I'm 15, so am I too young too go on a diet?

Question

Im a little bit overweight, so I wanna lose weight. Being 15, am I too young to diet? If not, can you recommend some good diets? thanx!

Answer 1

It really depends on whether you are overweight, and how much you are overweight. If it's only a few pounds, I think that you are too young to go on a diet. If you really are overweight, you should work with your parents and doctor to focus on healthy eating habits, rather than any drastic eating changes.

Step 1 -- ask you doctor if you are overweight for your height, age, etc.

Step 2 -- focus on eating healthy foods. Limit the fast food and junk food you eat. Try to eat fruit and veggies. Limit candy, cakes, and other high sugar foods.

Step 3 -- be active. Whether you are overweight or not, it's good to be active. Go for a walk with your friends (it's a great time to talk). Spend time outdoors.

Here's some good information written just for teens like you:

Should I Go on a Diet?
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/diet.html

What's the Right Weight for My Height?
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/weight_height.html

Body Mass Index Tool (uses your weight, height, and age to tell if you are overweight)
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/bmi.html

More information: http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/

Good luck and try not to worry too much about your weight. And, if you are overweight, your doctor (or even a school nurse or counselor) will have great suggestions for you.

Take care,

Rachel

Answer 2

The problem with diets (at any age!) is that people diet for a month or five months or whatever, and then they reach their goal weight and they say "score!" and eat the way they did before losing the weight. Then they gain the weight back.

A better way to lose weight is to look at your eating habits and try to see if there are moderate changes in the way you eat that you could make permanently that would be healthier. You might want to look at the food pyramid guide online as a reference to nutrition. (even if you're not in the US I think you could use this guide) The cool thing about paying attention to the food pyramid is that when you realize exactly what is considered a "serving", you'll probably realize you eat way more than one serving of anything at a time! You might just need to add more water or vegetables to your daily food intake, or eat more whoe grains, and that's something you can carry on for the rest of your life!

You might also try looking at starting to exercise some, by joining a sport at your school, or if you're not into sports doing something more individual-oriented like Yoga classes or walking or jogging. I would say any age is a bad age for a temporary diet, but you're never too young too exercise or build permanent good eating habits!

Answer 3

You are not too young to start eating healthy, but you should never "go on a diet". What you should do is develop healthy eating habits.
Start your day with a breakfast high in fiber that includes a little protein. This will keep you going. After that, just don't eat anything deepfried, and be careful about fats and sugars. Always eat some protein with your carbohydrates, it makes them last longer in your system and helps reduce cravings.

Make sure that all the carbohydrates you eat are whole grains. Whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc. These keep you full longer, have more fiber, so they help you absorb nutrients more efficiently to reduce cravings, and are just all around better for you.
Aside from that, eat lots of fruits and veggies.
But don't starve yourself. Eat when you start to feel hungry, slowly, until you feel full. Then you'll never get hungry enough to binge.

And make sure you drink at least 4 bottles of water a day between meals and glass of water with each meal. If it makes you pee too much, it means you're not getting enough exercise! Sweat it out instead!

Answer 4

At age 15 you don't need a diet. If you go on a diet you'll lose weight, but you'll put it back on once you stop the diet. What you need is to cut back a little on carbs, and fat. Plus get more exercise. That way you'll lose weight and keep it off.

Answer 5

instead of dieting may be try eating right and start a more healthy living style diets don't work long term eating right does try reading " FIT FOR LIFE"by Harvey Diamond excellent book on how to correctly lose weight and keep it off little borning at times but it really gets you thinking

Answer 6

Go to http://www.mypyramid.org/ figure out what you should be eating and go from there. A diet per se is not always needed just eating healthier and watching your calories can sometimes be the answer. If you feel that this is not enough I suggest increasing your activity even if its just a 30 minute walk a day it will help :)

Answer 7

well, yes u are kinda young, but u don have to go on any special diet. just lessen the amount of food u eat, moderation is the keyword. And exercise exercise exercise! U'll feel better about ur self..here's a tip, avoid junk food, pastas and other starchy food..

Answer 8

Diets don't work because they're meant to be temporary (who whould want to be on Atkins or Slimfast for life?) Try to make permanent lifestyle change: incorporate more vegetables and fruits into your diet, cut out junkfood, exercise. This doesn't mean that you have to become a obsessive health-freak. Keep it simple. Allow yourself one treat a day, like a dessert. This'll keep you sane.

Answer 9

no ur not to young but dont go overboard!you cando simple exercises and eat healthyer that helped me im 16 and 104 lbs.+walking daily helps relive stress and u can loose weight!!!+8 glasses of water help u lose weight but also reduces acne.and dont call it a diet,call it being healthy!!

Answer 10

No its not to young to go on a diet