Extremely Overweight. Only 16 years old. Please come and help.

Ben · 03-05-2004, 07:13 AM

Hi.

My current stats are 5"6', and 240 pounds...

I've tried everything.

Working out (still today), going low on the carbs, and not eating fast foods etc...

But nothing seems to work.

I've become fed up with my body size and weight.

I'm considering about starving my self

do you think this would work?

thx alot guys

Akateros · 03-05-2004, 07:44 AM

Well, er, yes, it would. I can say that with confidence; it worked for me, at least as far as weight loss goes. It also messed me up severely, both physically and psychologically, and I do NOT recommend it.

What is your workout and eating schedule like now? Do you lift, do cardio, or both, and what? What exactly are you eating, how much and how often?

Don't give up hope yet! There are healthier ways to do it, and I am sure that the Voices of Experience here can help you out.

Vieope · 03-05-2004, 09:27 AM

You just have to drop the calories, eat clean and do some kind of "low impact" cardio. That is it.

**P-funk** · 03-05-2004, 09:35 AM

At 16yrs old I would say you are to young to be on a "diet" what you need to do is post a typical day of eating for you so that everyone can see what kind of food choices your are making. The important thing at your age is to realize how to make proper food choices and eat healthier. Also, post your workout schedule in the training forum so that people can give you better advice. Read the stickies at the top of the diet and nutrition forum also so that you can get educated on proper food choices.....help us help you.

Vieope · 03-05-2004, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by P-funk
At 16yrs old I would say you are to young to be on a "diet" what you need to do is post a typical day of eating for you so that everyone can see what kind of food choices your are making. .

Isn´t that a diet ?
Diet definition: limit the amount of food eaten.
P-funk can be so confuing sometimes.

**P-funk** · 03-05-2004, 09:53 AM

Where did I say he should limit his caloric intake? All I was saying is that he needs to work on making "proper" food choices. Right now caloric intake is irrelevant. People need to learn about what they are eating and why before they start worrying about caloric intake. In my opinion this is were you get a lot of rebound effect in diets. Also, if he switches the foods that he eats he will probably lean out right away.

Vieope · 03-05-2004, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by P-funk
Where did I say he should limit his caloric intake?

I said that.

Sometimes I forget that people are not like me.
Counting every calorie, weighting every food...

**P-funk** · 03-05-2004, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vieope
I said that.

Sometimes I forget that people are not like me.
Counting every calorie, weighting every food...

I weigh and count everything too

Vieope · 03-05-2004, 10:04 AM

It is good to know that I am not that crazy.

**P-funk** · 03-05-2004, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vieope
It is good to know that I am not that crazy.

No, you're fucking crazy. It's cool though, I am too

Vieope · 03-05-2004, 10:10 AM

There should be a name for this "disorder".

IronSlingah · 03-05-2004, 11:01 AM

If your working out and eating below ure caloric requirements then you WILL loose weight. It bothers me when people say "i work out and eat right and cant loose weight" because its a damm lie.

CourtQueen · 03-05-2004, 12:55 PM

Ben, do you drink pop?
If I offered you a tuna sandwich on wheat bread vs. a cheeseburger which one would you pick?
When you wake up in the morning what do you eat for breakfast? Do you drink OJ?

You need to post more specific information in order for others to point out things to help you with.

Akateros · 03-05-2004, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vieope
There should be a name for this "disorder".

There is.

Orthorexia.

Enjoy.

Ben · 03-07-2004, 02:43 AM

well

i eat any type of food, maccas hungry jacks, KFC etc

I usually drink coke but recnetnly i have been drinking water

would working out but eating anything do antyhing?

I work out about 2 times a week, but i dont do all that carb counts and all that
just eat whatever is there

thx guys

Akateros · 03-07-2004, 05:38 AM

Well, then, there you are. Working out without changing your eating habits is like putting on clean clothes without having a shower -- not gonna cut it.

Get rid of the fast food. Eat whole foods. Drink water or non-caloric beverages, NOT pop. (In one can of pop, you are talking the calories of a typical "small meal" round here, not to mention they are almost all from high-fructose corn syrup, which studies indicate promotes fat storage.) Eat small meals at regular intervals. While you may not want to get totally anal about counting calories, you WILL want to balance proteins and carbs, keep saturated and trans fats to a minimum, and use whole foods rather than processed as much as you can.

Also, you will probably want to increase your workouts from twice a week.

Read. Learn. Lots of good material here, and elsewhere round the Web. If you are serious about losing fat in a healthy way, you do need to do some work, my friend.

**P-funk** · 03-07-2004, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ben
well

i eat any type of food, maccas hungry jacks, KFC etc

I usually drink coke but recnetnly i have been drinking water

would working out but eating anything do antyhing?

I work out about 2 times a week, but i dont do all that carb counts and all that
just eat whatever is there

thx guys

I don't understand how can start a thread stating that you have "tried everything to lose weight" and then you make statments like this? You have some serious work to do if you want to make the progress you are looking for. Read the stickies and try and come up with a sample diet that you think would be acceptable and post it.

Vieope · 03-07-2004, 07:07 AM

Hey you..
"Put your hands away from the fast food!"

Eggs · 03-07-2004, 07:21 AM

Ben, I think that you can make alot of progress... but the most important thing right now for you is not lifting weights, but eating right.

As the guys said, stay away from fast foods, that stuff will kill you... literally. If you get the option, if your Mom is cooking for you, try to get stuff that is high in protein and not high in saturated fats. For example, instead of eating fried chicken, give chicken thats been cooked up on the grill a go. Try this with all your foods... if you want you can post more specifically what you are eating and we'll go through and say if its okay or not

And we can give you recommendations for what would be a good substitute.

As to soft drinks, I think these should always be a no... they are just terrible for you all around. Give water a try and stick to that for a while, your body will thank you for it.

The most important thing is to not give up and keep trying. Thats what weight lifting and being fit is all about anyways. Most of us here have been going at this for years and years, and results can often be slow in coming. But what we can accomplish and how we can feel about ourselves is worth every bit of effort we put into it.

Have you tried communicating with your parents about what you want to try to do and that you arent happy with yourself? If you can get them to be participative in your eating healthy then I think that would make things alot easier for you.

Also, on another note, how much time are you spending in front of the computer or TV each day? If its more than an hour or so you might want to pick up a hobby that gets you moving a bit and doesnt just encourage vegging out and perhaps snacking. Thats definitely a problem that many people in the US dont pay attention to.

Good luck on what you're doing though, if you're dedicated and put your all into it you can do nothing less than achieve your goals

165r · 03-07-2004, 09:14 AM

Ben, I agree with everyone here esp. P-Funk. I think he gave the best advice about dieting.
Change the way you eat, COKE ,bud I'm not as hardcore as these guys but I haven't had a Coke in years. That shit is nasty.
Diets are for old people who don't know how to eat properly.
Listen to the people on this board, most of them are smarter than some frigging chemists that I know.
I would say get in the gym, be confident, at least 3 days a week. Talk to a trainer if your gym offers one. They were made for people like you. Don't be embarrassed, don't give up.

Monolith · 03-07-2004, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by P-funk
Also, if he switches the foods that he eats he will probably lean out right away.

Very true. A lot of people who think they have slow metabolisms actually have pretty fast ones. It's just hidden from the 6k cals of fast food theyre eating every day.

I was pretty seriously overweight when i was 16, and without changing the frequency or size of my meals, just the quality of the food, i leaned out incredibly fast. It was only when i was still about 15-20lbs above goal that i had to add some cardio, etc.

kvyd · 03-07-2004, 10:56 AM

Yeah def cut the fast food. Just watch what you eat. If your goal is weight loss then just cut some calories and do cardio several days a week.... I dunno if this is true but ive recently heard calcium helps to prevent fat storing in the body.... If someone else has heard or has a site about it please show me... or tell if im wrong...

Ben just be committed youll see results.

Vieope · 03-07-2004, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kvyd
I dunno if this is true but ive recently heard calcium helps to prevent fat storing in the body....

True, but don´t expect a miracle.

Quote:

Weight-Loss Tip: Add Extra Calcium to a Low-Fat DietApril 17, 2000 -- Got milk? New research suggests you should if you want to lose weight. The study shows that calcium -- three or four daily servings of low-fat dairy products -- can help adjust your body's fat-burning machinery.

The key is low-fat dairy sources, says lead author Hang Shi, a postdoctoral student in the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. "High-fat dietary calcium can establish obesity, but it's surprising that low-fat calcium may help reduce body fat," Shi tells WebMD. "The effect is very significant, much more than we imagined it would be."

His paper on the effects of a high-calcium diet in increasing body fat loss was presented at the Experimental Biology 2000 meeting in San Diego.

"The magnitude of the findings was shocking," says Michael Zemel, PhD, director of the Nutrition Institute, who is Shi's co-author and doctoral supervisor.

In their past studies, Zemel and colleagues have shown that calcium stored in fat cells plays a crucial role in regulating how fat is stored and broken down by the body. It's thought that the more calcium there is in a fat cell, the more fat it will burn.

The researchers used mice bred to be obese in their current study. The mice were fed a special high-fat, high-sugar diet for six weeks. All had a 27% increase in body fat.

Some were then switched to a calorie-restricted diet. Of those, one group was given calcium supplements (calcium carbonate similar to Tums) and others were fed "medium" and "high" amounts of low-fat dry milk.

Body fat storage was markedly reduced by all three high-calcium diets, say the authors.

Those given calcium supplements had good results, when combined with the restricted-calorie diet. Mice getting their calcium via supplements had a 42% decrease in body fat, whereas mice eating without supplements had an 8% body fat loss.

However, calcium from dairy products produced the best results. Mice on the "medium-dairy" diet had a 60% decrease in body fat, while those on the "high-dairy" diet lost 69% body fat. Researchers also found very small increases in thermogenesis -- the body's core temperature -- which then enhances the effects of calcium gained through diet rather than calcium in supplement form, says Zemel.

"Calcium is no magic bullet. What the study says is that ... higher-calcium diets favor burning rather than storing fat. Calcium changes the efficiency of weight loss," Zemel tells WebMD.

The human body's metabolism makes weight loss difficult, he explains. "Many people who stick to a calorie-reduced diet don't lose weight as fast as they think they should. That's because they activate metabolic protection ... Their bodies sense starvation and hang on to energy -- fat -- more voraciously."

Too many dieters tend to immediately "jettison dairy foods from their diet, because they're just sure they're going to make them fat. In fact, they're shooting themselves in the foot, because they subject themselves to more empty-calorie sources. They would be better off if they would substitute high-fat dairy products with low-fat dairy," says Zemel.

Keeping in mind that the mouse study is preliminary, it is very well done and shows promise, Pamela Meyers, PhD, a clinical nutritionist and assistant professor at Kennesaw State University near Atlanta, tells WebMD. "But the calcium amounts the study suggests are effectively equal to what the USDA already recommends as a minimum for adults," she adds.

While nonfat dry milk was used in this study, few people buy that product, says Meyers. "Also, there are people who are lactose intolerant who can't consume dairy products. That's why we need to look at other food sources of calcium, [such as] ... dark leafy vegetables, salmon, mackerel, almonds, and oats. ... They also are very high in fiber, which helps in terms of weight management."

If using calcium supplements, it's important to choose those with added vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium, which help the body to better absorb calcium, says Meyers.

This study was supported in part by the National Dairy Council.

Vital Information:
According to a recent study in mice, a diet that includes low-fat dairy products can aid weight loss.
Researchers say this is because calcium stored in fat cells plays an important role in fat storage and breakdown.
Current recommendations encourage men to consume 1,000 mg to 1,200 mg of calcium per day and women to consume 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg daily.

Chris52686 · 03-07-2004, 05:53 PM

I used to be in the same situation as you, but worse. I was around 14 and weighed 220. I decreased calorie intake to around 2,000. I started to lift weights and run. I would do wither one of these every day of the week. I completly stopped eating fast food and drinking soda. I lost around 50 pounds doing this after the first year. My doctor said it was one of the most amazing changes he has seen. I went from not being able to run a mile to and recently just finishing my first marathon. Good luck to you, im sure you will accomplish your goal if you work hard for it.

bigss75 · 03-07-2004, 07:31 PM

That sounds like me back in the day. I would say do as much cardio as you can. find a activity that you would have fun doing where u run around like a basketball of paintbqall something like that. stay away all fried foods. i dont think that you should go on some hardcore diet right away but slow changes in lifestyle will drop the pounds and make then stay off

jaim91 · 03-08-2004, 04:50 PM

P-FUNK and Vieope: The whole weighing and counting thing, is that related to an eating disorder of some sort. Because I have had friends in the past who did the same thing, but they had anorexia....everything's cool right?

Vieope · 03-08-2004, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jaim91
P-FUNK and Vieope: The whole weighing and counting thing, is that related to an eating disorder of some sort. Because I have had friends in the past who did the same thing, but they had anorexia....everything's cool right?

Yeah, I know but I prefer to think that I am very competent.
I think that is not exactly difficult, next week things gonna be really weird. I will start counting my vitamins and minerals (mg) and will try to figure out a way to control my cholesterol_ and

03-05-2004, 07:13 AM	#1
Ben Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 52	Extremely Overweight. Only 16 years old. Please come and help. Hi. My current stats are 5"6', and 240 pounds... I've tried everything. Working out (still today), going low on the carbs, and not eating fast foods etc... But nothing seems to work. I've become fed up with my body size and weight. I'm considering about starving my self do you think this would work? thx alot guys

03-05-2004, 09:27 AM	#3
Vieope Monochromatic Bunny Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: drinking coffee.. Posts: 14,826 Photos: 10	You just have to drop the calories, eat clean and do some kind of "low impact" cardio. That is it.
	FURtherness

03-05-2004, 09:35 AM	#4
P-funk Patrick Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: AZ Posts: 30,432	At 16yrs old I would say you are to young to be on a "diet" what you need to do is post a typical day of eating for you so that everyone can see what kind of food choices your are making. The important thing at your age is to realize how to make proper food choices and eat healthier. Also, post your workout schedule in the training forum so that people can give you better advice. Read the stickies at the top of the diet and nutrition forum also so that you can get educated on proper food choices.....help us help you.
	http://pwtraining.blogspot.com/.....come and see what is on my mind! http://ivonneberkowitz.blogspot.com/....check out Ivonne's new blog! Optimum Sports Performance "In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few." -Buddha's Little Instruction Book

03-05-2004, 09:53 AM	#6
P-funk Patrick Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: AZ Posts: 30,432	Where did I say he should limit his caloric intake? All I was saying is that he needs to work on making "proper" food choices. Right now caloric intake is irrelevant. People need to learn about what they are eating and why before they start worrying about caloric intake. In my opinion this is were you get a lot of rebound effect in diets. Also, if he switches the foods that he eats he will probably lean out right away.
	http://pwtraining.blogspot.com/.....come and see what is on my mind! http://ivonneberkowitz.blogspot.com/....check out Ivonne's new blog! Optimum Sports Performance "In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few." -Buddha's Little Instruction Book

03-05-2004, 10:04 AM	#9
Vieope Monochromatic Bunny Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: drinking coffee.. Posts: 14,826 Photos: 10	It is good to know that I am not that crazy.
	FURtherness

03-05-2004, 07:44 AM	#2
Akateros I read it someplace. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ontario Posts: 481	Well, er, yes, it would. I can say that with confidence; it worked for me, at least as far as weight loss goes. It also messed me up severely, both physically and psychologically, and I do NOT recommend it. What is your workout and eating schedule like now? Do you lift, do cardio, or both, and what? What exactly are you eating, how much and how often? Don't give up hope yet! There are healthier ways to do it, and I am sure that the Voices of Experience here can help you out.

03-05-2004, 10:10 AM	#11
Vieope Monochromatic Bunny Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: drinking coffee.. Posts: 14,826 Photos: 10	There should be a name for this "disorder".
	FURtherness

03-05-2004, 11:01 AM	#12
IronSlingah Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 306	If your working out and eating below ure caloric requirements then you WILL loose weight. It bothers me when people say "i work out and eat right and cant loose weight" because its a damm lie.

03-05-2004, 12:55 PM	#13
CourtQueen Swearing off coffee, hell Elite Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Looking at Mountains Posts: 636	Ben, do you drink pop? If I offered you a tuna sandwich on wheat bread vs. a cheeseburger which one would you pick? When you wake up in the morning what do you eat for breakfast? Do you drink OJ? You need to post more specific information in order for others to point out things to help you with.

03-07-2004, 02:43 AM	#15
Ben Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 52	well i eat any type of food, maccas hungry jacks, KFC etc I usually drink coke but recnetnly i have been drinking water would working out but eating anything do antyhing? I work out about 2 times a week, but i dont do all that carb counts and all that just eat whatever is there thx guys

03-07-2004, 05:38 AM	#16
Akateros I read it someplace. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ontario Posts: 481	Well, then, there you are. Working out without changing your eating habits is like putting on clean clothes without having a shower -- not gonna cut it. Get rid of the fast food. Eat whole foods. Drink water or non-caloric beverages, NOT pop. (In one can of pop, you are talking the calories of a typical "small meal" round here, not to mention they are almost all from high-fructose corn syrup, which studies indicate promotes fat storage.) Eat small meals at regular intervals. While you may not want to get totally anal about counting calories, you WILL want to balance proteins and carbs, keep saturated and trans fats to a minimum, and use whole foods rather than processed as much as you can. Also, you will probably want to increase your workouts from twice a week. Read. Learn. Lots of good material here, and elsewhere round the Web. If you are serious about losing fat in a healthy way, you do need to do some work, my friend.

03-07-2004, 07:07 AM	#18
Vieope Monochromatic Bunny Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: drinking coffee.. Posts: 14,826 Photos: 10	Hey you.. "Put your hands away from the fast food!"
	FURtherness

03-07-2004, 07:21 AM	#19
Eggs Senior Member Elite Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 7,008	Ben, I think that you can make alot of progress... but the most important thing right now for you is not lifting weights, but eating right. As the guys said, stay away from fast foods, that stuff will kill you... literally. If you get the option, if your Mom is cooking for you, try to get stuff that is high in protein and not high in saturated fats. For example, instead of eating fried chicken, give chicken thats been cooked up on the grill a go. Try this with all your foods... if you want you can post more specifically what you are eating and we'll go through and say if its okay or not And we can give you recommendations for what would be a good substitute. As to soft drinks, I think these should always be a no... they are just terrible for you all around. Give water a try and stick to that for a while, your body will thank you for it. The most important thing is to not give up and keep trying. Thats what weight lifting and being fit is all about anyways. Most of us here have been going at this for years and years, and results can often be slow in coming. But what we can accomplish and how we can feel about ourselves is worth every bit of effort we put into it. Have you tried communicating with your parents about what you want to try to do and that you arent happy with yourself? If you can get them to be participative in your eating healthy then I think that would make things alot easier for you. Also, on another note, how much time are you spending in front of the computer or TV each day? If its more than an hour or so you might want to pick up a hobby that gets you moving a bit and doesnt just encourage vegging out and perhaps snacking. Thats definitely a problem that many people in the US dont pay attention to. Good luck on what you're doing though, if you're dedicated and put your all into it you can do nothing less than achieve your goals

03-07-2004, 09:14 AM	#20
165r COUP COUNTER Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: nj Posts: 69	Ben, I agree with everyone here esp. P-Funk. I think he gave the best advice about dieting. Change the way you eat, COKE ,bud I'm not as hardcore as these guys but I haven't had a Coke in years. That shit is nasty. Diets are for old people who don't know how to eat properly. Listen to the people on this board, most of them are smarter than some frigging chemists that I know. I would say get in the gym, be confident, at least 3 days a week. Talk to a trainer if your gym offers one. They were made for people like you. Don't be embarrassed, don't give up.
	"A camel would sooner pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man make it into heaven." JESUS

03-07-2004, 10:56 AM	#22
kvyd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Nor MI Posts: 1,130	Yeah def cut the fast food. Just watch what you eat. If your goal is weight loss then just cut some calories and do cardio several days a week.... I dunno if this is true but ive recently heard calcium helps to prevent fat storing in the body.... If someone else has heard or has a site about it please show me... or tell if im wrong... Ben just be committed youll see results.

03-07-2004, 05:53 PM	#24
Chris52686 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Charlotte,NC Posts: 91	I used to be in the same situation as you, but worse. I was around 14 and weighed 220. I decreased calorie intake to around 2,000. I started to lift weights and run. I would do wither one of these every day of the week. I completly stopped eating fast food and drinking soda. I lost around 50 pounds doing this after the first year. My doctor said it was one of the most amazing changes he has seen. I went from not being able to run a mile to and recently just finishing my first marathon. Good luck to you, im sure you will accomplish your goal if you work hard for it.
	Stats Age-18 Weight-195 Bench-290 Squat-335 Power Clean-225 Deadlift-405

03-07-2004, 07:31 PM	#25
bigss75 Let Me See Yo Grill Elite Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 5,123	That sounds like me back in the day. I would say do as much cardio as you can. find a activity that you would have fun doing where u run around like a basketball of paintbqall something like that. stay away all fried foods. i dont think that you should go on some hardcore diet right away but slow changes in lifestyle will drop the pounds and make then stay off

03-08-2004, 04:50 PM	#26
jaim91 Ms. Olympia Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,484 Photos: 16	P-FUNK and Vieope: The whole weighing and counting thing, is that related to an eating disorder of some sort. Because I have had friends in the past who did the same thing, but they had anorexia....everything's cool right?