I started eating healthier and now I look horrible !! HELP?

Question

I'm 21 and for years i've been eating all the junk food and fast foods I wanted (like pizza, candy, chips, cake , cookies) and I don't gain weight since I'm naturally thin.. Around a month ago, a few friends and I decided to start and eat healthier, and we also go to the gym 2 or 3 days a week at school..

Now I'm a bit less than 90 pounds, I was 96 before I started changing what I ate.. and i'm looking horrible like wasting away!! I don't want people to think i'm anorexic!! Im thinking about changing back to eating like I used to.. and stop exercising as much but I dont want to die early.. what am i supposed to do??

i'm 5'6, i don't eat much junk anymore, most a granola bar before hitting the gym.. i have tea or milk with egg for breakfast, i eat apples and yogurt for snacks.. i eat alot of veggies (carrots, brocolli etc) some fish and chicken for dinner.. i have sushi for lunch alot..i don't drink coke anymore, usually get juice.. i think i'm eating much healthier now and i do eat 3 meals but im losing weight quick

Alot of people have noticed i lost weight and saying im too skinny.. Im pretty sensitive to these things and i really want them to stop talking about me, I know eating right is important and I really want to gain weight, its just not working

I want to gain around 10 pounds by middle May.. should I stop running the treadmill and what healthy foods help to gain weight??

Answer 1

No - any change in our lives is inevitably going to have a transition period where it seems like a bad idea. You know that what you are doing is right. Relax and stick with your plan - don't be seduced by the old and the familiar. Eat a little more - even cheesecake can have natural ingredients - and enjoy yourself. Before you know it, it will be second nature.

It reminds me of when I quit smoking cigarettes. The first couple weeks were hard - I almost created drama just so I would be justified in smoking. Then I hit week 4 and I figured I was doing so good I could smoke occassionally - another attempted temptation. By week 6 I was sad and missing my old habit even though I was sure I didn't want to smoke any more. By week 8 I realized that I had forgotten all about it.

Stick with it - you are doing a great job and you will be glad you did in the long run.

Peace!

PS - that is important... is your workout geared toward building muscle and toning or is it focused on burning calories and loss of fat? Maybe you should talk to someone at the gym to see if you are ready to have your program changed.

Later...
I would say yes - stop running the treadmill, or at least cut down. If you work out with weights you will gain muscle mass which weighs more and adds definition. If you do yoga you will maintain flexibility (vital for a long and comfortable life) - and I have seen yoga reshape a body to lovely perfection. Pilates is also good exercise.

You might also want to consider that protein helps you gain muscle mass - that's eggs and meats of course, but also cous cous, nuts, beans (but soy protein is in question right now as to healthiness - I stay away from it).

Good luck!

Answer 2

Losing weight is one of the hardest things you can do. I'm 23 and need to lose some weight too, and I know what you mean... I hate doing something about it when I'm not quite ready. But what will make you get ready? Is something happening in the next year? Even just saying "I want to look GREAT in that holiday dress this Christmas" would work... that way you have a goal and give yourself time. I wouldn't start with jogging, you'll wear out really fast and be super sore the next day. While this is what they show on the biggest Loser, without having a personal trainer screaming in your ear it's harder to stay focused. I'd say make small changes, weekly. This week, start taking a 30 minute walk every day. The next week? Cut out soda/drinks other than water or tea. Next week? Cut out sugar. ALL sugar, including fake sugar. Next week? Cut out partionally hydrogenated ingredients. Next week? See if you feel good enough to go for a 20 minute jog on top of your walk. By making small steps over time, you aren't overwhelming yourself and setting yourself up for failure. I'm super visual, so I put up a calender on my fridge. I write my weekly goals, and then in the boxes I write what i ate that day and how I feel (smiley face or frowny face). Don't get me wrong, I have my fall off the wagon days. A lot. lol... but it helps to see that if i take a deep breath and know i'm doing something other than imagining myself skinny, I'm doing okay. Try not to weigh yourself more than once a week... that just messes with your brain. I think that as you make changes, you'll feel better and better about yourself, even if the weight doesn't magically melt off. You'll feel healthier and happier. Hope that helps, and good luck! Know that every day is a new day, and just keep trying... but don't forget to enjoy life too.

Answer 3

Dont go back to eating all that junk food when you get older it will catch up to you and you will regret it. Eat steak, chicken and LOTS of protien, have junk food in moderation or as little as you possibly can cause its junk it"ll do nothing good for you and keep on exercising just as long as you eat healthy. And dont worry so much about what people think, you cant change the way that people think about you. you didnt tell us youre height though so i cant really judge but if you are 5'3 or taller yeah you are really thin then , but dont let any one bring you down cause its the way God made you.

Answer 4

I am 5' 6" and lost 8 lbs that way. Now I weight 110.

I kind of know what you mean :) However, I just had to change my diet due to another illness I can't heal from, soooo....

The solution probably is, STOP running and start doing weights!

Also, eat more proteins (1 gr per pound) in order to put on muscle AND eat at least 50% carbs (I eat 60-70% carbs or I lose too much weight!).

It sounds like you're an ectomorph (see link).

IF you are afraid of eating too much carbs (like, in case somebody in your family has diabetes), switch to whole carbs (like whole oat, barley, spelt, whole pasta, whole bread, etc) which are healthier.

My best wishes!

Answer 5

find calorie/fitness calculator on the net, enter your stats and it will tell you how many calories a day you need to maintain your weight. take 300-400calories off that number and that's how much you need to lose weight.
eat 5-6 small meals a day instead of 3 big ones.
5-8 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.
8 glasses of water a day.
4-6 times a week cardio work out for 30-50min plus light weight training.
no junk food, no sodas, no white flour (white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes etc)

Answer 6

Ro above me with her answer is right on the money.

List what you are eating as far as so called "healthy" because your idea of eating healthy is way off the mark if you are waisting away, and you are setting yourself up for lupus or cancer for not fulfilling any nutritional deficiencies.

Thank goodness you stopped the junk food.

Eating healthy can be explained here: http://www.glycodiet.com/mannalive

Answer 7

You can eat foods rich in protein and maintain a healthy weight. Also, you should work a weighlifting session into your day a few times a week. Muscle mass weighs more than fat and looks good too.

Answer 8

To be on the safe side you should see a doctor about this as soon as possible.
It seems like you would think about help from a doctor first. Your health is very important. You should do everything to protect it. Try seeing a doctor.

Answer 9

I would consult with a nutritionist if I were you. It seems you are a small person to begin with if you only weighed 96 pounds to begin with. A nutritionist can get you on an eating and exercising regime that is right for you.

Answer 10

eat ALOT of food, but still exercise.
if you got the fast metabolism that's good but just because you're thin you should still work out
DON'T do fat burning exsercises do muscle toning things so you can build muscle which will make you look thicker and better and ou'll be strogner