Ask Me Help Desk - I'm 17 and overweight.

So I am 17, I am 5'5" and I weigh 200 pounds.
My mom is a doctor and I have talked to her and some of her colleagues and they don't think it is a thyroid problem or anything like that. Although at one point mom tested me to make sure because I had similar symptoms but everything came back fine.
It's weird when I was little I had a high metabolism. I ate like thirds at every meal and my ribs still showed. Then one day about 6th or 7th grade I just started gaining weight.
The problem is I will start to diet and exercise and do well and then after a month or two I don't really see results anymore and I give up. I don't want to take any diet pills because I don't really think they are safe, even ones that seem fine now I worry may have long term results. Plus mom would flip out.
My mom is very supportive in my goal to lose weight because she is worried about health problems I could get from being over weight. So that is good.
I was wondering if anyone has any tips. Things you think have helped you?
A favorite routine? A favorite dvd? A favorite piece of exercise equipment? Etc...
Foods you have liked? Pretty much any tips are appreciated... just no diet pills.

Keep a food diary to see where you may be picking up extra calories. A month would be great but keeping one for two weeks can show you some trends in your eating. Write down everything you put in your mouth even if it's one piece of peppermint candy. When I did it I also kept track of how many calories were in everything I ate. I used the numbers off the food containers for most things. Other items like apples, steak, etc. I used a nutrition book to estimate how many calories I was consuming. One thing I found out was I would eat and not even realize I was putting stuff in my mouth. I would be cooking dinner and snacking on something unrelated to what I was cooking--usually candy. The little things add up quickly and my food diary showed me how easy it was to consume 3500+ calories in a day without realizing it.

You don't need a diet you need to alter your lifestyle and with your mom's support you can do that. I get bored with routines quickly so I switch my exercise up a lot, rollerblading, running, walking, bike riding, swimming, chopping wood, elliptical machines, rowing machines, weight lifting machines, pilates, spinning... you name it I've switched to it. One of my favorite videos is one by Scott Helvenston, it's a Navy SEAL training tape and it's TOUGH. Just doing it enough times to be able to get through the whole thing will get you in shape. His stuff is based on very simple moves and it will wear you out!

Variety is good for your body and it's easy to exercise... just get out and walk if nothing else. Have any neighbors with dogs? See if you can make a little extra money walking them for an hour a day, now you're getting PAID to exercise.

Schedule exercise into your day, make appointments with yourself or find an exercise buddy. I found that meeting someone to exercise made me go because they were depending on me. Pick someone who won't let you slide on days you just don't feel like working out. Maybe your mom or one of her colleagues would agree to be exercise buddies.

Work on choosing nutritious snacks and meals and controlling portion sizes. You don't have to starve yourself but you don't need to eat the entire bag of potato chips either.

Personally I love plain white bread--processed bread. Aunt Millies makes a light potato bread that has the same texture and flavor as boring white bread but only 35 calories per slice. I can make a deli turkey sandwich with mustard that fills me up for about 100 calories. I find it fun to keep track of how many calories I'm consuming. I try to stay between 2,000 and 2,500... it's not as easy as you think!

Good luck!
Ber

Oh mom would love to be exercise buddies... sadly she is aana over achiever. So the thing is she doesn't like going and walking a mile. She wants to walk like 4 or 5. I like walking but I am so ADD I get bored easily and so mom and I usually argue if we exercise together.

The dog thing made me smile. We have 8 dogs of our own. If I lived in a closer neighborhood it would be a good idea... but my road can be kind of dangerous to walk on, and most of the people around here have outdoor dogs that just roam around on their own.

One of my friends is planning on starting to work out with me, but she can't this semester so I am on my own until partway through January.

Is this the dvd you were talking about? Scott Helvenston's Navy SEAL Training Camp Series DVD | Fitness | Fitness DVDs

I was thinking about getting a cardio twister or something I can do at home. I would do other things too of course.

I will most def start a food journal I have a blank journal in my room that would be perfect for it.

Thanks for the advice... Anyone else have ideas?

Well, miss lady, you're talking about something that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

Join a gym. If you have an iPod, fill it to the brim and bring it. It's inspiring to see so many goal oriented people working out. You'll find a mix of people there. Some will be fit, but there will be others with the same goals as yours. Get inspired. A personal trainer isn't cheap, but having one would make it easier for you. Whether you enjoy it at first or not, leaving out exercise isn't really an option. You just have to do it.

I happen to love yoga. You stretch, you breathe, you don't really sweat, and all of a sudden you find that your body is building muscle, looking longer and getting leaner. It's like magic.

Many gyms also offer aerobic classes. They might be tough, but they're fun. I can assure you that you won't be the only one there trying to get in shape.

I honestly do not believe in diets. There are some things I really do believe in, though. You need to reevaluate the way you look at food, eating and nutrition.

Force yourself to drink a lot of water. I'm not good at remembering to drink from a bottle all day long, so when I pass through the kitchen, I drink a couple of glasses of water at a time. You need at least 8 glasses a day. Many times you can think you're hungry when you're really just thirsty.

Don't starve yourself. It won't help, and it will probably make you rebound into things that aren't good for you.

You do need fat in your diet. The key is eating things with good fats. If you don't eat fat, your body will crave it. I base most of my fats on high quality extra virgin olive oil. It's delicious, and it's incredibly good for you. Leave the butter behind.

Don't eat pre-packaged foods, even if you think they're okay because they're dietetic. I think they're what make people keep weight on their bodies. If you have a Whole Foods (or something like it) near you, you'll be able to find an absolute treasure trove of delicious whole foods that are also great for you.

Do eat at mealtimes. Make a plate at stick to whatever is on it. Plan your meals ahead of time, and look forward to them. Enjoy what you're eating, and think of it as a fuel source. Know what your body needs in a day, and make a game out of meeting the basic requirements.

If you know you've been good but you're not seeing a big change on the scale, measure yourself with a measuring tape. You can lose inches without seeing a dramatic change in weight. Your weight loss will catch up as long as you keep doing the right things.

Reevaluate what you consider to be hunger or fullness. Your mind can play tricks on you when you're overweight. To really turn yourself around, you're going to have to deal with some chemical changes in your body that can feel uncomfortable. Just ride through them. You won't die from it. Once your body gets into the right rhythms, you're going to feel much better in general.

No one needs to eat as much food as most restaurants give you. Pick something healthy from the menu, and eat a reasonable portion of it. Restaurant portions are not human portions. I think they're made for dinosaurs. Don't snack on the bread basket before your meal comes. It's just a filler. Wait for your meal, which should be much more interesting anyway.

Personally, I'm not into the no carbs idea. I live in italy, and everyone here eats pasta. Most people here are really lean. You just have to understand what a real portion size is supposed to be. The best carbs come from grains and beans. They're not always the popular choice, but they're really delicious.

Learn to cook! When you understand how food is made, you'll have a much better idea of what you're taking in. it's also fun and a useful skill to have in life.

I love green tea or a full lemon squeezed into a glass of water for detoxing. It's good for flushing a little extra salt and fat out of your system.

You might want to find some clothes that you know you want to fit into. Work to get into them. If you have a friend or another family member who needs to lose weight, try working with them. Be a team and support each other.

There are some don'ts. Don't eat late at night and sleep on a full stomach. It will make you feel full in the morning, which will mess with your eating for the day. Don't snack in front of the TV. Do something else with your hands. Don't hide food in your room. If you fall off track, don't beat yourself up. Just get back on it.

Bottled salad dressings are almost always a trap. They're usually very fattening, and they're full of fake things. The fat free kinds are chemical bombs. Ask your mom to teach you how to make salad dressings at home. It's really very easy, and once you get used to them, you won't miss the old ones.

Sodas and fast food just aren't good for you. Leave them in the dust. Watch out for extra sugar intake, and stray from any serious candy habits. If you're craving chocolate, keep a little dark chocolate in the house and have a square of it. A little chocolate can be good for you.

I will eat whatever I want, but I just don't want things that aren't good for me. They don't make me feel good, so I don't eat them. I don't like the taste of chemical foods. I grew up like most north americans do, thinking that packaged foods are fine. Now you won't get me near one. I think they taste awful.

It's not fair, and it's not right, but you'll have more options with boys and jobs if you're in shape. It sucks, but it's true. Your weight is not who you are, but there are a lot of people out there who won't give you as much of a chance to prove yourself. Go and blow them all out of the water. Stay positive. Be patient. Hang in there. Make this about believing in yourself and being able to accomplish anything you set your heart and mind into. Make healthy changes and feel good about yourself for doing them.

I wish you lots of luck! If you need to stay inspired, keep posting. We'll support you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlightlyBroken

Oh mom would love to be exercise buddies... sadly she is aana over achiever. So the thing is she doesnt like going and walking a mile. She wants to walk like 4 or 5. I like walking but I am so ADD I get bored easily and so mom and I usually argue if we exercise together.

There's no reason you can't do a 1 mile loop and she can continue with however long she wants her workout to be. Add some different exercises to the walk to alleviate boredom, spend 5 minutes walking then 2 minutes walking backward--it's hard to argue when you're trying to avoid falling on your head :D Skipping is another thing I like to toss in a walking mix--want to look ridiculous, do 2 minute skipping cycles while walking on a treadmill in a gym full of people :p Sometimes its fun to appear insane! I also add something called a "basketball defensive slide" into my walks. I don't know how to explain it very well but the "defensive slide" video on this site demonstrates it pretty good. Instead of going back and forth you can turn around and lead with the other foot to continue moving in a straight line. I usually do two slides with right foot leading then turn and do two with left foot leading then turn back and lead with right foot. I continue that for 2 minutes then go back to normal walking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlightlyBroken

The dog thing made me smile. We have 8 dogs of our own. If I lived in a closer neighborhood it would be a good idea... but my road can be kinda dangerous to walk on, and most of the people around here have outdoor dogs that just roam around on their own.

Do you roller blade? I take my dog out roller blading with me, she gets exercise and so do I. She won't pull me either, I've tried. I use one of the retractable leashes and put her in a harness so she can run ahead of me. If I stop skating and she feels tension on the harness she starts slowing down and looking over her shoulder at me like "I'm NOT doing all the work." You want to make sure your dog will listen to commands in case a squirrel or something runs across their path. I didn't do any special training with my dog, I just took her out and started roller blading. She loves to run and she figured out what I wanted pretty fast.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlightlyBroken

One of my friends is planning on starting to work out with me, but she can't this semester so I am on my own until partway through January.

Is this the dvd you were talking about? Scott Helvenston's Navy SEAL Training Camp Series DVD | Fitness | Fitness DVDs

That's the DVD! I also have an older VHS Aerobic tape that he made, I haven't seen that one on sale in a long time though. It's the only aerobic video I've ever seen where the guy doing the intermediate version of the exercises looks like he's wishing the workout was over 3/4 through the video. LOL! You could get the DVD and start working with it until your friend can work out with you. It will definitely give you a good head start on getting in shape. Don't try to do the whole thing at first, set a goal of getting through 10 minutes of it the first couple times then work your way up to completing a whole workout. Make sure you spend some time stretching after you do any workout so you're not too sore to move the next day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlightlyBroken

I was thinking about getting a cardio twister or something I can do at home. I would do other things too of course.

A variety of things to do is what will help you avoid hating your workout. I've been thinking about getting a pogo stick, I had one when I was little and it was SO much fun to bounce around! I saw they are making them big enough for adults now YAY! I'd also love a trampoline but don't have room for one. I love bouncing I guess :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlightlyBroken

I will most def start a food journal I have a blank journal in my room that would be perfect for it.

Thanks for the advice... Anyone else have ideas?

You may be surprised what you find once you start writing down what you eat. You can also keep an exercise journal, write down not only what you did but how you felt or even what you saw. Make it a little story of your life ;)

Good luck!
Ber

Concerning dvds, I always recommend what I've found useful... may not be interesting to you. Maybe it will.

Love billy blanks tae bo. We have a few sets and it really can get into your back, hips, arms, etc... and often you can buy a 3 or 4 dvd pack so you can vary the dvd from day to day. You can change the intensity of the workout by using some small hand weights, such as 2lb dumbbells, and it's a fast enough pace that it keeps your mind busy. I'm a fan of blanks. I use his stuff about every other day.

You can often find a tae bo set at target or walmart, etc... or online. For ex...

I have three sets I use regularly, and others I don't so much.

The first one is a big time favorite because there are 4 dvds, there's a schedule plan for how to do the workouts (what dvds done when), and they vary in intensity and length. If I want a short workout, I might do jump start cardio... the easiest one in work and the shortest at 35 min. others are longer. Usually 55-ish minutes, and the intensity is harder.

The great thing about his vids are it works muscles in a very different way... when doing a move of his you can modify it with weights to make it harder... or do it half time (slower) until you can match his pace. Sometimes his footwork I think is too fast... so you can step in place instead of moving around as much as he does. Its all up to you and all easy to modify. The thing you must do is stick with the program. If you quit for a few weeks, you'll be back to zero.

Here's a link to tae bo amped. This package comes with the dvds I mentioned, and a weighted bar... which you won't use at first, but can use later. Personally, I don't use it anymore. The locking mechanism doesn't work as well as it should, and I like to use dumbbells (2lb or 5lb) and a bigger, static bar for other moves.
Amazon.com: Billy Blanks Taebo Tae Bo Amped W/ Amplifier. USUALLY SHIPS WITHIN 1 BUSINESS DAY: Health & Personal Care
Consisting of jump start cardio, fat burn accelerator, full throttle, core express, and live in la dvds.

So id first suggest that amped series. You just get a potentially big workout later on when you get stronger and choose to add weighted resistance, and you can cut it back on the front side to get your body moving right.

The next one id mention is a 2 dvd set, 3 workout series... its also part of the "amped" series, it has rockin abs, rockin buns, and sculpt express. Ill give you a link, but I wouldn't suggest these to start. You can break your butt with these.
Amazon.com: Tae Bo: Amped Rock N Sculpt (2pc): Billy Blanks: Movies & TV

If you don't want to buy a set, and I think its good to have a mixed set for variety, you can probably find an individual dvd online also...

Also, check out your local public library. You can get free rental on whatever workout vids they have, which is a good way to try something out without spending cash and then regretting the purchase.

Linnea mentioned yoga. Ill add to that and also mention pilates. You wouldn't think that holding poses, focusing on proper breathing, form, and muscle engagement would do so much... but it does.

The series we use is Stott Pilates. The following link is a good starter dvd. I don't do all of this all the time... it's a little slow paced for my liking, but I do use several of the moves shown here, and this dvd helps you learn proper form, which is critical to avoid injury and to get the most out of your workout.
Amazon.com: STOTT PILATES: The Secret To Flat Abs: Moira, Wayne Moss: Movies & TV

For pilates its really best to have a mat. You can get one for 25-40 bucks. It really does help you maintain traction in positions, and id get a premium/deluxe/thicker mat. Or you can work in your shoes if you just want to try it out with a rented dvd.

Which also brings me to rental dvd stores. I honestly haven't looked here for stuff... but you might try it. Again, good way to try something before you buy it.

Dvds are a really important part of my workouts. They are available, convenient, easy to use... etc.

Thanks for all the advice. I just had a bad experience Wednesday and have been practically eating my sorrows. So I am going to have to get back on track. I will use all these tips. Thank you!

According to the height and weight chart you should weigh an average 136pounds or maximum 156 according to your height and gender.

So work on all the advice written above.you have a 40pounds target to lose..

All the best.
Stay healthy

I understand how you feel I was the same way lol I had a high metabolism too but when I started high school it all changed. That was because even though I exercise 4-7 times a week and dieting nothing would work. The reason being the less you eat and the more you exercise the more nutrients you use and the more nutrients your body wants. If you change your diet your body will go into what us nutritionists call "starvation mode" and your body will hold all the fat and nutrients it has left and lets you body use a lot less because its scared you are not getting enough nutrients. Even if you exercise more you will not lose the fat because your body won't let you use the little nutrients it has left. If you want to lose weight, do what I did and take some dietary supplements as well as your multivitamins. I tried many dietary supplements and spent over $2000 at GNC and nothing would work but my friend introduced me to this product called Transitions Lifestyle CLA and it HELPED SO MUCH! It helps you distribute your fat to fat-burning muscles so not only do you lose weight you LOOK MORE LEAN while you lose weight instead of that flabby look you see some people get. Not only that, it also helps KEEP THE FAT OFF so I could eat as much as I want and not worry about getting fat all over again =] I still take it to this day. I got it from his website www.marketamerica.com/paid2save I tried other CLA's like the ones from GNC but they did nothing to help me lose weight, I actually gained more. But the Transitions Lifestyle CLA was simply a miracle I don't even hafto work out 4-7 times a week like I used to, I only work out once a week now =D. I also buy Isotonix Multivitamin from the same website because I can't take a multivitamin pill. And not only does it give my body nutrients, the vitamins will tighten up your skin as well! Give it a try, you will not regret it, I promise!