Models and Diets: The Truth Revealed

Hi i am 14 years old and i am '5'6 and i weigh 42kg people say that i am tooo skinny is that weight normal for my age? please e-mail me the answer thanks.

Dear Caitlin, 5'6 and 92.5 lbs (approx 42kg)is a bit too thin for the development of your teens. Enjoy yourself and gain 5-6kg. Best wishes my young friend.

Hi im 16 about 5ft 2in and I wieght 120. Im really trying to lose wieght but nothing seems to work. My goal wieght is 100-110 what am I doing wrong? And what can I do to lose the wieght? Please help me.

Brittany,
When you stop worrying about your weight so much it will start coming off easier. Make sure your getting eight glasses of water a day, lots of veggies, and be concious of how much sitting you do. Choose healthier foods, I haven't touched fast food in almost 3 years. Processed and fried foods are what will get you. I stopped watching as much TV and became more active going for walks, runs, the gym, etc. Just keep MOVING. Park as far away from stores as you can, etc. It all ads up. Also get atleast 8 hrs of sleep, if you don't you will eat more, its been proven! Don't stress about it, be concious about it. Also stay away from diet soda, horrible for you and makes weight loss more difficult (after I gave up diet coke I lost 10 more lbs in a matter of weeks).

i am 5'5 and i weigh about 115 pounds. i used to not care about my weight until a friend i had was bulimic and anorexic. she told me she always compared her body to others and now i find myself thinking is she prettier than me? is she skiinner than me? when i see girls pass by. i can't help this, how can i go back to normal? i'm only a size zero but i hate looking at girls and thinking omgosh she's skinner than me. it's not normal i know that...

Caitlin, please ask your parents to find you a counsler or talk to someone at your school. You sound exactly the way I was when my eating disorder began. Everything spirals and you end up with nothing.
Being thin means very little in the scheme of things.

I feel sorry for your friend. I wouldnt worry about her being thinner than you or whatnot. She is sick and needs help. I hope she survives this.

And people dont succeed in life because they are the thinnest. They dont make relationships based upon it either. You are slim according to your height and weight. I wouldn't change a thing if I were you.
But maybe as you grow, you may put on some more weight, and that is normal too. You are on the thin side.

I am sorry to hear that you are self-conscious now caitlin, and I am sorry for your friend. Hopefully she can get over her problem, but to do that she needs supportive and healthy friends who lead a good example. I understand your problem, but I was always comparing myself to others as long as I can remember. I was always a little chubby, but under a lot of pressure from work/school/etc. I went from 180lbs to 96 lbs in a year. What really helped me overcome my problem was having friends and family who kept telling me what I was doing was wrong, and they did not do the same thing I did; even my overwieght friends did not follow my example. They were there to talk to whenever I wanted it, and I finally listened. The most beautiful thing you could do would be to lead a healthy lifestyle and try to help your friend learn from you.
Unfortunately our society is based on competition, in school, our economic system, our political system even. It is not healthy to compare ourselves to others, but I think most young girls and women do; why else would there be nothing but female models in magazines that are read predominantly by women? I think that with time a person can learn to not compare their waist-size and beauty with others. This takes work and help from supportive friends and family-perhaps you and your friend could go to counciling together or start a support group at your local school and/or community to address this problem that a lot of girls have. Take care and good luck.

i'm 5 fet 8 inches and i weigh 120 pounds. Am i heavy? Should i loose weigt if i'm aspiring to be a model/actress? Will just getting fruits/vegies/wheat bread/skim milk/vitamins/water help me to stay healthy if i try to loose more weight ( i los 6 pounds last month). Thanks, and thanks for the reality check you gave veiwers about starving yourself. I'm totally turned off from purging/anoeixia. Pleaese respond! Thankyou.

I am a 5'9 female. At 19 years old, I would like to lose 20-30 pounds. I weigh now probably about 145 lbs or 150. I am in college and play soccer but its the off season. Please reply back, I need a new diet plan. Thanks.

Alicia, come on over to the forums, I'm sure some of the helpful people there will help you.

I'm almost 15 years and i am 5'6 and i weight about 132lbs i have lost some weight but im having trouble losing more. it seems as if losing weight is the only thing i think about all day and i keep comparing myself to others. i need a plan that i can follow so i dont have to keep thinking about what to eat. can you please help me.thank you very much.
God bless!

To the girl, Caitlin. That't not a BIT to thin, that's very thin. I myself am 5'6. You should look for a BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator online and input your height, weight, and age. That will tell you how much of a healthy/unhealthy weight your are at.

i'm 15 and 5'2 i way 117-120 pounds. i want to get down to 110. if i eat nutritional and exersice will i lose the 10 pounds in about 4 weeks?

hello, i live in los angeles, where your appearance is everything. So, naturally, i have become extremely concious of my weight. i am a 17 year old female that is 5'6 and a half and weight 140!!i know that i don't look as fat as i sound,because i wear size 5 and size 3 pants. what can i do to lose all of this weight? at my age and height, what am i supposed to weight?
please offer some help!

Hi there, I am 5'5 and weight about 114, I am a size 2 and yet whenever I see another girl that is skinnier I am jealous, alot like Caitlin's story. I am trying to lose a bit more, but I cannot seem to lose it where I need it and where I dont want to lose it just keeps getting smaller!!!! I want to lose the love handles that I have and not my boobs but its the other way around!!! Why is this? I need some new advice, because obviously what im doing is not right. I have suffered from Bulimia in the past year or so and I am slowly myself overcoming this. I still find myself binging and purging but not too often. I cannot tell anyone about this but I know that I can overcome this myself and I will!!!! Can you help me with the weight thing? Thanks!!!!!

hi i am 14 years old and weight about 107-110 but i am only 5 foot! i think that i am fat, am i?? I want to go on a diet what should i do

I don't see anyone being overweight here.Everyone sounds like they are in the right weight for their heights from the charts i have seen,maybe instead of losing weight people need more weight lifting or pilates,yoga for toning.Especially the 14-15 yr olds,you girls are still probably carrying some baby fat.Just concentrate on eating healthy,exercise and how you feel not the scale numbers

hey i weigh 112 and im 5'7 am i normal or like a little over??? im always trying to workout b/c i feel like i am gaining weight. everytime i look at victoria secret magazines i wish that i could look like those models. do you have like good exercises that i can do??? oh and how come when i try to wear size one pants they fit great on my legs but to small on the hip and when i wear a size 3 its to big on my legs but fits good on the hip???? that is so weird what should i do???

i forgot to write my age i am 14 yrs old.

Hi, I am 5'9 and I use to weight 155lbs. I lost weight and now I'm 130, all because I want to be a model. The best way to lose weight is to cut down on the carbs, ALOT!!! And eat lots of fruit and vegies.And don't eat lots of fattening foods like ice cream, pie or chocolate things. And you should exercise all the time, even if it's only for 30 mins a day, because you could get strech macks. I herd you should exercise all the time anyways.

hey im 15 nearly 16 and i like the weight i am now even thought im 128lbs, i watch what i am eating ALL the time and i have joined the gym. i want to get a toned stomach but to do that i need to lose a lil weight first but im scared of doing that..i like my boobs 2much!! i like the size they r now even though they are big for my age (32DD-E) and i don't want them to get smaller because of my loosing weight, i already noticed they have and so have my friends so what can i do to "manage" wer the weight comes off about????

"The best way to lose weight is to cut down on the carbs, ALOT!!! And eat lots of fruit and vegies."

Candace, fruits and vegetables are major sources of carbohydrates as well. All plants photosynthesize energy and store it as carbohydrates in the form of starch, a polysaccharide carbohydrate. In fact, most plants are made of 95% water and carbohydrates. People seem to think that "carb foods" are just grains and pastas, which is not true. I think most people don't even know what carbohydrates are, which is unfortunate when so much bad low-carb diet advertising is going around.

I AM FAT

i am 15 in a half and i am 5'1 and weight 108 pounds, am i fat?? i think i am. If you have yogurts everday for breakfast and drink alot of water can u loose weight? and is caeral fatting???? thanks

lol i'm 14 in a half!!

well my name is lacey im 5'2 and 148lbs i had a baby over a year ago i feel like im way over weight. I used to be 120 lbs and great shape i feel like im not pretty and really fat what do i do??????

Honestly, some of you people make me sick.

THIS WEBSITE IS OF GREAT USE TO ME. NOW I KNOW WHAT MODELLING IS LIKE.

YOUR WEBSITES GOOD. IT IS SO USFUL TO ME. NOW I KNOW WHAT MODELLINGS LIKE. IT NOT AS GOOD A CAREER AS IT LOOKS LIKE!!!!!!! I AM MORE AGAINST MODELLING. THEY HAVE TO STARVE AND GO THRIUGH SUCH SUCH HARD LIVES!!!!

WHAT SHOULD I DO I AM LOSING HEIGHT. I KEEP ON LOSING WEIGHT AND PUTTING ON WEIGHT ALL THE TIME. I THINK THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WHAT SHOULD I DO!!!!

Hi i'm Laura, i'm fiftenn and well everybody, personally I think your all crazy. Now don't take me wrong i'm not the type to normally judge, but when I read these wee comments of yours I wonder "what are you thinking?" SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! Get a grip! If your weight is close to (like 170), or over 200 pounds then maybe you've gotta start thinking about weight loss. There is no problem with not being totally satisfied with your body, can't expect everyone to be happy. Blegh, i'm not going to rant at you guys, i'm gonna give you a site that has EVERY bit of information you need even for bulemics to lose weight, take this URL seriously, because i'm not joking. This is not an insulting site, just go to it.
http://fatloss4idiots.com/index2.html

Ok, about my last post... I apologize for my harsh words, I am going to TRY to be more civil.
Ok, first I'll start with Aubray. Honey, I am 16, 5'6 and 115 lbs. You are NOT fat. When you grow, you gain weight, its a natural phenomenon. Don't get paranoid about what you eat. I was just watching a movie about eating disorders that I think everybody here should watch. Its called "Dying to be Thin" I recommend it to everybody.
Secondly, Lacey, you should know that when you have a baby, your body stores energy and fat for the baby. It does NOT go away immediately. 140 lbs is the weight of the average North American woman (that's about a size 14).
Kim, your boobs are made up of fat tissue, glands and stuff, they will shrink when you work out. Trust me, they'll be more trouble than they're worth when you get older. They'll lead to back problems. I do not speak from experience about this because I am only a 34-A, but I know women who are pleaing for breast reductions.
Sharon, if you want help, you're going to need to give us more of an explaination of what's going on, more details. Personally I think you are paranoid, seek help immediatley.
Amy, bulimic Amy, EAT SOMETHING AND KEEP IT DOWN! Honestly, if you eat fat, you will lose weight. I'm not saying that you should go to McDonalds everyday, but EAT SOMETHING. When you starve yourself, your body freaks out and starts to store energy because you are not getting enough. So really, you'll get fat. WATCH "DYING TO BE THIN"
Its a sad fact, but kids as young as 3 years old can be influenced by body image. I speak from experience. When I was three, I wanted to be a dancer, like most young girls do. My Nana told me that if I wanted to be a dancer and a model that I'd have to be thin. For the next 6 months I refused to eat anything, "No, I can't eat that, Mommy," I'd say, "I'll get fat and not dance!". Luckily, I was not one of those spoiled brats who get their way all the time, and my Mum basically force fed me. At the time, I had various viruses including tonsilitis and was eating next to nothing anyway.
So to all those who are paranoid about the way they look: SEEK PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP IMMEDIATELY!
Ok, seriously now. The world is not judging you, the world does not care what you look like. The world has more than enough to worry about aside from your self-esteem. You have to help yourself. The first step is ignoring the voice in the back of your head that says all those horrible things. Then start looking at yourself every morning in the mirror and saying "Damn I look fine." say that everyday until you feel better. Don't get an ego, just feel good.

By the way, if any of you actually go to this site, please tell others on this blog about it. The only reason I sent the URL is because starvation or diets don't work (some will but few do). It's all about regulation. You could eat a chocolate cake and still not gain any weight! That awesome!

Chrys you go girl! *cheers* she has great points there everyone, hope you listen.

I'm 14, almost 15. I was an overweight baby, a normal kid, then overweight when puberty happened. I don't know if i have an eating disorder, but i have tried only eating one meal a day for a few days and then i binge eat and then exercise a lot. I tought about throwing up, but always get too scared to do it. Recently, I've only been binge eating and not exercising enough to balance it out. I'm 5'5" and a half and weigh 132 lbs right now (which isn't considered overweight i think). These past few weeks i keep binging at night after my sports practice. I want help on this problem, but i dont want to tell my doctor or get adult help.

I just want to feel better about myself and have more confidence.. and have my clothes fit better.

hey guys, i have this huge problem here.
i once suffered an overweight problem (or i nearly did) i was 11.
right now im 13, 5'4" and 107 pounds.
ive had an eating disorder twice -anorexia-.. (i know.. so young and these problems already) and i havent recovered entirely yet.
id like to know if my weight is okay, and which da underweight/normal weight/overweight scale 4 my height and age is. plz

hey all. im 17 and currently recovering from an eating disorder, anorexia/bulimia, which ruined my life. it really worries me that girls as young as 13 are already so self critical about their own body and weight.

seriously, i feel the best way to go is to THROW AWAY THE WEIGHING SCALE. yes, trust how you feel about yourself and what you see when you look into the mirror-- instead of down at the scale. i did this myself because only then will you let go of the obsession with the numbers that takes over your life and crushes your self esteem.

cos really, no one has their weight, whether 90 lbs or 130 lbs printed across their forehead. most of the time people dont notice, or even when they do, THEY DONT ACTUALLY CARE. people see only what you choose to show: superficially, which is how you dress up, and more importantly, how you carry yourself. what most women are working towards when losing weight is basically respect, admiration and self confidence. doesnt constantly punishing yourself with a new diet because of feelings that you're not good enough(mostly self imposed) destroy all that?

of course im not saying go stuff yourself in an all you can eat buffet(though once in a while is perfectly normal, and enjoyable) but seriously, please consider why you want to lose weight before deciding to. dont do it for anyone but yourself. love, not hurt, your body.

I just have a simple statement for everyone who thinks they are fat. You are not fat. I know that it is very difficult in the "model" society today. I wanted to be a model and look beautiful so all the guys would like me. I learned that they really didn't want a stick to be with, they want a person who is real and has a personality. I will be honest, when I was reading down this blog I cried. I was very sad that so many young girls think they are fat. No, you are just right or maybe on the thin side. If you want to have a good body image you have to take care of your body with good nutrition, exercise, and good mental status. If you can't get over thinking you are fat get help. You don't want to struggle with this for the rest of your life because there are so many other wonderful things to spend your time on. I have a site for people who are overweight by at least 25 lbs and offer them a product that helps them realize they can change their habits for a healthy body. I don't sell this to people who are not in a good mental status because you can't be healthy if you are starving your body.

Fran,
132 lbs is not over weight, you are right. You are also right when you say you need help with your problem. It sounds like you have a minor eating disorder, but I am no professional. You must stop before it takes over your life.
Binge eating is bad for your system. When you eat a lot, then don't eat anything for a while, your body starts to save up the energy from what you do by turning it into fat. Eating food with fat in it actually helps your metabolism. I'm not saying to eat at McDonalds every day, that would be disgusting and stupid, but don't deprive yourself by eating low-fat shit. Eat the regular stuff, it won't kill you.
Weight gain in your teenage years is because of a natural phenomenon called growth. Also, you tend to gain weight before your period because you retain water. Your weight will fluctuate (I don't think I spelled that right...) until you are done growing, then it will stay somewhat stable. I can gain 10lbs on month and the lose 15 the next, but I had health complications when I was younger.
I suggest you see a dietician, or the school nurse if you want to keep it confidential. I'd voluteer to help you, but you probably don't want some random stranger's help. Instead of looking in the mirror and automatically thinking about your weight, think "Damn I'm fine" and walk away. Life is simple: eat food, keep it down, love yourself, love life.

Gabby,
I know younger people who have had eating disorders, its not that uncommon. Your weight is fine. Don't worry about it.

"Also, you tend to gain weight before your period because you retain water."

Weight gain before periods is caused by progesterone secreted by the corpus luteum (the remains of the follicle after the egg is released) during the secretory phase (Days 15-28). Progesterone causes vascularization of the endometrium, and the uterus more than doubles in size. That causes the weight gain.

Go science!