Am I overweight? How to lose the flab?

Question

I don't know what to do because I've been on all these websites that tell you if you're overweight and they've always said I'm fine but I'm really concious of my stomach... I'm 5 foot 9 inches and my stomach is 34 inches around my belly button. I weigh just over 12 stone (168 pounds) and I'm 13 years old. I have quite large bones.

Is this enough information and can anyone please settle my mind?

Also.. I want to know how to lose some because I'm not really happy with my stomach but I'm not really into many sports (except I swim once or twice a week for an hour each, I walk to and from school for about 45 minutes every week-day and I ride a horse once a fortnight). At school I eat a sandwich, 2 pieces of fruit, sometimes a packed of crisps and a small cup-cake (or something similar). Otherwise I eat a pretty healthy diet:
breakfast - cereal and milk
evening dinner - average meal and desert
And once a week I have chocolate!

Can anyone help me with my questions?

Answer 1

Hi Lorna,

As a 13 year old girl the questions and feelings you have are completely normal. At your age and with today's onslaught of media attention towards the super skinny (and UNHEALTHY) models and actresses, it is understandable why you might think of yourself as overweight.

The truth is, however, that you are not overweight. If the height/weight charts say you fall within healthy lines, then you are ok.

Remember these charts were created by Doctors with lots of experience over a period of many years. They don't just make up those figures.

If you are worried about your stomach size, the best thing you can do is to get more active. It sounds like you're already doing quite a bit, but if you want to do more here are a few suggestions.

Try cutting down on the cupcakes just a little. If you have 5 a week, make it 3 instead. If you're drinking lots of soda, you can cut that down as well.

Pick your favorite activities and spend more time doing them, like swimming, horseback riding, etc.

All in all you sound like a very smart, healthy, average girl. Smile because you are beautiful just as you are.

Blessings,
Mike

Answer 2

Getting Enough Exercise? :
- Is It Really Needed?
- AreYou Getting Enough?
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050522/article_01.htm
(I prefer walking & household chores as mine.)

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20030322/article_01.htm
[Lack of sleep has (since) actually been found to seriously
impede truly overweight individual's efforts to lose weight.]

Are you aware that refined foods (lacking roughage) are difficult for the intestines to remove, so that a large % of them remain, eventually lining the intestines with old, decaying, matter (a ? A much more detailed explanation is found within the article: "Journey to the Center of Your Colon", by Tim O'Shea, on his, TheDoctorWithin Web site. Autopsies have revealed such lining to be Several Inches Thick, on some noted celebrities that he mentions. Such a layer --of any thickness-- makes a Wonderful Haven for parasites & other pathogens, as well as a bulging stomach. O'Shea gives a lot of info regarding how to avoid that, & also an article on the effects of sugar on health. Such articles are freely available to readers, without registration.

I'm not very good at comparing weight to height, but ...
You Certainly Don't want to 'go down the following road'! :

What Is Behing Eating Disorders? :
- When Food Is Your Enemy
- Anorexia and Bulimia --The Facts, the Dangers
- What Causes Eating Disorders?
- Eating Disorders--What Can Help?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1999/1/22/article_01.htm *

*(This URL will likely change soon. Advanced Search at http://watchtower.org/search/search_e.htm will find the new URL, then.)

Answer 3

You're tall so you're not going to look healthy weighing much less than you already do. If your waist is 34 inches you don't want let that increase at all. For health reasons, women's waists should not be more than 33 inches and for men it's 35 inches. If your stomach is the only problem area in your opinion, try pilates. That is a wonderful way to strengthen your core!

Too much emphasis is put on "perfection" but women come in all shapes and sizes. Don't be TOO hard on yourself! ;-)

Answer 4

Armenian Helen- you're extreamly under weight. eat something.

as for the questioner--- dont worry about your weight too much. worry about eating right and exersizing. at your age you are going to be doing a lot of growing really soon, and you need some extra weight to stay healthy.

what do you drink? soda? cut that out and drink water instead. also, you have having dessert twice a day? (lunch and dinner) try having something a little healthier at those times, like maybe some fruit, or cinimon grahm crackers.

do some sit ups, and exersize. get your heart rate up for 30 minutes at a time.

Answer 5

Don't be self councious, I'm sure your a stunner!
If you want to loose weight then look at what your putting in that sandwich is it nutella? or is it something healthy like a chicken salad. Why not make your sandwich out of brownbread instead of white, much more satisfying, instead of chocolate or crisps eat low fat popcorn trust me, much less fat.
Its good that your exercising to combat stomach flab do crunches or sit-ups everyday, I know they sound like a pain but the results are worth it!
One more thing its better to eat a BIG breakfast in the morning because thats when your metabolism is at its peak and you'll be less hunrgy at mid-morning so won't be tempted to snack!
good luck!

Answer 6

You sound like you're active, so that is great. By your measurements, you don't sound overweight at all. Websites consider me obese because I am 6' 3" and weigh 240 lbs, but I work out everyday and have 12 percent bodyfat, so don't trust the websites too much. If you stay active and eat right, you'll be fine.

Answer 7

Im sorry to say this but yes you are overweight. Im 11 years old and im 65 pounds. I got to a lot of activities.
-Dance
-Gymnastics
-Flute
-Russian
-Armenian
-Fitness

Try this. Go to your local YMCA. Workout at least 45 imnutes a day for at least 4 days a week. Im sure you'll see the difference.
Also, cut down on junk food. What ever you eat or drink, look at its nutrition facts. Look at its calories. Be sure to eat AT MOST 850 calories a day. You will see a difference
Also, try harder at your P.E. classes. I know it's hard to hold your wait during stretches (push-ups, sit-ups, core stretch, etc.) bbut you have to try.
Also, go to your local fitness. Get on a treadmill. Run for at least 15 minutes. You will burn fat and lose calories.
Ya, i forgot to tell you. Dont stop eating. If you stop eating, you cant burn calories when you excersise. You need to eat, so when you excersise, you burn the calories eaten, and plus the calories you've eaten before.

Answer 8

Try running a couple of times a week. Cardio exercises (such as running) burn fat and keep you healthy. If you aren't used to running, start out slow for maybe 5 or 10 minutes and increase the time and speed as your stamina builds.

Answer 9

Yes, you are seriously fat. Best way to lose weight is to start with your diet. Sugar is enemy number one with saturated fat a close number two. What does that mean? It means you should cut out: Soda, ice cream, pie, cake, pudding, candy, etc., etc. Next, avoid every fried and greasy food. Once you are eating healthy you must burn more calories by being more active. Play every sport that interests you, run, skip rope. Do whatever it takes because you are probably at least 40 lbs. overweight.

Answer 10

You should really not even worry about what the next person thinks. If you feel that you may want to shed alittle weight then that is OK. As long as your weight is not affecting your health you are fine.