Jeeze... I think someone needs to go on a diet here!

[MiniMandaRuth]

Yes.... :blush: That is me.


I'm only 14, and I already am fat!!! :cry: Diet time! Got any recommendations?

[LeftyMom]

1. Are you eating well?

It's really not a good idea to be dieting outside a doctor's supervision at your age, since you're still growing and developing. Focusing on eating healthier food and only until you're full is a good idea for anybody though.

[MiniMandaRuth]

3. I tend to eat salads and soups....

Lots and lots of salads... and lots of water when I drink.

[WCGreen]

17. Use the vinagerette instead of the Blue Cheese.....

(Just kidding)

[radwriter0555]

19. Well it depends on what's in and on the salads... and perhaps less of them

as well.

I suggest a food diary for a couple weeks. Go ahead and start writing down all your intake through out the day... it adds up quicker than you think.

Then trim it down to a realistic level, and combine it with regular physical workouts.

I find I tend to dismiss the little snacks I sneak in and they add up!

No more cereal, yogurt at least once a day. More fruits, carrots... Nothing processed, go all natural and fresh.

[jobycom]

28. DON'T DIET! Change your diet. And, salads can have two problems

One, salads made with unhealthy ingredients are still unhealthy. If you pile cheese, baco-bits, ranch (or any thick dressing), chicken strips, lots of croutons, etc, you'd be better off eating a burger. Cheese and dairy dressings are unbelievably high in fat.

Second, if the salad has too much iceberg lettuce, or too many light fruits and veggies with limited nutritional value, you wind up adding empty calories without giving your body enough of the nutrients it needs. At your age, that will include protein (not necessarily from animals) and fat (limit on saturated fats), as well as complex carbohydrates and vitamins.

Make salads without any dairy (including the dressing) or meat, or add a yogurt-based dressing with low fat. Add heavy veggies and fruits, and nuts. Go for variety. Limit iceberg lettuce, use greener lettuce. Apples, raisins, pineapple, walnuts, avacado, chickpeas, edamame, tofu, beans, are all nice ingredients, in addition to the usual tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, etc. Make it colorful (for variety of nutrients) and a bit solid. Use an oil/vinegar based dressing, or make one yourself (A little olive oil can be shaken together with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or anything else with a tang).

You can eat too many salads. If your body isn't getting enough protein (again, doesn't have to be meat--beans, soy products, and whole grains have a lot of protein, and less fat, and are easier to digest than meat), fat, complex carbs, and grains, it will crave more and more of whatever you are eating to make up for it, and you may wind up eating too many empty calories. Eat other foods--cooked veggies are important, full grains (brown instead of white rice) are important. Balance your daily intake.

Check fat content on soups, especially if they are canned/bottled. Some of them are loaded with fat and sodium and sugar. Saturated fats should be avoided as much as possible. SUgar, too. Unsaturated fats you don't have to worry too much about, as long as the total calorie content isn't too high. Sodium can make you retain more water, which isn't so good.

Overall, avoid empty carbs (white or "wheat" bread that isn't whole wheat, pasta, etc--go for whole wheats, chips), fats (cheeses, hamburgers, fried chicken strips), anything fried (fries, chips), and sugars (especially in drinks, sodas, candy). Read labels, avoid added sugars and saturated fat. Avoid fake fats (Olestra and nonsense like that, you'll see it in "fat free" or "reduced fat" Pringles or other foods). And keep drinking lots of water. And if you find yourself craving sugar in ways you can't fight, tell a doctor.

DON'T diet, not at your age. I'm not a doctor, so if your doctor tells you otherwise, listen to her, but what I've seen from younger people trying to diet is that they hurt themselves more by not taking in all the nutrients they need. Just change what you eat. Eat more nutrient-dense food, avoid junk food, and exercise an hour a day (doesn't have to be all at once or too vigorous--just make sure you are active for at least an hour a day). Alter your lifestle to include more physical activity. You'll find that you eat less if you get the nutrients you need from less food. Exercising will also give you energy, and that will make you feel hungry less often. Your body is growing and trying to get all the nutrients and energy you need from what you eat. If you eat empty calories with little nutrition, your body ignores the calories and craves more of those nutrients, making you want to eat too much. For instance, potato chips have little nutritional value, so if you eat potato chips, you have to eat a lot of them to get just a few nutrients your body needs. If you eat an apple instead, your body gets what it needs more quickly, and it won't crave more.

And, limiting your intake catches up with you. You'll get hungry and suddenly binge on what your body needs, and undo anything you gained by limiting your intake. Don't limit your intake, just change your intake so that your body gets what it needs with fewer calories and less fat.

And finally, everyone who says you are beautiful is right. Don't tie your self-worth up in your weight or your image of your body. If you want to lose weight, do it for the health benefits, and judge your success by how healthy or unhealthy you feel, not by what the mirror or the scale says. Otherwise you'll trick yourself into saying "I have to loss x pounds, or x inches," and then you wind up limiting what you eat instead of seeking better foods, and that leads to more health problems than a couple of extra pounds will. You CAN be heavy and healthy, and you can be thin and unhealthy, and it is better to be the former than the latter. So don't judge yourself by your weight or size or any such thing. Anyone who writes like you do at your age is a beautiful person, and don't let some modern, twisted cultural images of "beauty" define who you are. Every culture changes what it thinks is "beautiful," so trying to chase that ideal is just a waste of valuable life force. You could make yourself look like Britney Spears only to have culture decide that the way you used to look is really what they want to see. The things you have--intelligence, reasoning ability, compassion, sense of humor--are timeless measures of worth, and there ain't no one on Earth worth more than you on the things that count. Only worry about your weight in terms of your health and energy level. If you decide you want to look different, change your hair style or clothing, not your diet.

My thirteen year old is going through this, and I've been trying to give her the same lecture. Hm, I write it down much better than I say it, so maybe I should try writing it down for her, too!

[philosophie_en_rose]

2. You stop that right now.

You are a beautiful young woman.



I recommend is finding physical activities that you like and cutting out high fructose corn syrup. But I'd recommend those things to anyone.



You are a beautiful young woman. And not a thing is wrong with you.

[MiniMandaRuth]

6. Thanks...

:hug: :hug:

I'm trying to eat more healthy, natural foods... and drink more water.

[mwooldri]

9. P_e_r is spot on, you are pretty :)

(I guess I'd be accused of being a 30-something leery man for that!)

But still Philosophie-en-rose is right. Find something you like and keep at it.
Mark.

[jpgray]

4. Eat lean balanced foods in somewhat smaller amounts, exercise more

Works for everyone who has ever existed ever, but can be more difficult than it sounds depending on your metabolism and other factors. But the bottom line is: to lose weight you have to take in less than you burn, and it helps to limit what you take in to healthier foods. Rapid weight loss or starving yourself is a horrible idea, but losing about 1-3 pounds per week is healthy enough and will get you places in six months to a year.

[GirlinContempt]

32. "Works for everyone who has ever existed ever"

:P Not true

[mwooldri]

5. Keep active. At least do that.

If you can keep active then a diet can work... but I recommend that firstly and foremostly. If you can be fit and fat that's OK but fat and lazy... that's the highway to hell.

I can't recommend diets, sorry....

But then I should follow my own advice too: I got a Gold's Gym membership, and felt too depressed to do much the last few weeks than to go to work and that's it. I need to go to the gym!

Mark.

[MiniMandaRuth]

7. I use my Dance Dance Revolution game all the time...

When you play a few songs, you really get sweating! I do it for like, an hour each day...

[mwooldri]

10. that's the way to go :) PS I suck at that.

I like bike riding with my wife and my son in the trailer. Can't wait for him to grow up in some senses so he can ride!

Oh, and as other people have said, you're not fat. Things can and will change. At 14 I looked like Beavis from Beavis and Butthead and was skinny as a rake. Now I'm fat at 180lbs.

Mark.

[MiniMandaRuth]

12. I love that game, I'm so good at it, too.

[JI7]

21. i think a diet is much more important than activity level

at least in terms of losing weight, body appearance etc.

[Missy Vixen]

8. You. Are. Not. Fat.

You will look at these photographs in ten years and think how beautiful you were, and are.

Take it from someone who's a lot fatter than you'll ever be -- do NOT go down that road. I'm begging you.

You are a healthy, happy, active young woman. You're also still growing, and your body is changing. Just let those changes happen.

Julie
I'm sure your mom is telling you the same thing; she's right.

[MiniMandaRuth]

11. Thanks...

:hug: :hug:

It sucks when you run around, and you... um... can't say it here, might get banned. ;)

[Swede]

13. You look okay to me M.

Enjoy your youth,everything will turn out fine.

[fizzgig]

14. and don't forget you are only 14

your horomones are out of control as well. i had a weight problem while i was going through puberty no matter how hard i tried to keep it off.

keep up with the healthy eating and exercise and wait a few years, it will get better

[deadparrot]

15. Eat healthy (and plenty) and stay active.

You're lovely, MMR. Just take care of yourself. :hi:

[Skittles]

16. you quit that diet talk, Missy

first of all, you look good, you look healthy and I'm betting you've still got some baby fat going. Now don't use the word DIET and get ACTIVE - incorporate it into your lifestyle. Simple things like don't sit when you can stand (like when you're talking on the phone), don't stand when you can walk and don't walk when you can run!!! You young folk were dealt a worse hand than I was decades ago - we didn't have access to tons of fast food restaurants, huge food portions, mega doses of fructose. Recognize these factors and act accordingly. DON'T go to fast food places. Take a doggie bag home with you with half of that oversized meal at a restaurant. Don't drink sugary stuff...there are plenty of great-tasting sugar-free drinks out there. Be active every day - find something you like and do it regularly. The pounds will melt off - you'll see.

A tip for you - most people have no idea how much they actually eat in a day so TRACK it with a food diary - you'll see your patterns: I like a nice FREE one like www.fitday.com ...now get to it!!! :D

[WCGreen]

18. You look well proportioned....

Are you healthy...

Do you feel right, honestly...

If you are comfortable and have no health issues...

what's the problem....

[yvr girl]

20. There might be some things you can cut out

Soda is nothing but empty calories. Eat fruit instead of drinking juice. Don't eat late at night. Stay away from packaged foods. Fresh and natural is always a better option.

Be careful with soups too. Some of them are loaded with calories. Also, canned soup tends to be really high in salt.

[Taverner]

47. Yes - processed foods are the enemy

Seriously, Yvrgirl is right.

The stuff they package and sell these days is downright poison. All empty calories and trans fats - no healthy fats or complex carbs. Especially the foods in the "diet" section.

[rockymountaindem]

22. Don't listen to the other people, do what you feel you have to do

as long as you do it in moderation. I've been in your place. I'm 19 now, but three years ago I lost 30 pounds in one summer. I did not look outwardly fat. That is to say, I don't think people looked at me and said "what a fatso" (I don't know, maybe they did). However, as a result of discussing the matter with my doctor, I became highly alarmed when he told me I was 30 pounds overweight and started talking about my increased risks for a whole bunch of nasty problems.

So, I stopped eating every time I got hungry. For three months all I had for lunch was a turkey or PB&J sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a diet soda; and no more seconds at dinner. I also started working out all the time, which I still do today. I lost 30 pounds between April and September. Since then, I have also increased my bicep strength by a factor of 4, tripled my bench press and built up a lot of muscles on my back.

My advice to you is do what you think is necessary, just don't go overboard (like anorexia or anything). You don't have to call it a diet if you don't want to. One thing you might try is to pick one thing that you eat or drink on a regular basis and give it up. If you can eliminate 100 calories a day (half a can of soda) that's a start. You can try to buy reduced fat or sugar-free versions of foods you already eat. If you feel you have a lot of weight to lose, you don't need to do a whole lot to start shedding pounds. Also, exercise doesn't mean going all-out and starting to run 3 miles a time on the treadmill. If you currently have a low activity level, just walking 2 miles a day (use a pedometer, or drive the route you plan to walk and use the trip odometer) to start could have a large impact if you're currently not getting any regular exercise.

I understand that people on this thread say it's important to be comfortable with yourself. I agree. But, no amount of other people telling you "you look fine" is going to help if you feel dissatisfied on the inside. You're the person who has to live in your body, no one else. I've been there. In spring 2003 I felt like total shit. By fall, I felt ready to take on the world. Being overweight made me feel so bad that I literally *had* to do something or else I probably would have needed anti-depressants. I didn't develop an eating disorder, I didn't mess up my metabolism, I didn't start using steroids. It is possible to do what you want in a healthy way. If you feel like you have to lose some weight to be comfortable in your body, then do just that. Talk to a doctor or nutritionist if you feel like you need some help. When you're all done, you'll be really proud of yourself and you'll be glad you made the effort.

[Oeditpus Rex]

23. I'm hip to health issues and self-esteem issues

And I'm not gonna discount those, even though I'm not qualified to speak on them.

But I am qualified to speak on this: Girl — you're absolutely gorgeous. If I were 15 or 16, I'd have such a crush on you. :loveya:

[Bunny]

24. I think you are a lovely young woman. You seem to be eating

the good stuff, and getting some exercise. Please don't torture yourself over this - you look fine!

[libnnc]

25. I think you're very, very pretty.

Not fat at all. Just make sure you keep exercising a little. I did Atkins (lost about 40 pounds). You're still growing. Your body hasn't yet "settled down". Don't panic. Just be wary of sweets and fried stuff. Sodas are really bad for you too. Just Be Healthy. You're a wonderful young woman. Far more mature than I was at your age. You're the picture of beauty! :hug:

[BreweryYardRat]

26. Allow me to retract a previous statement about you looking like you're 12.

Yow. (I'm 17 and 11 months, so I can still make these sorts of comments without being too creepy. ;) )

If you're worried about weight-and you don't look like you need to lose more than 10 lbs, if that, to reach your ideal weight-get a gym membership. Any gym worth its fees will have elliptical trainers. Work up to doing 30 minutes a day on that, and maybe cut down on soda, if you drink it at all.

That's all you need to do. You're not significantly overweight, no need to diet. Besides, it's healthier to be mildly overweight, instead of underweight.

[bearfan454]

27. Totally eliminate ALL sugar

I lost 80 pounds 3 years ago by doing that. That means ALL sugar. No pop. Read every label. If it says dextrose, maltose, fructose, or corn syrup, that is sugar even if it says 0 grams of sugar. It really works. I did it.

[MelliMel]

29. You are a beautiful young woman. But if you want diet tips....

The basics:

Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Stop eating when you are satisfied, not stuffed.

Enjoy your meals. Eat with friends, family, whomever. The more leisurely the meal, the more likely you are to eat slower and avoid overeating.

No matter what, try to eat something within an hour of waking every morning. Even something small like a handful of grapes, a piece of toast. Just get something in you. Starting out empty messes with your metabolism.

Avoid pre-packaged anything and learn to cook. Seriously, all the added fat, sugar, and other preservatives make those calories add up fast.

Coffee drinks at places like Starbuck's are huge in the calorie and fat department, so avoid them or only treat yourself once in a while.

Trust me, this advice comes from someone who has had to lose pregnancy weight 5 times and who comes from a culture that believes food cures everything and anything.

[Trailrider1951]

30. Hey sweetie,

You're just lovely! I think that this century's vision of female beauty is just out of whack. Check out this Italian artist's view of loveliness, circa 1500:

http://www.wga.hu/html/p/palma/vecchio/3sisters.html

It is only recently that the gaunt, starved female has been enshrined as the icon of beauty. :hug:

[GirlinContempt]

31. If you're interested in losing weight - see your DOCTOR

Don't ask for advice on a message board, go see your doctor. Seriously.
Your doctor can look over your health and well being and help you to create a plan that works for you, at your age, for your body type, that meets your requirements and focuses on health. Or, he/she can refer you to someone who will do that.
Doctor. Doctor doctor doctor.

EDIT:
I'm not saying I think you're unattractive or fat or anything, just that if you feel this way, or you want to make changes, don't ask random people. It's an issue of health so go to someone who's qualified to help you.

[progmom]

35. right on, GiC

and I will add - MiniMandaRuth - you look great - seriously.

[AlCzervik]

36. totally agree, good advice! At 14 i'm sure you have different nutritional

needs.

[GirlinContempt]

37. Personally, I think

that at ANY age, your doctor should be involved in any serious attempt to lose weight. There can be factors other than diet and activity level that affect your weight.

But, ESPECIALLY young people who're still developing, they need to be very careful about their health. And, a good doctor can help with the emotional side of it, too. I've seen so many young girls, heavy AND thin, crash diet, some don't lose the weight, others do and gain it back, and it can wreak havoc on their self esteem and self confidence. A professional can figure out what works for each person and help avoid that nasty yo-yoing that contributes to image issues.

[AlCzervik]

38. i went last june to my see my doctor and i'm so glad i did

he did a complete blood work up on me and we talked over what my plan was, he gave some advice and he checked in with me every so often. He was a great help.

[GirlinContempt]

40. Smart move!

:)

[ThomCat]

33. Sweat! Excercise. Dance.

Don't worry about your weight. Just do stuff and have fun.

Drink more water instead of whatever flavored stuff you might be drinking. Cut back the cheese and creamy stuff. Your weight will take care of itself.
:)

[LaraMN]

34. Sugar buns,

I'm totally behind you if this is what you want, but make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, and in a healthy way. You look pretty darn cute to me! If you want to lose weight, DO NOT do it for ANYONE'S benefit but your own. I lost a little under 60 pounds a couple of years ago after I quit nursing my last child, and it took about four or five months to do so. It was alot of work and took a great deal of willpower, but it was one of the most empowering things I'd done for myself. I also found that success came only when I made the effort solely for MY health and MY desired self-perception, not to impress or appease anyone else. It's fun to feel you look good, but being skinny will never "fix" a broken self image, if you happen to be dealing with one. Please love yourself first, and be very careful with your health. That said, if you decide to take on some sort of healthy diet and/or exercise plan, I'll be happy to join the chorus of people cheering you on!:hug:

[Wetzelbill]

39. don't make the mistake of going on a gimmick diet

Don't starve yourself or anything like that either, because in the end those do not work. What you need is a lifestyle change. See I am a terrible binge-eater, but I was always an athlete so it wasn't a problem because I kept myself in decent shape. A little over three years ago I had a back injury, partly from old sports injuries and partly from going a little too hard in the weight room, and since then my workouts have been much more sporadic. In the time when I couldn't workout I gained some weight. Well, I had gained a few pounds here and there over the years since I retired from sports anyway, and I am about thirty pounds heavier than I would like to be, probably about 15 or 20 overweight. Now that is not all that bad, but I have had trouble losing it. I have tried low-carb diets, exercising really hard for a few months etc. Well, every time I get close to where I want to be, I would start getting back into my old bad habits. Every damn time, I have gained the weight back and more! My nature is to be all intense and go after things, but your weight and health cannot be done overnight. It is a life thing, so approach it that way. Maybe start by taking a walk every day. Then maybe move on to using a stationary bike or even a regular bike, for nice easy rides that aren't too hard for you to do. Get in the habit of getting some kind of exercise in your life at least three times a week.

As for food, be wary of limiting yourself too much. Try to keep a certain target for calories, maybe consult a doctor or whomever teaches health classes at your school. Try to stay within a set group of calories and don't kill yourself if you go a little over. Eat smaller and frequent meals, and avoid junk. It's not a big deal if you have a candy bar or something once or twice a week either. Little things like that do not hurt a person, just as long as you don't eat several a day or anything like that. Best thing is to limit junk really. Eat good carbohyrdates like rice, barley and potatoes. Avoid bad ones like sugar etc. Anything whole wheat is usually pretty good. Whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread etc. Meat is ok, as long as it isn't fried or anything. Chicken is lean. Lots of pork and beef cuts are pretty lean too. Eating a lot of vegetables is the best thing you can do, they are extremely healthy and low calorie. Mix in some fruit here and there and you should be good.

That is all what I am doing now that I realized I cannot gimmick my way back into shape. I just need to be smart and eat what I know is good for me. Avoid the junk. Sugar, fast foods etc. And add in a little exercise to boot. You are a beautiful young woman though. Just look at it as a health thing and a lifestyle change and you'll be perfectly fine. Good luck! :)

[LisaLynne]

41. Sweetie, you're beautiful.

Don't fall for the mass media hype. Read "The Beauty Myth" or "Fat is a Feminist Issue" if you haven't already. Dieting will control your life and make you feel bad about yourself. You have so much to offer -- don't use your energy trying to appease some arbitrary standard. Learn about nutrition, make a few changes, but please fight against falling into the "diet mentality". It will never leave you and you'll spend a lot of time berating yourself when what you should be doing is celebrating you and those around you. It's hard because women are taught at a very early age that all we have to offer is our looks and our looks can only be good if we are tall, blonde, and skinny. But, that's just not true. The media and corporate American makes TONS of MONEY off of making us feel inadequate. We have to change that.

Okay, rant over.

[Feron]

42. Do it for yourself and for your health...

because that is what is important, not vanity. An unhappy fat person will just become an unhappy slim person. And everyone's body is different. I have hips which means that no matter how slim I get, I will never be in the single digit sizes. It's simply impossible to get below a size 12 short of completely altering my skeleton. Unfortunately I spent many years beating myself up trying to do the impossible and trying to fight my body.

First off, definitely go see a doctor. There may be an underlying condition that may contribute to your gain or that may complicate exercise.

Just keep in mind that things don't happen overnight. It's taken me one year and five months so far in my weight loss. I started at a size 22 and I'm almost a 14 right now. My goal is a 14 so I'm nearly done.

More importantly, I am healthier than I have ever been in my life. I started out on the treadmill only able to walk 15 minutes and I had to rest twice in order to complete that. Now, I can't wait for my foot injuries to heal so that I can resume running. If I can get my unathletic arse into gear, so can anyone. However, you don't have to run in order to lose weight. Any activity that ups your heartrate will work, but make sure to up the intensity when it gets to be too easy. When walking on a treadmill, I would up the incline for example.

As for diet, choose something you can stick to for life. What worked for me was to slowly work in the good food so that I eventually ate more good things than bad. My junk most days is one can of soda with dinner and a small dessert afterwards. Obviously only eat when you are truly hungry and then only eat until satisfied. Many times I think I am hungry, but in reality I'm just bored.

Finally, keep in mind that photographs are a distorted view of reality. My completely toned SIL looks flabby in pictures. So you can imagine how I look. :P In short, learn to love yourself rather than beating yourself up over a photo. And please don't compare yourself to other people.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

43. Ride a bike. Go swimming. Play some sports.

Enjoy your summer break!

:thumbsup:

[khashka]

44. If you feel uncomfortable, then

simply eating moderately and exercizing. If you choose that route, make sure you have balanced nutrition!

On the other hand, your body is well proportioned. Not really "fat". You're a big girl, but many girls are. So what? Everyone has a different point at which they feel comfortable in their body!

Don't buy into the stupid "skinny girl" syndrome. You're too smart for that. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes... and you're beautiful!

Khash.

[Taverner]

45. South Beach Diet all the way

Trust me, it's the only diet that works, and you can live with afterwards.

Basically you eliminate bad fats and bad carbs, and replace them with good fats and good carbs. Combined with excersize 3-5 days a week and you'll be in a size 6 by fall time for school.

Thing is - you need to eat fat to lose it. Just not a lot, and not the bad kind. You need to balance your polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and eat those instead of saturated and trans fats.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

46. I think someone needs to stop that ridiculous talk.

:grr:

:hug: