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I am 14, and I do want to loose some weight. Now I don't wanna diet because thats unhealthy. but I wanna cut back on candy and eat healthier. I try but I dont have self control, and I need to get some. How?
I agree with Ty. Plus you do not want to get into any crazy diet at anytime, but especially at your age. You want to establish healthy eating habits that will last you for life.
What I did was record EVERYTHING I ate for a week to see my pattern, then I looked to see how I could improve. What I might want to cut out to eat better. Then I would record what I ate while trying for a target # of calories. If I didn't hit the target I did NOT worry or stress, I just tried to do better. I NEVER tried to "make-up" for any excesses. I just treated every day as a separate item. If I saw that I was eating too many high calorie items, I would try to take in more lower calorie choices - like fruits and veggies - in order to get into a more balanced menu. The reason I recorded every thing I ate was to offset a very human trait - of "misremembering" that I only had a 'couple' pieces of fudge yesterday ... when in reality I had finished off a half pound of it.
And if you went WAY off the charts - like say Thanksgiving - don't starve yourself the next two or three days (remember don't try and "make-up" that excess ... just get back in the groove). That way you don't have to worry about the special days.
If overall you are eating a good diet, those few splurges are fine. They keep up your spirits and feed the inner you. The rest of the week will be in balance and on the road to a thinner more healthy you.
HOWEVER, just as important is keeping active to burn calories and promote your metabolism. For this you can do things - active things - that you enjoy. Because if you enjoy it you will keep doing it. Swimming, dance, volleyball, dog walking, jogging, hiking, Wii sports, bird watching, mall walking, doing anything active with a friend / buddy.
It is the ACTIVE part that many miss when they want to lose weight.
Good Luck!!
You're in a critical period of development. Your body needs calories to push you through puberty.
Unless you are overweight according to MEDICAL standards (not high school girl standards), I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Use this website to determine your healthy body weight:
http://www.dietitian.com/calcbody.php
Just fill out the top part about age and height and weight, then go to the bottom of the page and press "next"
If you really are overweight, then losing weight is a simple matter of burning more calories than you eat.
In high school, burning calories is EASY- just join the track team.
Stop looking at it in terms of self control. I dont think it is about that. Try replacing unhealthy food with healthier ones. I.e. try and load up on vegetables and fruits. And if you must, have a small piece of candy. Depriving yourself does not work.
