Do you think I'm headed for a heart attack? I need diet help, pleeease?

Question

I'm 13 and all I eat is fast food and food from restaurants. I'm not really fat, just a little pudgy but I am losing some of that at PE. And its not my fault because my parents wont cook or anything. Even when I ask them for vegetables or healthy stuff. And i tell them that I might have a heart attack oneday or something but they say I shouldnt worry.

So my question is : how could I convince them to give me healthy foods, how long until i become enormous if I dont stop this, and if I do start eating healthy how long will it be until I lose some weight?

thanks if you can help me. :)

Answer 1

You sound wise beyond your years.
13 is a great age to begin to think of your health, nutrition and a healthy weight.
You can (and sounds like you have the smarts) to take charge of some of your meals.
At 13 you can do these things to ensure a much more healthy start to your adult eating habits:
Breakfast:
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Ask your parents to buy you Kashi cereal. This cereal is not only delicious, but it's high in protein, and high in fiber. this is a great breakfast especially when eaten with either skim or 1% milk. This can be your routine breakfast.

Lunch:
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Ask your parents to buy you whol;e wheat bread slices. If the bread says just "wheat", it's not whole wheat, and has just some whole grain in it. But whole wheat is from a whole grain which not only helps you not store your carb as fat, but also due to a higher fiber content, will keep you feel full much longer than white bread. If you're not used to the wheat bread, don't worry. In two weeks, you won't want to touch white bread again.
Now that you have your bread, you're ready for your lunch sandwiches:
1) Put a slice of 2% fat sliced Kraft cheese on this and a slice of Oscar Meyer Naturals Turkey breast. These cold cuts have no preservatives or artificial ingredients and the turkey breast is 98-99% fat free and delicious
2) Buy a container of Smucker's Natural peanut butter. It's a peanut butter that doesn't contain bad fats (hydrogenated oils) and tastes great. The only catch is that the oil sits on top when you first buy it, but not to worry... all you do is you stir it into the peanut butter and then store it in the fridge. You only have to stir it in once, since the fridge will keep the oil from seperating. The reason regular peanut butters don't seperate is that they've had bad hard fats put into it. these same hard fats also get hard in the arteries.
Add to this peanut butter and wheat bread, any jam you like (of course in moderation) and you have a delicious and nutritious lunch.
3) A hard boiled agg can go into this bread for a yummy and healthy sandwich.
4) Store bought Hummus is a nice spead on the bread. If you've never had it, see if you can try it by buying only a small dish of it. I suggest starting with the original flavor. It's a creamy spead that's healthy and good.

Dinner:
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This is the hard one, because your parents are in charge of this meal. You can however start your meal with an apple or a salad so your calories from the less healthy meal will be mitigated. Then have a smallish portion of what your family is having and you'll be fine.

A few other pointers:
No soda.
Nothing sweet until a meal has been consumed (never eat something sweet on an empty stomach).

That's it. You have a great breakfast, a choice of 5 great lunches (can even have one of the lunch options as dinner) and an improved dinner.

So your grocery list is:
1) Kashi cereal (there are a few, see which one sounds good to you) They're delicious.
2) skim or 1% milk
3) Enough apples for a week (Golden Delicious apples are a great choice)
4) Sliced whole wheat bread
5) 2% Kraft sliced American cheese
6) Oscar Meyer Naturals Turkey breast
7) Tribe or Athenos brand hummus (usually next to cheeses)
8) Smucker's brand Natural peanut butter (they have both chunky and smooth)
9) Jam
10) eggs (boil for 8 minutes and keep in fridge ready to eat)
11) Also try this whole wheat bread... It's a pocket bread and has very few calries, but opns up to be stffed full of your sandwich ingredients and it's delicious and fun:
Toufayan Whole wheat Pita (pocket breads)

You're all set to be healthy, gorgeous and in charge of your health. Maybe when mom and dad seeing you eat healthy and see the results, they'll want to join in! ;o)
Good luck to you. I have a feeling no one needs to ever worry about your future, because you want to know. People who want to know will learn.

Answer 2

I'd show them some medical facts. Bad eating habits in childhood and adolescents can cause high cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, and yes, heart attacks.

In the mean time push them a little at a time. If you go to a fast food place get a healthier option. Wendy's allows you to change out fatty fries for salads and the like. I tend to eat the chili, baked potato, and a side salad, a healthy mean, and about 3 dollars so they can't complain about the price.

Another option is ask to go to the grocery store with them to pick out some things you can cook. Start simple with salad vegtables, oatmeal, wheat bread for sandwiches. Healthy doesn't have to be expensive. If fruit is expensive ask for apples and bannanas. Nonfat plain yogurt, some frozen fruit, and a little honey and you have a healthy breakfast smoothie.

Educate yourself and your parents.

Answer 3

A heart attack is commonly caused by a sudden obstruction of the blood supply to part of the heart muscle. Symptoms include: collapse, sudden faintness or dizziness, a sense of impending doom, ashen skin, and blueness at the lips, a rapid, weeak, or irregular pulse, profuse sweating, extreme gasping for air. prevention: healthy diet, excercise, quit smoking, don't drink to much, if other members of the family have heart problems, then regular medical checks, hope this helps

Answer 4

they were right. u should not worry about heart attack now..it will happen when u are in your 40s... what u should worry about now is your kidneys. if you continue to eat food with preservatives/high cholesterol/high fat, etc... your kidneys will deteriorate faster than your heart would. eventually requiring you kidney transplant or dialysis. at the rate you are going, i'd say in 5-10 years' time.

now that you know, start eating right. you are 13... u can cook your own food. seek a counsellor's help.. and better yet, be adopted.

get well soon. goodluck!

Answer 5

You can make healthy choices at restaurants and fast food joints. Always ask if veggies and dip is possible, don't eat the dip. Ask if fruit is available. Ask for sliced tomatoes or salad instead of home fries. Order skim or 2% milk instead of cola. Never order fries -- order side salad (not caesar) or apple slices instead, use just a dribble of salad dressing or ask for low fat dressing. Or order a plain baked potato -- butter and sour cream on the side and just use a small amount.

Limit beef to twice a week. Order grilled chicken sandwich instead of hamburger or fried chicken and ask for no mayo or "special sauce". Or order turkey sandwich (not club or with bacon), again -- order without mayo.

Subs are a good fast food choice -- order turkey or grilled chicken or veggie burger without cheese, no sauce and top with green peppers, tomato, lettuce. If fruit salad is available, order that for dessert instead of ice cream, cookies or pie.

At pizza places, order cheese and veggie with tomato sauce, no meat and no stuffed crust and limit to two slices.

Always order whole wheat bread, bun or crust when available. And explore vegan or vegetarian options -- they are usually better unless deep fried or loaded with cheese.

Answer 6

Yes you should absolutely worry. Your parents are being negligent and ilresponsible for not preparing you nutrious foods. Do not smoke. Try to eat healthy when you can such as at school. If you have the time to exercise, do it. If you do not have the time, make the time. Do not smoke. Try to keep your heart healthy by working it out regularaly. Do not smoke.

Answer 7

It's a good thing that you talk to your parents. I have to comend you on that!!! Maybe you need to express your desires for a better diet a lttle bit harder. Tell them you are concerned with your future health and theirs. Le them read or read to them (or watch commercials) about healtheir eating habits. As a LAST RESORT talk to a school administrator ot coach who you thin may be able to help. Good parents watchout for what is in the best interest of their kids , not themselves.

Answer 8

tell them that you should worry.
fast food is a huge cause of obesity
and health problems such as diabetes,
heart attacks, and heart disease ESPECIALLY
because you're a girl, women get it more easily.
they need to get to the grocery store
and start cooking HEALTHY meals for you
if they value your health and their own.
show them this.
but dont be too worried as long as you make
a change with your diet soon : )

Answer 9

Your probably not fat. most people think there fat but there not fat just a little overweight. Some girls actually are not fat at all! and there really skinny but they think there fat, I dont know what category you fall in but fast food places do offer other items on there menus.

Answer 10

hey stop worrying...........its good that you are concerned about your diet,what gets me is your parents should give you a varied and balanced diet and also PROMOTE your good intentions,you're not in any danger of having a heart attack so chill.......exercise and strengthen your heart is a good prevention,get some vegetables in ya,5 a day and all that,show your parents the responses this question will recieve,..........................gd luck and b well...