A
female
age
26-29,
*TheAlmightyDuckx
writes:Basically, for my new years revolution i want to lose some weight. I am overweight not majorly but yeah i would like to lose abit of weight. I am just over 11 stone (72 lbs) i am a size 12 to 14 ( european sizes) i am a 14 year old female and i am about 5 foot 3 and well i just want to be thinner as i think it would give me more confidence and just over all make me feel a lot better. I did stick to a diet and regular exercise last month and i lost about 4 pounds which i am real happy with but next year i will be giving it my all. I have consulted a doctor and he said that i am fine to lose weight. So i was just asking if any of you have any tips or anything you would like to share with me to help me lost abit of weight? Oh and Merry crimbo btw :) x thanks for reading.
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reader, anonymous, writes (23 December 2011): Ur young, but on the right track about maintaining a healthy weight. By all means make sure ur eating as ur body needs nutrients to gro, including ur brain. A lot of people eat on the run or make unhealthy choices on foods and snacks. Kids ur age are developing diabetes and high blood triglycerides/cholesterol and high blood pressure at alarming rates.
First, evaluate whAt u r eating. You could be eating a lot and u still may b malnourished if u are not eating the right foods.
Eat anything green and leafy, loaded with vitamins u need. Add some different colors to salads as each veggie benefits ur body differently.
Examples, lettuce, orange or yellow bell pepper, black olives, raisons or dried cranberries, red cherry tomatoes and throw an egg for some protein (broccoli also good choice)
Eat red meat sparingly, about the size of ur palm 2 times wk. Choose fish, chicken or pork. Limit fats by reading labels, ESP saturated fats, keep those under 15 g a day. Cook with canola or olive oil, they are a good choice for omega 3s in your diet. Remember too, that something may be low fat, but still loaded with calories (like pop). Our bodies convert excess sugar into fat.
Limit all carbs, eating those sparingly (about a cup) as they are simply refined sugars. Same with fructose, high fructose, corn syrup or anything ending in OSE.
Protein makes us feel fuller and takes longer to digest, hence we feel fuller longer eating a steak, than say a bowl of pasta. A handful of nuts is a good appetite suppressant that satisfies hunger.
Try multigrain, ESP in breads to make sandwiches out of, or use a pita wrap for turkey, chicken etc. Avocados have a lot of nutrients too.
The important thing is not to b skinny, but to nourish our bodies properly, ESP if ur 14 and still growing. See if ur mom can take u to talk with a nutrionalist, and if that isn't possible then get some books out from the library.
A
female
reader, xTheAlmightyDuckx +, writes (23 December 2011):
xTheAlmightyDuckx is verified as being by the original poster of the question First wow your advice has been great. :D thankyou. Happy new year and merry christmas to you aswell Abella thanks for the extra support as usual :) Now i would like to reasure most people that i have looked this thing up, i know that being a teenager my body is constantly changing and it needs more calroies than a women so i continue growing. I have been kind of expeirementing for the last two months, and even though diet is important, i have found the main thing which makes me lose weight is the exercise. The reason that i am 11 stone is because this year for many reasons i have been practically house bound and while my diet hasn't been too bad i haven't had hardly any exercise. I do understand what you mean by being a kid, and of course i will take this rather seriously but i won't become obessed with it and of course i won't like be one of those people who feel bad because they had a little treat. I am still going to be a kid, but thankyou for all the tips you have given me they have been great ill take all of them into condieration and i will use the ones which work best for me anyway thankyou :D Merry christmas.
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female
reader, maverick494  +, writes (23 December 2011):
I have to give a nod to Cerberus' answer: the point about age is an important one. Don't do anything too rigorous because it 'll mess up the processes that happen during puberty. If you go about this the wrong way your growth could be stunted among other things. So be careful.
Okay, now we have that out of the way, here goes.
#1. Stop the sugary snacks during the week; only allow yourself one or two in the weekend
#2. Make your own lunch or get your parents to do it. This will prevent you from buying unhealthy stuff at school
#3. Drink water instead of sodas.
The above three steps alone will do a lot! **edit** Just saw your follow up: well since you're already doing it you should be noticing some changes already!
#4. Pick a sport you are interested in, so you don't need a lot of discipline to keep on doing it. Anything physical is good, whether it's ballet, hockey or martial arts. Anything that keeps you moving will do.
#5. Work on posture. Good posture is good for your health plus it makes everything about you look better.
#6. Start lifting weights. Muscle gives a toned, taut look. Get proper instructions at the gym so won't get hurt. Follow a class with music if you can--it keeps it more fun.
#7. Don't overdo it. At your age it is not neccesary to keep a food diary and all that. It needs to be casual, not forced. Basically you need to be able to do this without having to think about food all day. Obsession is a bad thing and it's there before you even properly realize it.
Good luck and remember: keep it fun!
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female
reader, Shadow Rose +, writes (23 December 2011):
 Exercise daily (If you have that "insanity" workout video, or your mom does, DO NOT use it, you will throw up) and eat lots of healthy foods. If you start replacing your daily junk food with healthy food, then you will see a difference.
But just remember, dont overdo anything, because you're still growing.
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reader, anonymous, writes (23 December 2011): I just want to add you have to be wary of your age OP.
You're 14 and in the middle of puberty. That's means you are still growing and your body needs plenty of the right nutrition to grow healthily. Make sure your weight goals are not those you read that pertain to adult women. Most of them are. In fact get rid of the scales altogether because they're useless. You can simply get a fitter more toned body without paying attention to weight. Especially seeing as it may go up and your height may not as your bones grow and your frame develops.
For you things have to be different and you have to take it a lot slower.
My suggestion is any weight loss tips you find try and find ones for people your age, do your homework and be sensible because the majority of weight loss tips and diets are all a load of bullshit. It would not be good for you to follow the same regime as an adult woman, you're not an adult yet you've only barely become a teenager and your body has different needs and capabilities.
In my opinion you'd be better served to completely get rid of weight as focus, it's a stupid concept and it is not a measure of a fit toned body, it's just a guide.
At your age your body will adapt better to just joining a sport like basketball, or hockey, swimming, martial arts etc. Some activity that you can do 3 or 4 times a week that gives good exercise but also has other benefits like competition, meeting new people and other kind of motivation. Sitting there counting calories, weighing yourself, setting targets, goals, measuring your intake is just a boring time consuming chore. Unless of course deprivation, willpower and strictly controlling your life is how you want to live it. Personally I preferred the sports thing, I preferred to just feel the results as I became stronger and fitter, and see the results in the mirror as my body become more toned. If you have no goal then you simply cannot fail and if you can't fail then you won't feel bad.
It's simple, find a good sport or other physically challenging hobby and you can just focus on the fun aspects, the competition and social aspects of that and your body will just healthily adapt and become naturally toned as a happy coincidence. You're 14, you still have all the fun in the world to have, so go have fun and don't worry too much about your weight, have the right kind of fun and your body will tone itself and you won't be one of those annoying people that is just so boring, restrictive and obsessively controls their eating.
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reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (23 December 2011):
 at 5'3" and 154 pounds losing a bit of weight is a good idea but remember that BMI does not work too well for us shorter girls...
do not base what is your ideal weight on an arbitrary number. If i weighed what the CHARTS said I should weigh, I would look grossly ill and underweight. I'm 5'2 and at 135 pounds I am too thin and bony...
learning good habits and building them now is a great idea.
losing 4 pounds a month actually is perfect. that means you are getting HABITS and that's a good thing...
things to remember:
1. drink at least 64 oz of water/fluids w/o calories per day
2. lean meats, whole grains and fruits and veggies are your friends....
3. do not eat too little... I would estimate around 1500-1800 calories a day will be a good goal to shoot for depending on your metabolism.
4. MOVE every day... if you can't map out an hour at a time make time when you can... use the steps not the elevator... get off at the bus stop before yours and walk a bit more...
walking is a great exercise but strength training is important too... I found YOGA was a great way to get in fabulous shape I know a man who got a set of 6 pack abs at 55 just from yoga...
you do need some fats... nuts, avocado... healthy fats...
do not avoid any food group (sugar and bacon are NOT food groups btw) make sure that you avoid WHITE things... white flour, white rice, white potato.... sugar is white too...
whole grains are better for you....
do not strive for perfection strive always for improvement
Merry Christmas to you duckie!
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reader, Starlights +, writes (23 December 2011):
 Hi there!
I remember i became overweight a year ago... and i did not want to join any gyms or weight watchers groups.
The first thing I would ask you to consider is what excersises is it that you enjoy doing? and do it!!!
For me it was dancing and walking, so i remember i danced everyday for half an hour (to Michael Jackson because he was one of my favorite dancers!) and walked half an hour 3x a week.
I also cut out fatty food and replaced them with salads, cereals, cereal bars, vegetables and fish... (within the 2000 calorie limit per day)
Within 2 months i went from a dress size 14-16 down to a 7.5 stone, or size 8 (UK size)... i then realised i got way to skinny!!!
so started eating junk again and went to a healthy size 12 (Uk size) which makes me look wayyyy better!
Ive remained that size since :)
So my advice to you is:
1. to do a sport activity for half an hour a day you enjoy,
2. cut out the junk, eat the maximum calorie amount incorporating healthy foods and you will not only feel better but look better too!
Goodluck!!
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reader, Abella +, writes (22 December 2011):
 hi
from seeing your posts and surmising that your philosophy is one of 'continuous improvement' I have no doubt that you will achieve your goal with this one too.
Best wishes and Happy New Year
Abella
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (22 December 2011): Since you are still young, I wouldn't dramatically cut your calories since you are growing still. Keeping track of what you eat has helped me tremendously! I am 27 with 2 kids, and after each pregnancy I was able to lose the weight (I am NOT one to naturally lose weight or naturally really thin, I am average build 5'7" 136lbs, but have to eat right to stay there) Like someone else said, it is a lifestyle change, not a temporary diet. Drink lots of water, cut out sodas or limit yourself to one-two a week if you must have one, but mainly stick to water. Keep track of what you eat. Being under 21, you should not be eating under 1500 cals a day, and if you exercise, eat a bit more. Seems weird, but if you don't eat enough, your body thinks it is starving and will cling to every piece of fat. You are young though! Honestly just make smart, healthy choices, weight loss is 80% diet 20% exercise, try getting all your food groups in, and if one day a week you want to treat yourself to something small, go for it! Don't restrict yourself too much, or you will binge and it is counter productive, instead of eating 4 cookies, eat 1 type thing. Sorry it is a bit long, but this is what worked for me, I just had my second baby 4 months ago, so losing baby weight the second time around and I am down 35 lbs from the day I delivered, having to use diet and exercise to lose 25 of it (the other 10 was baby lol) Aim for no more than 1-2 lbs a week weight loss, which is healthy and manageable. Good luck
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reader, anonymous, writes (22 December 2011): Yes, I see your problem . Hopefully as you're fourteen most of it is only puppy fat. i'd suggest walking FASTER than your normal speed for half an hour every day a straight walk somewhere and back as fast as you can. Also less cheese and potatoes and pasta in your diet , instead rivita and salad.
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reader, xTheAlmightyDuckx +, writes (22 December 2011):
xTheAlmightyDuckx is verified as being by the original poster of the questionoh okay thanks for the tips. :) and yeah about the 72 kg or lbs or whatever sorry i am terrible at maths but yeah i am just over 11 stone. It isn't the fact that i want to be thin for like the idolism of it or because everyone else is or anything. i don't want to do it for other people i want to do it for myself. I know that being fat or chubby or whatever isn't criminal and even though i am on the bigger side i am realitivly okay with the size i am now. I just want to lose some weight first of all for my health and secondly just so i can be a bit more happier in my own skin and just so i can get to a size i am happy with. I don't want to be stick thin and even if i lose maybe just a stone i'll be happy with that. I also know about the diets are temporary, next year is when i want to start the whole life change thing, i guess you could say the diet was just a test run :)ive already made a lot of life changes food and health wise. completely given up fizzy, cut down completely of sugary foods, been sticking to just eating chicken and fish, so i'm pretty confident i can handle the whole lifestyle change thing. anyway thanks
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reader, Abella +, writes (22 December 2011):
hi
Great New Years resolution!
1. Join WeightWatchers International if you can. I believe they do an on-line version but not sure how expensive that is in UK.
2. Use a smaller plate for your food
3. Aim to have 3 serves of vegetables or salad vegs with No butter/no oil on same
4 know that some low fat items are actually High Calorie
5 read labels on everything to see how many calories and how much fat content
6. Learn to love cottage cheese
7. Cut out all fizzy drinks except soda water. Soda with a slice of lemon and ice is a refreshing drink.
8. aim to have two serves of fresh fruit daily
9. Spread sandwiches with a smear of avocado instead of butter
10 minimise cheese use except (6) above
11 no crisps at all. Zero tolerance to such snacks
12. Only eat at meal times and only at the table sitting down, except for (13 and 14 and 15) below
13 create a snack jug in the fridge. Consisting of thin vertical slices of celery, carrot to munch when you need it
14 create a salad bowl in fridge to snack on when need it. Consisting of 4 sliced tomato, 3 sliced mushrooms, (half an avocado)slices of avocado mashed with lemon juice to prevent discoloration, handful walnuts. Mix well and leave in fridge - no dressing - the avocado and lemon provide dresssing.
15 use weights daily for exercise. You can make your own from empty drink containers filled with water.
16 learn to love tinned tuna. Mix it with vegetables to make into a meal - no sauces and no cheese on same.
17 saute food only in a light spray of spray oil
18 Fry Nothing
19. Use low fat skim milk powder instead of milk and low fat yoghurt for calcium
20 make use of low calorie jellies
21 use low calorie yoghurt instead of cream
22 No Pastry anything - pastry uses heaps of fat
23 weigh food if you can to be consisten
24 start a daily food diary and write down what, when, how much
25 read out loud daily Affirmations that support your weight loss as you go walking daily (once weather permits).
26 make up a salad sandwich with sliced Chinese cabbage, grated carrot, tiny amount diced bell pepper, 3 slices of boiled egg, alfalfa sprouts, using wholemeal bread.
Good luck. I was going to make it just
25 but could not resist adding in my fave sandwich
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female
reader, iiSparkle +, writes (22 December 2011):
 Hello there.
Well, the only tips which anyone can really give is to make sure that you eat healthily, drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. Oh and to exercise too!
Just make sure that you have a balanced diet which give you all the nutrients and vitamins and mix up your exercise's too, for example, yoga one day then a different day cardio.
Green tea is also specially good when you are trying to lose weight, as from personal experience.
Hope it all goes well for you! :)
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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