hi - im 16 and lost about 2/3 stone. I tried almost every 'diet' going - and even ended up going to a dietition (for about 80 quid!!!). What she - and everyone else told me but I was reluctant to believe - is that you need a balance. So you don't block out carbs, dont touch the atkins diet - do eat some fat - have some protien. A normal healthy diet should look something like this:
around 65% - carbs / veg / fruit - eat lots (fruit / cereals / rice / pasta / bread) - stick to whoeleman where you can - the fibre in it makes you feel more full.
around 35 % - fat (small amount) - protien (lean meats / fish).
This also means you have to stop eating junk food. Sounds easy - but I think is probably the hardest thing in the world. With an addiction such as nicotine - people around you know you smoke - encourage you to stop - yuo have to go out of your way to get cigarettes, they cost alot, aren't socially acceptable etc. but with food it's EVERYWHERE, you eat junk socially, VERY CHEAP and accessable (for 1 pound you can buy 4/5 chocolate bars...), and worst of all very often (especially with young people - i would know, ive been there) you keep it to yourself and people around you may not even know you want to lose weight - so you have no encouragement or help from anywhere. The onle thing I would say is that you CAN do it - but it is REALLY REALLY hard work.
Exercise is also important - but this doesn't only mean running like a nutter. If you want to exercise indoors because you are self-conscious, I would buy an exercise bike, and use that regularly. As you become more confident you might want to go jogging (or buy a treadmill 2nd hand), play more sports / go swimming and try some anerobic exercise (exercise which is very intense, and not enough oxygen is supplied to your lungs so you become tired very quickly - ie weightlifting).
good luck!
