Confessions of a Teenage Calorie Counter

{Just a thing....to keep me sane. ^_^;;}

My name is Riley. I'm 17 years old. And in case the unisex name confused you, I'm a girl. Well, last time I checked anyway. (That was a joke. Or something. I know it wasn't funny.)

I guess I'm here because I like food. No no. Like is the word I'd give to the TV show I watch occaisonally in the evening, or a song I hear on the radio, and enjoy, until it's overplayed on every station.

I love food.

I love to cook it, I love to eat it. I love to watch it being prepared. I don't enjoy cleaning up after the first two, but who does, really? (You? Come to my house and clean for me! I'll feed you well!) I love all kinds of food. I love junky Saturday morning sugary cereals, I love roasted asparagus, I love coconut cream pie. I love lattes and thecookies that come with them, the french fries I shouldn't eat, and the baby spinach salad I should.
Food food food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Easily my favourite times of day.

I'm typing this because I'm trying to avoid my kitchen. Why? Because I'm a chronic, overweight, overeater. I eat when I'm hungry, when I'm not, and sometimes, yes when I really couldn't eat another bite. No, I haven't contracted some serious disease that requires your immediate action and just a dollar a day to help those suffering from it. It's something that requires MY immediate action, and every cent of self control I've got. Which at the moment, is dependant on this keyboard.

Writing this is keeping me from raiding the pantry. So excuse me if a ramble a little while the lasagna I had for dinner settles into my stomach and I try to talk myself out of hunting for those mini chocolate bars I KNOW my mom has stashed in the basement somewhere.

Would it surprise you to know I've lost twenty two pounds in the past three and a bit months? That's right, me. Over the past 67 days of my teenage life. I have lost weight. I mean, with the way I'm talking, I must be making myself out to be some kind of creature that is good with eggs and toast in the morning, or applesauce at supper. Am I implying that I don't CARE about what I eat or how it affects me or what I look like?

Maybe I'm making it seem like the only thing I happen to do all day is sit and eat and eat until I'm going to burst and then I eat some more. Hey, some days I DO feel like that....Or like I want to. Sometimes I need to chew something that isn't gum. I couldn't tell you why, as I stated I love food.

But I don't want that to be the impression I leave on people. I'm a person. I'm a GOOD person, and I have some talent in random fields, even though my sometimes dismally low self esteem might try to tell me otherwise. And I think it's fair to say the MOST people like food right?
It's a social thing? People talk and eat, eat and talk (hopefully not at the same time!) and we all get together for coffee or Thanksgiving or anything else.

So I'm a people...err..human! With a challenge. Well doesn't that make me a conquering hero? For fighting my demons? I'd like to think so... but only if those f$#*ing chocolate bars don't win.

Hi Riley! 

I have no doubt that you are a GREAT person!  And congrats on your weight loss! 


Since you love all kinds of foods, why not concentrate on the healthier foods and see if your parents are okay with replacing the "bad foods" with healthier versions.  If not, have them buy you healthier versions and continue hiding the
oh so tempting foods in the basement... although a treat now and then is never harmful. 

And love your name, btw!

Thanks! ^_^

That's a really good plan! (I completely support the treat theory. w00!) The problem is that I like snacking a whole bunch too. Especially after school. Oh boy...u.u; It's pretty bad if there's no one there to catch me at it! I have these concious thoughts like, "This is about to become a binge" and "I shouldn't eat this" and then I do anyway. Badness. >_<

{If anyone else wants to add confessions in general, please feel free!}

Hey i just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading this,you seem so cool and have a lot of character! if this helps you from overeating and binging then by all means keep writing on here. now you know youll have at LEAST one reader :)

Heh, wow you're pretty good at writing, you know? You really hit the nail on some things. I always think fod is really a funny thing... you're right, people talk and eat, have breakfast meetings, lunch meetings, dinner meetings, coffee meetings... and when you don't eat in jyst a few hours you feel really hungry...

And let's admit it - I love cooking and food too, and I'll bet everyone loves food too, even if you pretend to hate it, it's porobably that deep down you hate to love it!

Hmm. You're quite perceptive.

(Hey, you have deviantArt! Me too! EDIT- whoopser, no personal sites on formus, address removed :P)

I'll check you out!! For sure!! =D And aww thanks you guys! =)

Hey!

That was REALLY well written ~ is writing one of the aforementioned talents??!

You sound like a good person. And I'm sure I'd love to have dinner at your house! I ♥ roasted asparagus AND spinach salad. Oh, and biscotti...yum! With or without the latte ;)

I have to work on the mindless eating thing, too. I think one of the best ways I've found to do this is by logging and seeing exactly how much I've already consumes. Gets the red flag up and waving that I don't really have that much wiggle room tonight, you know??! LOL

Congrats on the weight loss, too! Nice work!

Congrats on your weight loss!  I love seeing teenagers with such a positive attitude.  So what is your specific information?  Height, weight, goal weight, intended calorie intake, actual calorie intake, exercise routine (or just what you don't like so we can suggest things to try)?  Let us know what areas you're looking for help with because among all of us we have tons of suggestions that we're just waiting for someone to want information on.

So maybe, to get your exercise in (that is if exercise is of interest to you), you could listen to cooking podcasts?  I'll bet that would make walking almost fun.

Maybe we can put your talents to use?

Have you ever made a really good tasting, but reasonably low calorie lasagna.   My thoughts are tofu in lieu of ricotta cheese, spinach (steamed first perhaps to get that metallic taste down), maybe pureed broccoli/asparagus...that's about as developed as my thoughts got.  Or any other dish that you like, make it healthy and tell us all about it and your goofs too because that's always fun especially with someone that writes as well as you do.

I'm so overwhelmed about the positive reactions to this thread...:) It makes me unbelievably happy that I can interest people and help them, and of course have them help me! (I'm YOUNG! TEACH ME!!!! :D)
I figured I'd throw my stats up because I figure if you have to listen to me  read my rants, you ought to know more about me! (This is feeling like the most narcissistic thing ever right now.) Note: these are exactly the same as those on my trading card....:P

Height:...5'5...5'6? I don't know actually. My mom has this Peter Rabbit growth chart on the back of our laundry room door, and my last height was 5'5. So I'll go with that.
Launch date: July 18th, 2007 (Oh yes, that fateful day...)
Weight: 213.2 lbs
Goal Weight: It's 170 for the moment. Once I hit that target, I'll probably go down more!
Intended Calorie Intake: 1575 Calories per day. =)
Actual Intake: I TRY to get around 1300-400 but the school cafeteria begs to differ on that. (Note to self: Get off butt and start packing lunch again. I was good in September, I swear!)

Exercise: Grade 12 Gym class 3 times a week for 40-50 minutes (but it doesn't count right now because we're doing archery and then health. But after that we have Basketball! YAY!), teen step class for 45 minutes on Mondays (though IT doesn't count right now because I have rehearsals after school on Mondays now which is eating all my precious gym time! *tear*)
So right now it's up to me to find time to go to the gym! (Usually about...45 minutes of Cardio followed by weights...Yep!) Otherwise I'll just have to do sit ups and jumping jacks and get in a walk or two until closing night...Which is the 24th of this month.

Did I say trading CARD? I meant the pocket guide to me... I mean, how would that fit in anything but a book?
I had a writing thing for here but I think I took up too much room with the book I just wrote up there about my statistics. Jeeeeepers.xD

 I'm typing this because I'm trying to avoid my kitchen. Why? Because I'm a chronic, overweight, overeater. I eat when I'm hungry, when I'm not, and sometimes, yes when I really couldn't eat another bite.

I'm an emotional eater and there are times when I literally eat so much I feel I'm going to get naseous and then after about 30 minutes I'm okay and if I feel I can fit more food in my stomach I'll go and eat something else. Tomorrow will be my 6th day as a vegetarian and I actually haven't really binged in about a week and a half, which is a long time for me. Its usually every 3 days where I'll eat a boatload of junk food and then for the next 3 days eat hardly anything but being a vegetarian has seemed to help me a little bit so far and in January I plan to go vegan which will help me even more. Some things that have also helped me with wanting to eat constantly is that I have a small meal or snack every 3 hours and when I want to snack on something I'll chew some wrigley's gum or sip some diet coke.

Riley, you're about my height which makes it easier for me to guestimate, your goal weight I've been at which again makes it easy for guestimates.  As a teenager, you get more calories to work with.  Also, one of the biggest tricks to getting bonus exercise is standing when you could be sitting or leaning.  It takes more energy and uses more muscles when you stand but it doesn't really feel like you're doing exercise so you burn a few more calories without trying to.  Archery, is actually exercise.  All the standing around waiting burns calories, drawing a bow and using unfamiliar muscles is exercise, just not as physically demanding as we normally consider exercise to be.  Basketball should be great cardio for you.

I'm not surprised that you've lost 22 lbs in 3.5 months, that's an average of ~1.6 lbs. per week, yes I rounded up, it just looked better than 1.5714285714285714285714285714286.  If you can get your calorie intake up to the 1575 I think you'll do better all around.  As a teenager, you do get more calories than an adult and you are not exactly sedentary.  I know it's hard to pack snacks for school when you don't have a refridgerator or a microwave.  There's some tupperware that has ice pack lids so you can keep some stuff cold, also some drink containers that has the ice pack stuff in it so you can keep milk and stuff cold.

You can start with the pocket guide and before you know it it could be the biography if you ever do write a book.

Samantha456456 congratulations on your success.  If going vegetarian did it for you, then you're one more person who makes better choices when picking off the vegetarian menu.  For some people, even though there are choices on the regular menu that can be healthy, they just have an easier time with the vegetarian menu.  Please make sure that you're getting enough protein and other nutrients.  There are a couple of threads in the vegetarian forum that talk about new vegetarian concerns.

I am stuffed. But I don't feel too horrible about it. I had mild strep throat last week so I didn't get to swallow much, because it hurt so bad. And today I was about 550 cals when dinner rolled around, (It was late, we started making it at about 6:30?) so this little (and I mean little in the 'pocket dictionary' kind of way...who has pockets that big?!) binge fest wasn't too guilty for me. We made home baked fried with some parmesean on them (just sprinkled! =D And I made dad go light on the EVOO...<-- Rachel Ray-ism. I watch Food Network more than a normal teenager EVER would.) And we also had hamburgers with Keg steak spice on them or something. Whatever. =) So I am stuffed. But for every yin there is a YANG and yang is going to be tomorrow.

Tommorow, I am planning on starving myself. [Every CCer out there freezes in horror. Mouths drop open in shock, cries of "WHY CRUEL FATE, WHY!?" somewhere in the background. AHAH...okay maybe slightly exaggerated. But it gets cloudy. The gods of intelligent weight loss are angry. You won't like them when they're angry!]

Everyone take a breath, you can come out now. The Wicked Witch of Irrationality flew off to go get some Mickey D's. (Yeah, she's judgement impaired.) Let me explain. Tomorrow I'm participating in a 24 hour famine fundraiser at my school to raise money for Free the Children. They're a charity that helps build schools and hospitals in developing countries. So it's starving for a good cause! I want to make it clear too that I'm not doing this for any weight loss. I'm ridiculous and crazy, but I'm not completely off my rocker to know how well THAT would work. I've done this three years in a row. So. =) 

We're allowed water and clear juices (no sneaking fruit smoothies, teehee!) The actual fasting begins at 8 AM so since yours truly will be up before then, I'll snack down some oatmeal and almonds or something to keep me going.

Then, 8AM on Saturday, I'll break that fast with something light so my body doesn't complete punish me for going into starvation mode. [Thing that doesn't make sense: Why couldn't ours bodies eat at the available body fat stores!? It's not like we'd miss any of it! And some of us aren't in short supply!>_<]

Hello ribear. Nice to see you here!

Hope your strep throat is better. Tea with honey helps.

=^..^= MOLLY

Unrelated Confession: I really don't like teenagers.
Maybe that's a little harsh, because I am one and my friends are them... and like any teenager I do depend on my friends more than I do on my family. However, it seems that the editorial cartoonist that is society has developed a VERY unsavoury portrait of teenagers, which I happen to know in person... and  I happen to dislike.

The stereotype that all highschool kids do is vandalize, break rules, get high, get drunk, eat badly, swear, frighten old ladies, walk around in gangs, are lazy, fail at school and therefore they will eventually end up working in one of your neighbourhoods numerous McDonalds, or the even more prestigious- 7-Eleven and have unsafe sex all the time is just so typical it makes me sick. They listen to meaningless rap or screamo music and don't respect ANYTHING or ANYONE.

So yeah, I know a group of kids like that...and those are the ones I can't stand. But the other end of the scale (and for once, I'm not talking about the kind that we all hate so very much) teenagers are perfect angelic beings. I would like to say I fall in the middle.

As a middle kid, I hate to sound like the bearer of hate, but the angels and the absolutely out of their minds, irresponsible demonic teenagers society knows drive me crazy with dislike. This confession is stemming from the charity famine thing I mentioned in that boring piece I wrote last time. That night, I saw more disrespect for not only adults, but eachother, abuse of alcohol and drugs, and nudity (streakers?!) then I ever REALLY wanted to.

You want to smoke and drink? FINE. But don't do it at a school function where you scare the hell out of the grade nines. Do it at home. Stop being stupid. Of course, this falls onto the choir, because I haven't run into any teenagers on CC who are as stupid as these people are.

{On a side note: Cold cereal is portion control kryptonite. The serving sizes could easily be doubled 200% and we would still want more because cereal is amazing. I just finished 2 odd cups of Golden Grahams cereal and the serving size is 3/4 cup. Seriously. CEREAL SHOULD STOP TASTING SO GOOD. D: }

Original Post by ribear:

{On a side note: Cold cereal is portion control kryptonite. The serving sizes could easily be doubled 200% and we would still want more because cereal is amazing. I just finished 2 odd cups of Golden Grahams cereal and the serving size is 3/4 cup. Seriously. CEREAL SHOULD STOP TASTING SO GOOD. D: }

Hmmm... maybe you could switch to some twig-and-barky reallly healthy, dreadful tasting cereal? (giggle)

=^..^= MOLLY

Or switch to the good tasting Kashi Go Lean almond crunch, tastes great, but by the time you chew a whole cup enough to swallow it, you are too tired to eat another cup!

mmmm but kashi go lean crunch can nnnooot compare to my lovely honey nut cheerios, lucky charms, trix, fruit loops or apple jacks mmmmm

I watch Food Network more than a normal teenager EVER would.

You'd be surprised how much I actually watch it, haha. I know pretty much EVERY show on there. Sadly, if I watch it too, too late (especally if I watch 'Unwrapped') at night I'll get cravings from watching all that food go by on the screen. *sigh* Funnel cakes and curly fries, how I love thee...

I am not a ruler. Don't freak out. I don't mean that I'm not STRAIGHT...and why would that matter anyway? I mean I am taller than a ruler, and wider than a ruler. (Much wider...but if I was comparable to the size of a ruler, I wouldn't be writing this would I?) 

Also, I would like to state I am not in charge of a country, a city, a student government, or a club of any kind. So it may be stated that in most general senses, I am not a, and do not rule...r.

Now, I am happy to report (and please excuse if I sound gloating...y today...) that I've lost just over 25 lbs. (+.2...shush!). And while I am proud of it, it is not something I would openly announce to the whole wide world. I find that weird but also accept it with understanding.

I proudly told my two of my friends of my exploits. Not embarassing. I told my older sister. Not embarassing.
My mom tells a friend of our family? I immediately head for the hills faster than a Road Runner faced with an ACME rotisserie. (Wasn't that why the Coyote wanted him? For a snack?)

I'd even be embarassed if someone noticed it. (Which people have.) Still, I think we, the fighters of fat and the scourges of cellulite, do not celebrate enough. Do not take enough credit for our hard work. We become the body bashers, obsessing over numbers, inches, pounds, grams, ounces, sizes, time, day and all other things. Yet we keep our heads down, endlessly pushing for that goal, never bothering to look at the sun.

Well I happen to like sunshine. I can take credit for what I've done. It is my body and I'm changing it.... 

And if from my labours, I have enough self control to be the inhaler of ice cream once, and only once... Then I can say I am a ruler. I will rule my self control. I will rule in general. <3

Buy that small serving size or go out and make it a real treat.  I do NOT have the self control to buy good ice cream and keep it in my freezer for longer than a week.

I absolutely love your posts...please keep them up and if you do have questions, I'm sure you'll be the recipient of a ton of advice.

Yes, cereal has always been very hard to stop eating. I used to spend the night over at friends' houses and in the morning we would have cereal and everyone would have just one bowl and I'd be going back a second and third bowl. Of course then, eating constantly didn't affect my weight negatively. But, now what I do is eat just one serving size. I eat cheerios and have to have at least one cup and I have half a cup of soy milk. In order for it to fill me up I have to drink 3 cups of water or else I will go back for more and eat a million bowls.