What can I do?

(7 replies)

by Prettypaws62

10 months ago

Viewed 848 times

Hello, I'm 13 and weigh about 190 pounds. I was raised on fried chicken, fish, pork chops. So my family is not exactlly the healthiest.My dad has a total sweet tooth, so my mom is buying sweets every other day. So every day and night I am tempted with sweets. I have been eating a lot heathier latley, but I have only lost about ten pounds. I am not able to do much exercise because of my bad knees that I inherited from my mom( doctor proved). I have some curves that I really would like to keep. Does anyone have and tips for me so that I can keep my curves still lose weight without having to put a strain on my bad knees? Please help!!!!!!!!!!

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wolfysixx replied 10 months ago:

I would start with gentle cardio; walking to the local park or to the corner shop to pick up some fruit. If you havent dont alot of excercise then that might be another reason for your bad knees; try walking to school once a week to begin with? Or if you have a pet dog, take it for a walk. It gives you a work out too!

Gentle aerobics and swimming are good options. Swimming is gentle and takes any pressure off of your knees to prevent straining. Aerobics will help tone up, while keeping those curves you desire so much!

As for your diet, minimise your portions, and add something healthy each time. A good start is to have plain chicken and rice with a little bit of BBQ sauce! Tastey and healthy. Maybe you can get your parents to eat that way too? A healthy family is a happy one! Once you feel full, stop eating. Over eatting is your enemy!

I hope this was a little bit helpful!

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glittergal replied 9 months ago:

Do not eat sweets at all. Walk more,avoid white starchy carbs. Don't drink soda, eat chips, ect all the fun stuff. Try munching on carrots and celery for a crunchy snack and drink tons of water. You can also ask your doc what exercises you can do to strength the muscles behind your knees. Hope that helps!

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editorCourtney replied 9 months ago:

First of all, congratulations on losing 10 pounds. Don't downplay what an accomplishment that is. I would suggest talking to your parents about not buying the sweets. If sweets are in the house you will want to eat them, but out of sight, out of mind. I agree with wolfysixx that swimming is a great way to exercise without hurting your knees.

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Kszczesniak replied 9 months ago:

“First of all, congratulations on losing 10 pounds. Don't downplay what an accomplishment that is. I would suggest talking to your parents about not buying the sweets. If sweets are in the house you will want to eat them, but out of sight, out of mind. I agree with wolfysixx that swimming is a great way to exercise without hurting your knees.”
by: editorCourtney

Great comment! Losing 10 pounds is tough, and you should be proud of your accomplishment. Second, the hardest part is changing yourlifestyle and trying to be healthy in a house of people who don't want to change (I'm in a similar home). One key point is to sit down with your parents and talk to them about what you want. They love you and want you to be healthy . If you start the initiative, and make a good case (how being healthy would not be a good case, I'm not sure), I'm sure they will back you 100% and maybe even become more healthy themselves! I try to keep a journal that includes nutrition, exercise, and emotions; as they all go hand-in-hand. Hand-in-hand is the best way to do it, especially with those you love!! Believe in yourself and you can do anything!

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jodig replied 9 months ago:

You should be very proud of yourself for losing 10 pounds, that's amazing. If you'd like a visual on how much weight that truly is, next time your at the grocery store, look at a pound of hamburger, now times that by 10. Or, pick up a 10 pound turkey. It doesn't seem like much until you're looking at it. Great job!

I agree that you may want to talk to your parents and let them know you're trying to be healthy, but it's hard with temptation all around you. Getting healthy now will not only decrease your chances of all sorts of diseases later, but your emotional health will benefit as well. There are so many reasons for you to continue to eat right and exercise. You're a very wise 13 year old, I must say!

I wonder if there is a phys. ed. teacher you could talk to at your school, or your doctor could recommend some exercises that are safe for you. I know the eliptical is a great way to strenghthen your body as well as an amazing cardio workout. It's very gentle on your body because there's no impact. I know physical therapists use stationary bikes for people with knee problems as well. I would make sure these are safe for you before you start doing any of them, though. And of course, there's always walking and swimming.

There's a great documentary that was done back in 2003, I believe, it's called "Supersize Me!" I'm not sure what it's rated, so you may want to get permission from your parents to watch it, but it proves what happens to your body when you eat a diet high in fat and sugar. If you can't watch it, maybe you could at least get your parents to. It may be the kickstart they need to start eating right.

Keep it up kiddo, you deserve to feel good!

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Sophie11099 replied 4 months ago:

Congrats on looking for solutions and exploring ideas!

Dancing (try ZUMBA for an extra workout) is on of the most fun ways and most rewarding ways to lose weight. At 14, I try to dance everyday, sometimes to lose weight and tone muscle and sometimes just as a pick me up!. You don't need to attend a class or anything, just put on your favorite upbeat song and go crazy! It makes you happier and your don't even notice your burning calories and getting some cardio in! Walking with Friends is great too, but make sure your picking a route that doesnt have any food places you could be tempted to go to along the road, by eliminating these routes when walking with friends, I kicked the added bad nutritional value of the occasional Starbucks drink and replaced it with more talking time.

As for the food, choose 3 vegetables that you like and find a really interesting way to prepare them (check Pinterest.com for those ideas). If your bored with plain water, add raspberries, grapes, cucumber, mint, lemon, lime, anything that can make it interesting! (Bonus! As you probably know, water will make your skin gorgeous, seriously!) Talk to your parents about portion sizes with the foods you all love and (I know it sounds weird buuuuuut...) try using smaller plates, this can help you really visualize what your eating.

Good Luck!

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madsgirl replied 3 months ago:

I suggest some gentle, light cardio, and Pilates! Most videos will tell you special ways to tweak the original move to make it easier! Pilates may be tough at first but don't give up! You may feel it isn't really cardio but it will start helping your body burn more calories! Also, ask your doctor for more, professional, suggestions! Hope this helps!

Xoxo M

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