[spiritualwarfare71]

Hey all! I'm new to this site and I'm ready to lose some weight. Okay so I'm 16 and I've been overweight since I was like 8 or so....I tried a few things but they didn't work so I'm ready to do it the old school way. I just don't know what exactly to do. But I really need to lose weight so any pointers anyone would like to share that'd be great. Thankx guys...Love ya...Mandi

[DeafinlySmart]

Dieting while still at home with others buying and making food decisions is hard. You can do it. Even better if you have the support of your family.

1. Get a Fitday account online. This helps you to see what you are doing better. Figure out your current calories and reduce it by 500.
2. Try to avoid eating out and junk food. Opt for the healthier choices.

3. Eat small meals throughout the day. Since you are still in school, this is hard, but not impossible. You could eat 10 grapes or baby carrots between classes in the morning. When you come home, eat a yogurt or another small snack. Snacking small healthy meals will reduce your cravings for junk.

4. WATER, WATER, WATER. Skip the regular sodas. Those calories add up too much and too quickly and have no nutritional value.
5. Excercise. Buy yourself a workout tape. I love the pilates ball/yoga stuff. Its fun to bounce up and down on the ball while I am watching TV. Walk around the block fast (for cardio). Buy small weights (they are cheap) and a workout tape using them.
6. You know the food pyramid. Use it. They even have an account similar to fitday that you can use instead if you prefer. Learn about Bad Carbs (white flour and sugar) over good carbs (whole grains and veggies and fruits).

7. You might buy yourself an intro book called "Everything There is to know about Nutrition."
8. Make this a learning experience. A pleasurable experience. Be creative.
9. Find strategies to help you when you really want to binge and forget about your dieting. It could be a friend to talk to. Don't hate yourself if you fall. Pick back up and keep going.
10. Most of all, love yourself and congratulate yourself on wanting to take control and DO IT!

[spiritualwarfare71]

Thankx...yeah it is hard between school and everything else going on in my life...I usually don't eat out anyways I refuse to eat at Burger King or McDonalds because I used to work at one and saw first hand how disgusting they are...and I don't drink soda unless it's diet...my mom started me on that since I was little it's all she'll buy...but I do drink alot of flavored water...is that a good thing to drink or no? And I drink alot of Gatorade just because it's what we have in vending machines at school and the center I go to. The really hard thing is I hate fried foods but that's like the only way my stepdad cooks anything. My mom likes me to cook because I make more veggies, which my step dad says "all that green stuff will kill you" lol but I don't have time to cook often because of me running around with my friends constantly and school and whatnot. I'm going to get a Fitday account right now but I wanted to make sure to thank you for your input.

[DeafinlySmart]

When you can, cook.

When you can, eat more of the healthy stuff and less of the fried.

Flavored water is fine in my book (as long as it is zero calories).

I like that you have already begun to make better choices. That's a good start. Don't forget to up that excercise.