20 pounds by February?

Hey guys! I need some serious support...I'm 14, 155-160 pounds. I know that's a lot for someone my age, but to give myself an excuse I'm 5'8". I want to lose at least 20 pounds by February. And I want to do it healthy, and in a way where I'll keep losing weight and keep it off for good. Do you have any tips for a younger person? I'm not too big on exercising, I'll do it, but I don't really have time. I have a Wii fit, but I don't know if that will be enough at all. I'm not a big eater either...but I do know I'm supposed to have somewhere in between 1500-1700 calories a day. Do you guys have any tips for me to get started and stay motivated? Thanks :)

P.S. I would also love to have someone to hold me accountable too!

hi,

hang in there. i'm starting off new with this website. for lunch today i stood in line for pasta and after thinking about it I left my place in that line and walked my butt over to the salad bar.

Pianoplaya4jesus- stay away from the candy and ice cream.. and from chips and seasoned crackers. Replace these with veggies and fruits.

I myself will eat raw cauliflower if I find myself hungry before lunch or dinner.. it fills me up.

How are you doing so far today?

Maybe we can keep each other in check?

Hey! Thanks! Haha I love salad, so I guess I need to start eating one with lunch and maybe dinner. I go out to eat a lot, so that's better than appetizers I would say. I snack a little bit too much. I probably need to start eating a lot more fruit also. I had a bowl of cereal this morning, and haven't had anything since. And sure! I'd love to.

I don't have very much of a sweet tooth but rather I really love salty flavored food.. and I'd rather enjoy an appetizer vs. dessert..

I've noticed too that eating a higher fiber breakfast fills me up more than anything. It holds me til lunch.

becareful with salad dressing!!!

I love salty stuff too. I love breakfast, I just don't like real heavy stuff like biscuits and gravy and stuff like that. I guess that's good. Yeah salad dressing is definitely a thing I need to watch out for. I tend to use too much.

Just a tip about salad dressing:  Don't put any on your salad, just dip your fork into the dressing ( don't scoop it ) before you pick up a bite of salad.  Dressing in every bite but you use a whole lot less.

Brilliant!

Wow! That is a marvelous idea actually. I'm gonna start using that. Thank you!

Okay, I am not a professional or anything, but here are some things you can try... these are things I do, and I have lost 15 pounds in one month...

Drink lots of water, and drink starting right when you get up in the morning because your body will be low from not drinking all night.

Remember to eat breakfast! Eat protein, like an egg, I use the eggbeaters... that will get your metabolism going.

Stay away from bagels.... I think they are evil... they are compressed carbohydrates, and one bagel can be equal to eating 6 slices of bread.

Try not to eat out.... even what you think is healthy, it probably isn't...

Exercise whenever you can... If you are doing homework, or laundry or chores, try to incorporate exercise whenever you can... like legs lifts, lunges, squats, running up and down the stairs.... even if it is in between stuff you are doing... 5 of this or 5 of that throughout the day adds up...

I have bought some frozen dinners that have the calorie information and nutrition facts on it, to make it easier for me to count calories more accurately. I try to plan what I might eat the next day, the night before.... I try to buy meals that are under 300 calories, and are high in protein... most of the ones I choose range between 220 and 290 calories.  I choose three to eat throughout the day, and sometimes I only eat two. I usually have eggbeaters in the morning, the equivalent to 1-2 eggs... I try to eat every 2 to three hours, and I fill in with food like cucumbers, apples, pears, bananas, squash, or yogurt when I am hungry....  It helps me keep focused...

Sometimes I post a food before I eat it, because if I don't like the results, then I delete it and choose not to eat the food.... I use this site also as an educational tool to make correct choices in the foods I eat.

Take a multivitamin.

I treat my weight loss more like a game that I have to win, and what is the best strategy to get me there....

Sometimes when I eat, I feel like I could eat more or get seconds.... don't .... when I ignore it and get busy with something, 10 minutes later I realize that I am full and I don't need anymore food...

Good Luck!  Like I said, I am not a professional, but I hope that I was helpful or inspirational....

Wow! Thank you so much! Those are all great. I'm gonna try those out tomorrow. 15 pounds in one month sounds pretty good to me right now! Haha! I agree, bagels are quite evil. I was tempted to eat one this morning, thankfully I declined. The frozen meals is a great idea too because you can find some of those that are really good and are only 300 calories or so. I try to eat every 2 1/2 hours so I have enough energy throughout the day. Thank you again!

ummm seems kind of fast considering your start weight. A lot of these suggestions sound alright, especially plenty of water, (i find that i snack like crazy when i dont drink enough) but just be patient, and don't be discouraged if the weight doesnt just come flying off at first, persistance is the KEY!

AT MOST 2lb per week ok!

Good luck!

Hey.... How are you doing?

I wanted to let you know that I spoke to the doctor today, and here are some things she told me.  She said:

Always eat within 20 minutes of getting up to get your metabolism going.

Do not eat more than 25 carbs per meal or snack at one time, and do not exceed 150 carbs in a 24 hour period. 

She said that if buying frozen meals look for meals that have low starches.. low carbs, under 25 per meal.

Eat lots of vegetables.

Eat small dinners.

Also, she said that exercise is important, and that 20 - 25 minutes of actual exercise may be needed to lose.

Drink plenty of water, or your body will hold on to it, giving you added water weight.

Also, I have read that getting enough sleep is important.  I read that if you don't get at least 7 hours of sleep, that it can prohibit you from losing weight.

Good Luck!  I hope this helps.

these are all great ideas. i had a bad day yesterday. today, i'm focused of doing GREAT! thank you all for your words of wisdom and encouragement!