Hi friends, I'm 15 and I’m 130 pounds 5 foot 6 inches. I think that’s too much weight for my age. I was hoping to lose some weight because lately, I’ve been gaining weight, so I want to look healthy by the summer. Some of my friends like me are trying diet to become thin. I always start a diet, and then I end up forgetting it. I can never stick to a diet!! So, I need good “motivation improvement” tips for continuing diet.

Hi! This is probably not what you want to hear, but...

you do not need to lose weight—at your height your weight is fine. If you are not happy with the way you look, you can increase your exercise and tone your muscles, but do NOT diet. Trust me, I am a dancer and I have been dieting since I was fourteen, and I have screwed up both my metabolism and my endocrine system (ie I don't have periods anymore, which leads to osteoporosis).

your friends are dieting because you are living in a time when the pressure to be thin is ENORMOUS. At your age, it is also a time in which eating disorders most frequently show. Do not go down that path, because it is not one you can just leave whenever you feel like it.

Eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise, but do not focus on the numbers on the scale. Please do not mess up your life just for a number on a scale.

You are not overweight, relax and enjoy it!

I agree that you aren't overweight... BUT, It's easy for us to tell you you're fine, but if you don't feel fine maybe it doesn't help a lot. There are a lot of places on this site where people might really understand -- check out the Featherweights forum!!

I also agree that going on diets -- especially when you're still growing -- can be problematic. A focus on eating healthy foods and a balanced diet AND making sure you "move more" -- finding things you like to do -- can really make a difference. If you want to look healthier toning your muscles can really help!

I have to agree with all of the lovely ladies above me. For your height, you are at a completely healthy BMI, and if you lose just 15 pounds, you will be wavering on the unhealthy BMI line. I know these comments are probably not what you wanted to hear, but everyone here just wants what is best for you and want you be healthy!

Before you start on a diet, maybe you could try eating more fruits and veggies, and if you don't already, getting in some more exercise. That way you will be eating healthy, and activity will make you more toned. It makes me a little sad when a girl your age, height and weight wants to lose weight because it seems like it's the pressures of society that makes most teenage girls feel overweight when they are really at a beautiful weight for their heights. Good luck and I hope you consider some of the advice on this site before you start a diet - everyone here cares about you!

Hi Moonlight. Welcome to 3FC.

Probably not what you want to hear, but along the same lines as everyone else has said, it doesn't seem to me that you have much if any weight to really lose. But I'm sure you don't want to GAIN any either, so it's defiintely a good idea to add some healthy habits, lifetime habits, into your everyday life.

It's also a little hard to give you advice how to change up your diet, because we don't know exactly what it is you're eating now.

Perhaps you just might want to focus on making some good, healthy choices in the food area. Try to cut back on fast food and pizza. Add some fruits and veggies into your daily day. Drink skim milk and low fat dairy products instead of full fat. Try and avoid the cookies, cake, ice cream and chips. I know how HARD that is, especially while around other teenagers, I've got three of them myself. I also try to never "drink" my calories. That means avoiding shakes and sugar laden sodas and those coffee drinks.

Maybe you'd like to start exercising a little, bike riding, roller blading, basketball, tennis. MAybe take a yoga class or some kind of dance class. Find something that you enjoy and are comfortable with.

Once you add in some good, healthy habits and get used to doing it, you will no longer "forget" that you are actually "dieting", because you're not really, you're just making wise choices.

I'll also ditto what everyone's said. At your height, age notwithstanding, you're on the low end of a HEALTHY weight. So, do you just want an hourglass figure or do you want to be an unhealthy "skinny"? The figure can be partly accomplished through toning exercises as was mentioned. But unfortunately, we are born with the figures we have, and short of the knife, you're never going to completely change to a figure that your body just won't accept. You can tone it through exercise, make a butt perkier or a waist smaller, to an extent, but only to that extent.

Just remember that in this rush to be super thin, all your friends may be super sickly come your first high school reunion. And you may have that killer bod THEY all aspire to have.

I agree with everyone else. You definately do not need to lose weight at your height. Like the others above said before you might want to try more healthier foods like fruits and vegatables and exercising a little more for toning. Just don't go overboard on the exercising.

at this point I wouldn't be helpful or adding to the conversation either.. just I do have to second what Heather said. When you diet at such a young age, it might interrupt some growing that you still have to do before you're a full adult.