I am a 16 year old, American girl who wants to lose weight. Obviously, I am not unique in this regard, but I'm not interested in magic pills and chemicals and Jenny Craig programs that promise results that one never sees. I am about 5' 6.5", or 5' 7". I weigh approximately 172 pounds, give or take a few ounces. I have a pretty average, medium sized frame, I think. My wrists are pretty small and I have naturally very thin legs, but I am not really petite. I am not grossly obese. But I am larger than I'd like to be. I carry my extra weight in my upper body, meaning stomach, back, and arms, but it's strange because once you make it up to my shoulders, collar bones and face, they're pretty slender. I have small hips, my thighs are a rather fat but I guess I'm pretty Apple shaped. I'd like to lose some noticeable weight before school starts back at the end of August because I'm starting a new school and want to re invent my image. I'm tired of being the butt of chubby jokes, but not being fat enough to fit in with the big girls. I'd rather just lose the weight. I'm willing to work hard for it and observe dietary restrictions. I have self control that I pride myself on. That isn't my issue- my issue is that I don't know where to start or what to do. I've received nothing but bad advice from my family. My older sister takes diet pills and my aunt says to eat whatever you want as long as you exercise occasionally. (She has a fast metabolism and fails to recognize that others do not.) If you're reading this, and you've been in my place before and have achieved success, please help me in coming up with a plan. I'd like to lose 40 pounds total before school starts. I know this will be hard but I know that I am capable of doing it because my weight fluctuates between 5-10 pounds without much effort- I just never know what I did to lose the weight or how to maintain it. I never gain a lot- just lose it and then come back up to even. I'm also dedicated and a hard worker who detests quitting. I want to do this the right way. Please aid me in doing so. Thanks a bunch, -S.
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Not to be terse, but start lifting and track your calories. It's really about that simple. fitness.stackexchange.com/questions/24495/…– EricCommented May 26, 2017 at 19:00
1 Answer
No one can just 'construct' your diet plan for you. You have to put in the work and learn about the factors that will help you construct your own successful meal plan because you know yourself the best. That being said, I can point you towards some helpful communities where you can get involved and learn about certain topics.
Keto diet - Beginners Guide to Keto: Reddit Keto
Reddit Fitness and basic FAQs: Reddit Fitness
Put in some time and do a lot of reading into those pages to make sure you understand what's going on when you lose a pound of fat. It's not hard, just gotta start. It all comes down to burning more than you consume to lose weight but those links/communities can give you a lot more helpful tips/support than stackoverflow can.
In the meanwhile:
do not drink your calories from now on. Anything with sugar in it (sodas, fruit juices you buy etc.) just drink water.
learn how to use myfitnesspal on your phone and track your calories. See how much you eat normally and see what you can cut back on.
Try to eat less carbs/sugar. Get your veggies in because they're mostly fiber and help you feel full.
Are you involved in a physical activity? No? Start taking some light walks. Great to clear your mind and burn some calories.
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So, your first recommendation (pretty much the only one) is a diet crafted to help control epilepsy? And veggies are all calories from carbs predominantly.– JohnP ♦Commented May 29, 2017 at 5:00
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Keto/Atkins was initially designed to help with Epilepsy, yes. However, when you eat a majority of your calories from fat and a minority protein, you achieve a state of ketosis, in which fat is metabolized from your body as a primary fuel source. I would highly suggest looking into Lyle McDonald's works if you want to get into the biochem. Also, veggies are primarily made up of fiber. Fiber (cellulose) is not digested by the human body. I suggested veggies to help satiate hunger for almost no calories (7 cal per cup spinach, 50 cal per 150g broccoli) as opposed to your regular grains. Commented May 29, 2017 at 5:24
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1I am well aware of the biochem, thanks. And while fiber makes up the body of many vegetables, almost all the calories are carb based. Rather than present a newbie with your own agenda, it would have been better to present a broad range, and cite better sources than a reddit channel.– JohnP ♦Commented May 29, 2017 at 13:07
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1Oh, and as to Lyle, I rather tend to trust research and academia, rather than someone that convinces people that their way of eating is correct, then sells you books on how to do it. Ask a few actual nutritionists about keto for an average person and see what they say.– JohnP ♦Commented May 29, 2017 at 13:12
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Reddit keto is a community of 200,000 plus. Reddit fitness is a community of 6.1 million plus. There are knowledgeable users/mods who keep discussions on check as well as incredibly useful wiki links. I specifically mentioned that no one can construct a nutrition plan for you, you have to do your research. I linked pages that could help guide her. The communities on those pages is great as well. Keto worked great for me (45 lbs over 5 months) and thousands of others. Instead of being a debbie downer, the floor is open, post something that could help the user. Commented May 29, 2017 at 19:29