You're gorgeous ! No need to lose anymore pound!

im 14. I think I need to loose weight in my stomach mostly and maybe tone up my legs a bit

I just dont know how to do it. cardio only makes you loose weight all over and I dont have weights.

well even if i dont need to loose weight. I need to do something. i just dont know what

!! I gained four pounds. this sucks

Im starting over on sunday

hi hun, you're looking great. When I was 14 (5 years ago) i went to dance class 3 times a week, and we did sit ups and stuff as part of the classes. I had a totally flat stomach. plus the dancing was fun and kept me toned. When we moved i stopped dancing and thats when i started to gain.
xxx

hmm maybe I should check if they are offering dance classes in my area. That's good advice. thanks

Hey Sweetlovin, you are 14 years old and your body is starting to change to a woman's shape. We are designed to store excess weight, generally in our bellies, hips and thighs, so your body might change and you are definitely going to gain weight as you keep growing (you aren't done growing yet at age 14!). I didn't reach my final height of 5'7" until after high school.

Your figure will be different from a little girl's straight up and down figure, but that is just fine. It may look different to you now, but I hope you love and appreciate your womanly curves. They are beautiful.

I struggled with my weight my whole life. I thought I was "fat" in high school. Looking back at pictures, I might not have been as stick skinny as some of my friends, but I looked just fine. I looked great, in fact. I'm not sure why I didn't appreciate my body at the time, but I wish I could go back to my high school self and tell her how pretty she was.

You are growing up at a GREAT time. Back when I was in high school, in rural North Carolina, very few people knew anything about eating healthy. Whole wheat bread and sprouts were only for health freaks or hippies. Now, you have a huge range of wonderful healthy foods and produce choices that I didn't have (like mangos!!). If I could go back to my younger self, I would encourage me to follow an 80/20 rule of healthy living. Most of the time, make healthy choices - eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, low fat dairy, healthy fat. The rest of the time, just enjoy food (including treats!) and enjoy the healthy metabolism of a teenager.

The other big thing I would do, is encourage my younger self to find some kind of exercise that I enjoyed and to stick with it.

If I had those 2 pieces of info as a high school kid, I think my life would have been a lot different. I don't think I would have had such a struggle with my weight and might never have been a heavy person.

Just to reiterate, you are not heavy AT ALL. You definitely do not have to lose 10 lbs. You have a super cute figure and look fabulous. Don't diet, don't reduce calories. Choose healthy foods most of the time and do something active every day.

You look great.

you are absolutely gorgeous just the way you are. I don't know whose voice you're listening to. But you are fabulous *right now*. Please listen to some of us who are old ladies In many ways we are saying to you what we wish we could tell our 14 year old selves. You are beautiful. Believe it or not, mark my words: when you are older and you're thinking about what you wish you knew when you were 14, part of it will be that you wish you knew how beautiful you were and that you had learned sooner to love yourself as you are. I remember being 14 vividly, and I already know that this won't mean as much to you as advice on how to tone your belly (which you see very differently than other people), but I promise you it's the truth. You are a bright beautiful star.

Try yoga if you're looking for a new activity--you'll feel stronger and be more connected to your inner beauty.

You guys probably have given me the most support ever.
This has really made me think alot about dieting and loosing weight. I guess I should eat normally and healthy and not worry so much if I gain a pound or two. I am still growing like you two said. My confidence is really low at this stage. I guess it's part of being a teenager. it's going to take a while to realize how beautiful I really am but I'm sure I will get there soon.
I'm going to stop counting calories, and over exercising ect.. I guess I have to work on my inside appearance rather then my outside. I can deform my outside, and try to perfect it but my inside will always remain the same
You guys obviously know what you arew talking about especially since you all are much older and mature so I guess it would be best to listen to you all

I will contiuinue to eat healthy but I won't obsess over food. I'll try yoga or dance, whichever like better. Hopefully things will turn out for the better. I guess my mom was right when she said it was too early for me to worry about my weight but I always thought that if I worried now, I wouldnt have to worry later,