Originally Posted by
tkdgal
I am 5'6", and I weigh 116 pounds. Is this considered overweight, because I feel like it! My stomach isn't flat!!!!! :( I am 15 years old.
At 5'6" and 116 pounds, you are slightly under the ideal weight range for a female of your height (the weight range being 120 - 160 lbs). Because you are a teen and are still maturing into your adult body, you are likely at a very healthy weight right now even though slightly underweight, if you go by the charts. Another way to gauge the healthiness of your weight is by knowing your Body Mass Index, or BMI. Your BMI is 18.7 which is on the slender edge of the normal range (normal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9). No one has a perfectly flat stomach, and women are supposed to have what is called a scaphoid, or curved abdomen. I can assure you that you are supposed to have a little bit of a curve there...it is healthy and normal and attractive! Appreciate your body while you are young and it is in peak condition...I would suggest just to make sure that you eat healthfully, indulge once in a while when you have a craving (I find that sticking to my healthy diet during the week and then allowing myself whatever I want on the weekends works best for me), and exercise several times a week. With a slender frame you may make an excellent runner. I also find spinning and yoga to be a lot of fun. If you don't work out regularly now, don't give up in the first few weeks! It will be hard at first, but you will be surprised at how quickly you begin to gain strength and endurance and a feeling of accomplishment.
If you are 5'6" and 116 lbs... that is a blessing! If you think you are fat, you probably have a distorted body image and may need to talk to someone... a personal trainer at a local gym may help you in the right direction or your guidance counselor at school. If you start healthy routines now, you can't go wrong later in life.
