Teen trying to lose 40 lbs

kmur00
kmur00 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Introduce Yourself
I'm 18, 5'7" and I weigh 180 lbs. I'm finally trying to eat right and exercise more to be healthier, my goal is to lose about 40 pounds. Any motivation or tips on how to help a college kid lose weight (and not gain the dreaded freshman 15!) would be highly appreciated! :)

Replies

  • Mildromeda
    Mildromeda Posts: 8 Member
    Hello! I just re made a myfitnesspal account so excuse it for being new! I saw the post and just wanted to say that when I was 18 I was 240lbs and 5'6. It took me a while to get in the groove of things and since I didn't have much of a support system it took 4 years for me to drop weight (lowest was 143 but have gained almost 20lbs so i'm back!) What helped me was I set mini goals for myself. I planned out all my meals in advance. I knew what I was going to have for breakfast. I packed my own lunch and if I DID buy lunch it was somewhere I knew the calories. Dinner I tried to guesstimate sometimes because I lived with my Italian grandmother and she loves her ziti and meatballs lol So for certain situations portion was everything.

    Don't be afraid to decline going out for fastfood. Don't be afraid to leave food on your plate or take smaller portions. Learn to always read labels and make sure you read the serving size! Especially for things like cereal. A Bowl of cereal may say it has 110 calories but that's 110 calories in 3/4 of a cup! Not a bowl filled brimming to the top like most people do. I wrote everything down that I ate and I worked out as often as I could. Don't get embarrassed if you can't run for an hour on the treadmill, walk fast on an incline instead. Build up your endurance. Don't be afraid to try the free weights. It can be intimidating sometimes seeing the beefy guys lifting hundreds of pounds squatting or dead lifting and there I am using the roman chair clutching my 10lb weight :p . But so what! Start small, don't rush yourself and know that you will get there. Don't feel sad if you get winded after 20 minutes. Get back in there tomorrow and do it again for 30! Just believe in yourself and don't get discouraged and you will make it :)
  • xbted
    xbted Posts: 41 Member
    From someone who spent 10 years at the university, let me give you a few hints. First and foremost- stay away from the fizzy drinks- beer and soda. Second, if you go away for school, and you live in the dorms- just because the dining hall food is all you can eat doesn't mean that you should! The salad bar is your friend! Third, take some time to exercise- its pretty easy to get caught up in studying and sleeping. Fourth, as the person above me said- lots and lots of water. And finally, meet some friends you can dine with- take your time and talk during meals instead of rushing through and downing a burger- this will give you time to feel full and you'll end up eating less. Plus its fun! Good luck on your weight loss and healthy lifestyle!
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