New Teenager on diet!
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mark_needs_2_lose_weight
Posts: 36
Hello, My name is Mark...Im 18 and weigh 235lbs. Ive been on a diet for about a month and nothings changed. Although i just joined this site and realized i was putting my body into starvation mode because i was eating less than 500 cals a day. I set my new goal to 1200 cals. I run 2 miles daily on a treadmill and do 100 sit ups and 100 jumping jacks. Can someone help me lose weight! Thanks!
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Replies
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Mark,
1200 calories is the minimum for woman, as a guy you need more. Men and woman are just different like that, I believe the minimum for guys is 1500. Your 235 but how tall are you, theres a huge difference between 5'ft3 235 and 6'2" 235. What are you daily activities like, work? School? Sports?0 -
I have a few things worth mentioning...
-You should be taking in more than 1200 calories even on a diet.
-It really depends what you eat, not just how much.
-One month is nothing, especially if you're not pushing yourself that hard. Some people think they are working hard but sometimes it takes more than they think.
-2 miles isn't very much. That's not even twenty minutes! 100 sit ups and 100 jumping jacks, sorry to say, is also nothing to feel particularly accomplished over. Honestly the running, sit ups, and jumping jacks.... that's just a warmup.
I don't mean to discourage you but rather encourage you! Think about it, don't be discouraged that you haven't had any changes in the last month, but learn from these mistakes and then you WILL have some results to show for. What you need to do is start doing research on different diets and workout plans and see what suits you best, and then you really have to be dedicated. You can PM me with questions if you like and I can try to help you out along the way.
Good luck!0 -
I agree that 1200 calories isn't very much. If you're running 2 miles a day, you might want to consider eating some of your exercise calories. Its very good that you have the ambition to stick with your diet. For me, the 1-month mark is usually the breaking point (now I've been at this for over 2 months).
In my opinion, you should also work some strength training too your routine. Muscle burns more calories (or so I've heard, I'm not a doctor or anything). Plus skinny-flabby is just as unattractive as fat-flabby. I learned that the hard way when I lost 80 lbs on a previous diet and was still flabby. This time I know that I have a lot of muscle hidden under that flab.
Anyways, MFP should give you a recommended amount of calories to eat or you could consult a doctor or dietician.
Best of luck on your journey and you can add me if you would like some support.0 -
To wisg2...wow...congratulations on losing 35 pounds. I just started a couple of days ago.
Mark...Congratulations for putting a plan into action and sticking to it. I have heard that when you stop eating you body goes into starvation mode and holds all your calories.
You haven't given much information about your life and that can really affect your success.
What is your homelife like...is there money and transportation to go buy healthy, fun and satisfying food? Do you have a comfortable place to prepare and store your food? Do you know how to cook and prepare a meal that will fill you and provide you with nutrients you still need as a growing teenager? It isn't necessary to have your family doing this with you but you do have to have your family provide you the tools, food and support you will need.
You say you are running on the treadmill for 2 miles a day. That is great, you can just add a little everyday and you will have that up to 5 miles in no time at all. Are you doing any sports? Volleyball, surfing, bowling are some fun ways to enjoy friendship and get exercise at the same time. If your a loner you could think about joining a team which will help you form friendships and get exercise at the same time. Again, this is something your parents would have to support you in.
I wish you much success Mark. It is always good to take care of yourself physically, emotionally and mentally. It is all one package. Your body is an amazing work of art and protecting it will help you through every aspect of your life.0 -
Welcome Mark!
I'm a girl, so can't really give you much advice. But, the support here is priceless. Meet some people on here that can motivate you. It's my second day here, and I love it.
Friend Request Sent
Deidre0 -
Thanks everybody heres some responses:
@jeanineadele I dont have any transportation at all, so i eat whatever i have at my house already. My family isnt really behind me too much...they think its like something im gonna do for a month and quit but im going all the way thanks to people like you. Yes i am hoping to eventually get atleast 6 miles a day. My parents dont have the money to necessarily by the "healthy" food, more like whats on sale healthy or not. But im at a stand still, I don't know what to eat anymore.
I dont work or go to school because it is summer, it is over 100 degrees outside and i use my treadmill outside so that helps me sweat.
Thanks!
@deidredup Thanks alot i am learning that. Thank you for helping me : ) Good luck with you!
@wiseg2 I would like to burn some of my calories, but i am now learning to stay away from carbs, fat etc..
I do some weight lifting...But Its 100 degrees outside so it hard. Thanks! btw i will add you!
@mightycabage Thanks for the advise...I understand that 2 miles isnt a lot, just 100 degrees outside here in Cali. I am going to change that to atleast 5 miles and 2 hours of other exercises. And im going to stick with the diet til i lose the weight! I will keep in touch with you for help! Thanks!
@sassy0913 So 1500? Thats seems like alot but thats what mfp recommended to me too. Im not tall Im 5'8, fairly short for being 18. I play basketball and soccer with a good friend of mine sometimes. I dont go to school until it starts again, and jobs are scarce. Thank you so much!\
Thanks all...All i drink is water(6-8 glasses) and diet lipton green tea : )0 -
Hello
I'm new here but this time in February i was in the same boat as you, except i weighed 252lbs!
My diet was awful, i ate junk food daily, no healthy foods, no vegetables, no cereals - processed junk at every opportunity.
When i first started i didn't want to overdo my diet as i knew i wouldn't stick it, so try this...
Eat as much as you do now (or did before you started) but simply make every meal healthier!
scrap the burger and chips for a chicken breast, veg and some potatoes. You don't even need to cut down on portions.
I done this and in two weeks i'd lost nearly a stone and a half.
A month from my start point i was down to 16 stone and joined the gym, at that point i ditched my regular eating habits for eating 5-6 small meals a day to keep my metabolism high. I've continued this till now, and i'm down to 13 stone.
I found that if at any point i got stuck at a certain weight, but was still doing just as much dieting and excercise that actually having 2-3 days off your diet helped me, have a curry, a big plate of pasta, a juicy sandwich etc and then go back to dieting.
Some of that may be technically and medically wrong and you may be advised against it elsewhere, just telling you what i've done that's actually got me results.0 -
Welcome to MFP. I try to follow the recommended calories that MFP sets up. Started out focusing on calories only, now am working on keeping my fat/sugar etc within limits. Healthy choices are key, along with watching portions. I exercise now (new to me) and try not to eat a whole lot of my calories earned from that...but then again I know I can rely on them if I need to.
Use the tools, log everything you eat, log your exercise. Eat minimum at least...add exercise calories if you want/need to, and give it a few weeks. What you were doing before wasn't working anyway right? If you find that MFP recommendations aren't working for you, post in the message board again and someone will come up with a few suggestions.
Good Luck0 -
@fullboost I was the exact same way...whats cheaper salad,ranch and croutons or a bag of fried chips.Obvious the chips so its obvious we would choose the fattening food...2 fast food 99cent double cheeseburgers or a homemade hamburger with fresh ingreidients, but of couse we choose the fast food. I was overdoing my diet but i just started changing it. Thanks!
@Corrie62 Thanks, they reccomend over 2000, i think im gonna stick with less than 1500. I dont eat ANYTHING fried, no fried chicken,fries,chips,fast food,pizza, anything fattening...I eat LOTS of baked chicken with just seasoning salt no bbq. I stay away from corn/potatos, they seem healthy but there straight starch. Thanks for all your help!
Thanks all!0 -
WG- It's great that you signed up here. There are hundreds of supportive people that will stand behind you, no matter what your family may do.
As for eating-you should consume at least 1500 cals a day plus most of your excersize calories. Stick to whole foods if possible, since you're living at home this may be tricky. Also, potatos are great. They are full of vitamins and minerals...it's the added junk that makes them bad (sour cream, cheese, bacon, salt, ect). Try to get away from the fast food if you can. A great person to talk to on the boards is SHBoss, he is very knowledgeable about diet and fitness. Also, since you are at home and I assume you currently do not have a job, spend as much time as you can out walking, jogging, playing sports. The cardio will do wonders. If you have $40 invest in a good work out dvd and some weights. Best of luck.0 -
Potato (baked with the skins on) aren't bad. The bad stuff is what you put on it.
For example, if you loaded it up with butter and cheese, yeah, then it is bad. But if you top it with salsa or a couple of wedges of Laughing Cow light with some veggies and spices, then you've got some thing good to eat.
Brown rice and Mrs Dash Garlic blend are my best friends. Enriched pasta when loaded with lean protein and veggies, is also a good deal.
One of the episodes of Jamie Olivier Food Rev had him given a much younger teen a cooking lesson. That boy's mum deep fried everything or served prepared foods. The kid looked thrilled to know how to cook for himself. I wouldn't be surprised if you could still catch in on Jamie Oliver's website.
Do you know how to cook at all? There are tons of neat "how to" video on YouTube on how to cook certain dishes. I've been cooking since 10 years old, and I still learn stuff from those videos.
There isn't bad food as much as food prepared badly. If you cook for yourself, you can control what you eat. Brown rice, beans, whole veggies (bags of carrots, whole onions, heads of brocolli), and chicken aren't that expensive. You just have to dice and slice them yourself. Sea Salt as a spice is great. Sodium in prepared foods is EVIL.
If you like bean burittos, I have a great recipe that is super full of fiber and my kids like better than Taco Bell.
You can make these changes. You can. Really!
Take care!0 -
Sorry for the double post. %$$$$*(&(* Internet!0
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@TheMaidOfAstolat Thanks, i have noticed that there are so many people that are battling the same as me and we can encourage each other. Thanks, i now know potatos are not bad when not fried or filled with cheese or other things. Im gonna download a free workout dvd right now! Thanks!
@LainMac Thank you, yes i do cook my self, except for dinner, my mom prepares that. Tonight shes making baked pork chops, myself i am going to warm up some leftover baked chicken with a nice salad with lite ranch. Can you send me that recipe? Thanks alot0 -
@fullboost I was the exact same way...whats cheaper salad,ranch and croutons or a bag of fried chips.Obvious the chips so its obvious we would choose the fattening food...2 fast food 99cent double cheeseburgers or a homemade hamburger with fresh ingreidients, but of couse we choose the fast food. I was overdoing my diet but i just started changing it. Thanks!
@Corrie62 Thanks, they reccomend over 2000, i think im gonna stick with less than 1500. I dont eat ANYTHING fried, no fried chicken,fries,chips,fast food,pizza, anything fattening...I eat LOTS of baked chicken with just seasoning salt no bbq. I stay away from corn/potatos, they seem healthy but there straight starch. Thanks for all your help!
Thanks all!
You already likely put yourself in starvation mode by only eating 500 calories a day. If you have entered your proper height, weight lifestyle info into MFP and it is telling you a greater amount of calories, there is a REASON. This is a wonderful website and can change your life, but don't set yourself up for metabolic disorders and failure by not eating enough.
You can also get some good info and support by checking out the Man to Man Forum. You will find it to be an oasis of testosterone in a sea of estrogen :laugh: :laugh: Here is a link:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/97024-man-to-man-a-support-system-for-men-part-2?page=14#posts-1472342
Good luck with your quest for better fitness.0 -
As promised, my stupid easy veggie chile recipe:
This is something that I make for the entire family. The kids have the mixture in tacos or burrittos with cheese. I have it over salad instead of dressing. It is made with all shelf stable pantry materials.
Ingredients
1 can of well rinsed black beans (rinsing to reduce sodium)
1 can of well rinsed red bean (rinsing to reduce sodium)
1 can of Hormel Veg Chili
2 cups of cooked brown rice
If you want it spicier you can add salsa or more spices to taste.
Serving Size:
Slightly less than1 cup per serving.
Directions
Rinse well the black and red beans.
Put black and read beans in big pot or in crock pot.
Pour over the beans the can of Hormel Veg Chile.
Fill the Hormel Veg Chile can with about 1/3 to 1/2 can of water and swish around to get all the sauce from the side of can. Pour sauced up water into pot or crock pot.
Add rice.
Mix until ingredients are blended.
Heat until warm enough to melt cheese.
Calories 193, Carbs 38, Fat 2, Protein 22, Sodium 400, Fiber 80 -
As promised, my stupid easy veggie chile recipe:
This is something that I make for the entire family. The kids have the mixture in tacos or burrittos with cheese. I have it over salad instead of dressing. It is made with all shelf stable pantry materials.
Ingredients
1 can of well rinsed black beans (rinsing to reduce sodium)
1 can of well rinsed red bean (rinsing to reduce sodium)
1 can of Hormel Veg Chili
2 cups of cooked brown rice
If you want it spicier you can add salsa or more spices to taste.
Serving Size:
Slightly less than1 cup per serving.
Directions
Rinse well the black and red beans.
Put black and read beans in big pot or in crock pot.
Pour over the beans the can of Hormel Veg Chile.
Fill the Hormel Veg Chile can with about 1/3 to 1/2 can of water and swish around to get all the sauce from the side of can. Pour sauced up water into pot or crock pot.
Add rice.
Mix until ingredients are blended.
Heat until warm enough to melt cheese.
Calories 193, Carbs 38, Fat 2, Protein 22, Sodium 400, Fiber 8
Thanks, im gonna run to the store tomorrow to test it out! Thanks alot0 -
As promised, my stupid easy veggie chile recipe:
This is something that I make for the entire family. The kids have the mixture in tacos or burrittos with cheese. I have it over salad instead of dressing. It is made with all shelf stable pantry materials.
Ingredients
1 can of well rinsed black beans (rinsing to reduce sodium)
1 can of well rinsed red bean (rinsing to reduce sodium)
1 can of Hormel Veg Chili
2 cups of cooked brown rice
If you want it spicier you can add salsa or more spices to taste.
Serving Size:
Slightly less than1 cup per serving.
Directions
Rinse well the black and red beans.
Put black and read beans in big pot or in crock pot.
Pour over the beans the can of Hormel Veg Chile.
Fill the Hormel Veg Chile can with about 1/3 to 1/2 can of water and swish around to get all the sauce from the side of can. Pour sauced up water into pot or crock pot.
Add rice.
Mix until ingredients are blended.
Heat until warm enough to melt cheese.
Calories 193, Carbs 38, Fat 2, Protein 22, Sodium 400, Fiber 8
Thanks, im gonna run to the store tomorrow to test it out! Thanks alot0 -
Excellent. Let me know if I need to tweak the instructions in any way.0
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I wish you the best of luck!! This is the most amazing website. Be sure log EVERYTHING that you put in your mouth. Be honest. Watch the patterns that will start to form. Another thing that I have found to help is to weigh everything. Again I wish you the best of luck. If I can do it, anyone can.0
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workinggeek10 check out this website:
http://forums.lylemcdonald.com/
That's the link to the forums. I'm on the all day! After reading his UD2.0 diet I decided to commit to the routine and I'm currently in week 5 of the UD2.0 diet.
I think you should look into the RFL (Rapid Fat Loss) Diet. Lyle McDonald is known for his expertise on dieting and nutrition. I wouldn't start posting on his forums unless you do some reading first, as he himself, along with the other posters, can be quite ruthless to n00bs.
Read peoples' posts and check their logs to see what they say about their results. Mind you, his diets are no walk in the park. UD2.0 is one of the tougher diets out there. Don't get discouraged though, I think RFL is less strict, but still not going to be easy. The routine also offers a set of workouts that one can do at home for those who don't have a gym membership. Check your messages here on MFP I'm gonna send you something.
Oh and a word of encouragement: Losing the first large chunk of fat is known to be the easiest part of weight loss! The hardest part is when you want to really shred those last small layers covering up muscle.0
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