Shock! A Teenager's Diet

sorry, that was me above

You are not bothering me at all. You are doing a good job. Of course, under stress, making changes will be even more difficult. Have you considered yoga or Tai Chi Chuan to help deal with stress, and as a fun exercise that doesn't burn tons of calories but still makes you feel good? That could help.

no. Because i need something intense. That is hard. I need to get all my feelings out. So i don't really know of anything i could do that with so i wouldn't burn so many calories.

oh i go to yoga
it's not really all that intense but it can be fun
although it can be quite painful when you first join if you don't have good balance or flexibility

yoga is about relaxing i don't want to realax. I want an intense workout that will keep me healthy, keep away all my fat, make me feel mentally better, and give me energy. I am a flexible person. Not so good at balance. Ha ha. Thats a funny thought.

Consider Martial Arts training!

no thanks, i will stick to the treadmill

Marie, stick to the treadmill too, but trust me, you *need* something like yoga or tai chi. The quest for control and perfection are all yang, all Type A, so you more than anyone else need something that will help you get more balanced. Martial arts would be good too, the mental benefits + feeling empowered.

I'm not suggesting those exercises as sneaky ways for you to burn fewer calories - I'm suggesting them because I think they'd do you as much good, mentally, as therapy is doing.

marie: If you want something intense, I can give you a real killer. It's called the 8-by-8, and it's a weight training strategy. Pick a body part, like the biceps, and pick an isolation exercise for that body part. Now, pick what you consider a light weight for that exercise. Don't worry, it'll start feeling heavy. Try to do 8 sets of 8 reps, taking only 30 seconds of rest between sets. Bring your watch. You may not make it to the full 8 of 8, but you should get closer with each workout. Take at least 3 days of rest between working a body part. When you finally hit 8 of 8, decrease your rest periods by 5 seconds and work back up to 8 of 8. Keep doing this until you can do the full 8 of 8 with 15 seconds of rest. Then you can increase the weight. Only do one of these per body part, and I wouldn't do more than 4 or 5 body parts in a workout.

This system not only involves weights, but also puts a lot of stress on your cardiovascular system. You can count it as both a resistance and a cardio workout. Between sets, hunch over with your hands on your thighs and start hyperventilating. Seriously. Like someone just held your head underwater for 3 minutes. You're going to need the oxygen load. For any exercise where you're putting a lot of stress on the cardiovascular system, I recommend dessicated liver tablets. They will greatly increase your oxygen utilization. I find Uni-Liver by Universal to be the best.

thanks Jan. I do need to relax. But i hate to. it makes me feel lazy.
Ryan. I am a young teenage girl, not a pro athlete. I don't need to lose any more weight. I have a problem that needs to be fixed, not made worse. Thanks for the suggestion, but that is not in my future. i am sure someone else will benefit from your comment.

i don't know what is wrong with me, i am never ever hungry! I mean today i only ate lunch, and possibly one snack. I mean i am not hungry, and i feel fat, and i can't force myself to do anything. (same person as above)

I know. The less you eat, the less you are hungry. That is why I said that a small part of recovery is really forcing my calories in somehow, and then you'll start getting hungry.

but i don't want to be hungry, then i will get fat

You won't get fat, Marie. You are not fat.

Jan.
OK. I have a question.
Can people tell i lost weight? Adults say things. But not kids. One teacher said something and she asked me how much weight i was planning on losing. But do they know i have an eating disorder? I feel like everyone can see it. Can they really? Maybe you don't know either.
Also. I keep getting horrible headaches. I am tired, and i know i am not, but i feel fat alot, and yeah, can u get headaches from not eating enough? I feel like i eat so much food, and then i get yelled at for it not being enough. I just don't quite understand. But you already helped me by relieving me so much, by just telling me your experiences. So if you feel like it please respond, but u don't have to.

never mind, i am better,

I think people who are paying attention can tell you lost weight, yes. Not that you have an ED, since you are not terribly underweight and sick-looking, but that you dropped weight fast and that it was probably the result of a crash diet. Kids may or may not notice, cause they can be sometimes self-involved, and sometimes, obsessed with comparing themselves to others. The second type would definitely notice.

You can get headaches from not eating enough, yes. People usually do even from having a late lunch. I'm glad you are feeling better, but eating something, even something small, helps with the headache.

yeah it was low blood sugar. so what do you mean the second type?

I mean the few teens who are obsessed with comparing themselves. Most of them are only worried about themselves, though, and don't notice others.

good, i don't want them to notice me!

They are probably too worried about their own zits and hair to notice.

I am a little different, so people are always looking at me, but i hope they don't notice my weight cause for one, i feel so fat, and for two i know i lost fast, and yeah, so just don't want peeps to notice.

They don't. Usually, unless it is extreme (as in, a fat person or someone who looks like one of the Australian anorexic twins), people don't notice.

good! Thank you

help my friend is possible bulimic

i am 17 years old and that IS basically a "normal" diet for kids at my school and my friends, not exactly the same but very similar. i have been struggling with my weight, and it seems the less i eat the more i gain.

Jessie, that makes perfect sense. By eating irregularly, your body thinks you are facing famine, so whatever little you do eat, it holds on to because it doesn't know when you are going to eat again.

The solution is 3 meals + 2/3 snacks a day, eating regularly. You may gain a few pounds for a couple of weeks but soon you'll have more energy to be more active, and you'll lose weight. Just eat the good old regular foods, not packaged crap. Meats, vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, etc.