i need some help with my weight...

[littlespree123]

hi guys...im a 15 yr old female and i have been training in tae kwon do for at least 5 yrs...my problem is that i need to start losin some weight so i can become the best i can be...currently i weigh 124 and im only 4"11. so yes i'm a chubby lil one. i just got my 1st degree in june and i really wanna show people wat i can do cuz im becomin that age where i dont need permission to go everywhere...like tourns and stuff...so please if anyone has any workouts or anything that works for them please say...

 

[Tkang_TKD]

What are your eating habits like? Do you eat often, or only like one time per day? Also, could you tell us a bit about your current level of fitness (I.E. how often you train, and what else you do besides TKD to work out). I might be able to help you from there

 

[jfarnsworth]

Cardio. That's the best thing to do. I'm assuming though that your TKD class you get a good work out with a lot of sweat? Get on the cross country team, then the track team. This will make sure you get plenty of running in. If you have access to a treadmill or elliptical machine that'll help. Stair masters are always good as well. Maybe try running on your own and when you come back home bike 6 - 10 miles immediately after as hard as you can. Just some thoughts.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Hi little spree

I don't practice TKD, but I *do* have the experience of being an adolescent female, and I have weight issues, so I can give you a little advice. First - don't be too hard on yourself right now. People often go through periods of weight gain, and then growth, at your age. Especially young women - it's very variable. Don't starve yourself, whatever you do - the nutrition you get now can affect your health much later in life, including childbearing (if that's something you want to do later), bone density, and other things. So starving - is right out!

What I recommend: eat many small meals throughout the day. Try to eat only when you hear your body tell you it's hungry - not because you are stressed or bored or tired. If you aren't taking class or working out some days, just take a walk after dinner. It's a nice habit, and it will help keep your metabolism going on slow days. Also, drink lots of water - it really does help "flush out the system", and washes out some toxins. If you do drink a lot of water, make sure you are getting enough potassium - it's water-soluble, so you might start to get tired or muscle cramps - in which case, eat a banana and see if that helps.

Otherwise, don't stress too much about it - and enjoy your TKD! I'm glad you've stuck with it for so long.

 

[Kenpodoc]

hi guys...im a 15 yr old female and i have been training in tae kwon do for at least 5 yrs...my problem is that i need to start losin some weight so i can become the best i can be...currently i weigh 124 and im only 4"11. so yes i'm a chubby lil one. i just got my 1st degree in june and i really wanna show people wat i can do cuz im becomin that age where i dont need permission to go everywhere...like tourns and stuff...so please if anyone has any workouts or anything that works for them please say...

First you need to work on your self perception. 125 is not chubby it's not skinny but still in the normal weight category.

Second, Eat less to lose weight, exercise to keep it off. Remember that there is normal variation in body types. I frequently meet people who are a healthy weight but because they are not mesomorphs (I hate that word) they are uncomfortable with their current weight.

Third, Read Feisty Mouse's advice above. It's good solid advice. (I think water is pushed too much, I'm not sure what "toxins" people are flushing out.)

Respectfully,

Jeff, MD

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Hey Jeff - thanks for the props (as they say). It was my impression that drinking enough water - especially after exercise or a massage - will help "flush" the body of various chemicals it's holding on to. It that baloney? Pushing the water helped me start to see a change in my weight - but I don't think I drink enough water during the day unless I really think about it. I was kind of a camel that way!

 

[Kenpodoc]

Hey Jeff - thanks for the props (as they say). It was my impression that drinking enough water - especially after exercise or a massage - will help "flush" the body of various chemicals it's holding on to. It that baloney? Pushing the water helped me start to see a change in my weight - but I don't think I drink enough water during the day unless I really think about it. I was kind of a camel that way!

I have nothing against the water, I just think that it is over emphasized. My massage therapist agrees that pushing water will help get rid of toxins. I'm just not sure what that means and suspect it is part of our modern mythology. I expect to get a lot of guff for disagreeing with one of our sacred notions. Most people lose weight when they start to pay attention to what they eat and drink. personally I drink a lot of the minute maid diet fruit drinks, I think they taste good and they have very few calories.

Personally, I rely on my kidney's to adjust my fluids. They are much more sensitive to my bodies needs. They concentrate the urine when I drink less and send me to the BR more when I drink more. I have no problem with water, but I feel that it is reaching a mystical religious like support here in Ohio. My patients appolgize to me and feel guilty if they think their not drinking enough. Worse they think that just drinking more water will solve their life's problems. I find that moderation in diet, exercize and a supportive social life seem to work far better. Our bodies are amazing. They resist toxins well and work well with a wide variety of dietary and social activities. Our bodies do a far better job of adjusting to our needs than many of the health scolds give them credit. Trust your own instincts.

Thanks,

Jeff :uhyeah:

 

[TigerWoman]

Hi, Feisty and KenpoDoc gave you good advice, I'll third that. My daughter was about your height at 15 always working on exercising more to lose. That, I kept telling her doesn't work and it didn't. (she was in TKD-lst Dan now) Finally she stopped drinking pop, eating cookies, candy, ice cream, chips, crackers. (never ate fast food) Instead she ate smaller portions of other foods, fruit, yogurt occasionally for snacks, etc. and then she really did lose weight (think she was really doing it for her boyfriend but...).

Eat whole grain carbs, like oat cereal, occasional scrambled eggs, cut back on fats. Good fats-olive oil, canola oil, occasional peanut butter in celery, walnuts, skim milk, low fat cheese-remember small portions. Meat- chicken, fish, low fat beef-sauteed, grilled, baked, grilled, not fried. Potatoes- not so much, rice, coucous, macaroni products-not so much, wheat bread, multivitamin.

Salads for lunch are great. If your high school offers them and they have meat, maybe some cheese, good veggies, these are great. You do need some wheat crackers, or yogurt with this though for carbs. Use low cal dressing. Eat broccoli, green beans, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, green, and colored peppers, mushrooms, onions, some corn, some carrots, cucumbers,celery, eggplant. Ask your mom, if she likes to cook. Otherwise, alot of these can be eaten raw in a low cal dip.

A small treat is ok but only once a day. But limit your calories, fat and sugar. Read the labels. For that matter, sugar in food causes fat. Like Jello with marshmallows in it. A lot of prepared foods (packaged) have hidden sugars. French fries are the worst, high carb and fried in bad oils. Not any of this is set in stone, its just to give you a guideline. Discuss this with your Mom and she can help you.

PS. I think a good amount of water like 8 cups a day are important. But I use big glasses 12-16 oz so one glass is a fourth of the water I need. So 8 oz is better unless you have just exercised. I drink tons. Its also good to drink a cup of water a hour before class too, especially in this weather.

Eating right is a lifestyle not a diet to lose weight but if you are careful your body will shed pounds. Choose well. TW

 

[MA-Caver]

I'll just throw in my two bits...

1. eat healthier and more salads with protien
2. RUN... start walking if you're not used to running yet then build up to running this will help out alot... also builds endurance.

dieting without excercise is the (IMO) number one reason why diets don't work... I've seen so many of my friends try this diet and that diet and they don't excercise dispite my exhortation that they should...

My job gives me all the excercise (lifting, walking, etc.) that I need along with my weekend excursions to caves (which some are a total arobic work out) and hiking mountains and canyons to get to them...while carrying anywhere between 20 to 35 pound packs to and from.
I think that's enough excercise for me

 

[bignick]

being overweight doesn't necessarily mean you're unhealthy...it's all about proportions...but obviously if you're not happy with your weight than you should take steps to change...people have given better advice than i could about how to lose it...(as the name implies...i'm kinda in the same situation as you)...but i just wanted to let you know to be confident in yourself and make sure you're making this change for the right reasons...and it's done in a healthy fasion...and wish you good luck...

 

[TX_BB]

Try looking at programs aimed at female body builders for base knoweledge. Nutrition, strength and endurance information will be areas that you can concentrate on. Don't place too much concern on your weight as long as you are eating well. When and if, you get into the super-competitve stage you'll have to work with a trainer, coach , doctor and your parents on where your weight needs to be.

 

[CanuckMA]

Water is helpful in that it can fill the stomach with zero-calory content and remove the hunger feeling. As you start to reduce your caloric intake, you need to slowly adjust the amount of 'stuff' you put in your stomach. You need to 'train' your stomach to expect less amount. Water is a good filler.

 

[Baytor]

The simplified version for me is: Eat less, move more.

With that said, Feisty touched on a very important issue...don't starve yourself. First there are the health issues associated with that. Second, when a body is starved, it makes healthy weight loss more difficult because it trys to hang on to the calories even more. I don't remember all the specifics, but I dated a girl with an eating disorder a few years back, so I learned all about it back then.

As far as the water things goes...most people are actually dehydrated and don't know it. By drinking more water, the body runs more efficiently, and loses weight easier. At least, that's what my nutritionist told me.

A big thing is drinking soda pop. It's a source of major calories, plus often caffine, so it dehydrates you. If you're gonna drink it, drink diet.

Just my 2cents. Good luck, stay healthy.

 

[Marginal]

Hey Jeff - thanks for the props (as they say). It was my impression that drinking enough water - especially after exercise or a massage - will help "flush" the body of various chemicals it's holding on to. It that baloney? Pushing the water helped me start to see a change in my weight - but I don't think I drink enough water during the day unless I really think about it. I was kind of a camel that way!

Dunno about toxins (way too vague a term IMO) but at the very least keeping yourself hydrated has one instantly noticeable advantage. It helps dillute your sweat, which really helps when it starts runing into your eyes during sparring.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Second, when a body is starved, it makes healthy weight loss more difficult because it trys to hang on to the calories even more. I don't remember all the specifics, but I dated a girl with an eating disorder a few years back, so I learned all about it back then.

Having a number of friends in college who were anorexic or anorexic/buleimic, I'm also familiar with the problems associated with starvation. One friend suffered a stress fracture... in her pelvis... because of her starvation and malnutrition. She walked with a cane for a year or two. While she was trying to stay on a varsity-level sports team, working out at least 3 hours/day. She had to quit that after a while. She used to have about 8 cups of hot water for lunch. No tea or coffee.

Aside from the fact that it destroys your body (I think she finally started to think about it at all when I mentioned that at a certain point the starving body starts to digest its own heart tissue - I did a lot of reading about EDs), it also alters your mental state as to how you look.

Anyways, this is more of a rank and a thread gank. But it's a problem facing young women - and young men (met an anorexic guy in college who was on the varsity soccer team, too) - today who want to look or feel a certain way. It worries me. Fortunately, I haven't yet met anyone through MA who suffers an ED. It's kind of hard to take falls or kick butt when you are passing out from hunger.

 

[KajuMom]

I will echo what a couple others have said regarding eating habits. If you are moderately to very active and still can't lose weight, you probably need to take a close look at your diet.

I have been very active my entire life: soccer, marathons, mountain biking. I never lost an pound of weight, even while training for a marathon (up to 50 miles of running/week), until I changed my eating habits.

After I had my first child, I was left with an extra stubborn 15-20 lbs. I could not lose by exercise alone (see above regimen). After 3 years of running and mountain biking, post partum, I joined Weight Watchers in desperation. I'm not necessarily recommending WW for anyone who wants to lose a little weight, but it was the first time in my entire life that I paid attention to the quality and amount of food I was eating.

I continued my normal exercise routine (very high at the time--hours of mountain biking per week) and followed the WW program, which allows more food when you do more exercise. I gradually lost weight until I was a little below my pre-pregnancy weight. I've kept all but about 5 pounds off. That was 6 years ago.

WW forced me to look at what was in the food I was eating (fat, fiber, calories) and also how much I was eating. My idea of a single serving was a lot more than WWs idea of a single serving size! I realized that many of the calories I was consuming were just "empty" or "junk" calories that provided no nutritional value for my body. So not only did I lose weight, I began to care about what I ate.

Again, I don't think you necessarily need to attend WW meetings to lose weight. I think WW offers a healthy program for weight loss. But just be conscious of the kinds of food that you eat. Even 3 Oreos a day can make a difference between staying the same (not gaining) and losing weight.

Now that I'm at an ideal weight, I find that eating at night is my biggest weight maintenance challenge. If I can refrain from eating after 7 PM, I do much better at maintenance.

Good luck to you!

 

[Feisty Mouse]

I've heard a lot of good things about Weight Watchers - 3 women in town here, and several friends out of town, used it and it worked for them. Most didn't care for the group sessions necessarily, but liked the system.

 

[Enson]

i know what it feels like to be a chubby teenager. i would defenitly get myself in some sort of activity. your body might be holding on to those extra pounds because you don't eat enough of the right foods so it needs to store that energy. drink lots of water and if you can... swim.
i used to run constanlty... it works but now i pay the price for it on my knees. running is good but when you are younger you don't seem to pay attention to your body like you should.
low carb lifestyle has worked for me lately. not atkins but watching the carb intake. i cut out most of my bread and cereal foods. if i have to eat those things i take some carb inhibitors called "carb intercept". they seem to work well.
good luck
peace

 

[hardheadjarhead]

I think water is pushed too much, I'm not sure what "toxins" people are flushing out.

Excess sodium? I think that's how some people notice a drop in weight when they pound down water. They flush out salts and get rid of bloat.

Eating less is good advice...but eating well is another thing to keep in mind. We all pretty much know what a nutritious and healthy diet is...five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, cut down on saturated fats and sweets, etc. Few of us make it a lifestyle, though.

Weight Watchers IS effective, if you like it and you're committed to it. I know several women who have lost weight on it and who love it. Its nothing more than a food management program...and a pretty good one. It denies a person nothing. You can eat chocolate. You can eat ice cream. You have to count those "points" and make sure you don't overdo your daily total.

If you have a weak point...say peanut butter...you might allow yourself to eat it only on a designated junk day. If you find that food has the allure that a drink has for an alcoholic--then I'd suggest swearing it off completely. That can be hard to do. You have to be honest with yourself in assessing whether a food is addictive and then make a commitment to giving it up forever. Life doesn't become a gray dismal place without...say...Snicker's bars. When I quit drinking seventeen years ago I agonized about the idea of life without alchohol. Now I can't imagine life WITH alcohol. You get over it after some white knuckle days.

If one stops thinking of weight loss as a cosmetic issue and starts viewing it as more of a health issue, that might change one's attitude for the better. If we get anxious because we're "chubby", then we diet for the modification of other's perceptions of us. If we watch our diet because we want to be healthy...then we're doing it for ourselves.

And I agree...cardio is very important. One can lose a lot of weight merely by walking. In Denmark last spring my wife and I ate EVERYTHING in sight. Because we walked everywhere (the European way) I lost two pounds in ten days and she stayed at her normal weight. I just met a guy who spent six months in Italy...he lost thirty three pounds the same way. No dieting...just walking five to six miles a day. It works...unless you have excuses for not doing it.

Regards,


Steve

 

[bignick]

another problem in finding motivation to lose weight is what i face...there's nothing that my weight holds me back from doing...not even all them spinny jumpy kicks we like to do in tae kwon do sometimes...i can kick over my head without even stretching...the only time it really comes into play is endurance for sparring and other similar activities...i could care less about cosmetic issues since i don't have a HUGE(pun intended...reading to many of hardhead's posts) weight problem...but the health issue i can see down the road...but being "young and invincible", it's hard sometimes to motivate for that extra weight loss....i train at least 4-5 times a week...and last spring i figured i was training close to 20 hours a week...never seem to lose much or gain either...pretty sure it's the diet...i'm sure one day i'll wake up and realize i need to cut back...i've already cut way down on sweets...but living the college lifestyle...sometimes it seems impossible to eat healthy...