I need help.

[Nathanadam]

OK, im new to this kinda thing; but i think ive found the right place to go. My name is Nathan, i am 14 years old. I am 5 foot 10in. I weigh 240lbs. In medical terms i am vbery over weight. It hurts my sellf esteem and confindence because people at school make fun of me. This leads to many distractions including, not being able to focus on school work and all that other stuff. I am generlly a straight A student. All throughout my life every year i have gained about 10 pounds each year. A couple maybey 3 years ago i was staying at my grandparents while my house was being built and i was able to ride my bike everyday for about 2 hours. I lost alot of weight. But know that my house has been built; I live out in the country on a gravel road and its really hard to ride a bike because of all of the bumps. I do not have acsees to a gym and or exercise place, it just is not possible for me to fit that in. I have an old exercise bike; I would love to ride it and lose weight, but i cant find the motivation, its just not there. I have tried all the tricks in the boo and nithing seems to work. Here for about five months ive kept my weight around 230. But all the sudden the weight has came back up. Im at 240. This weight will lead me to death at 40 diabetias{ have family history}. I just dont know what to do. I have ran out of places to turn and i JUST DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. I mean i begging. I reff soccer on saturdays and i work around the farm, so i get good exercise. If theres any one out there that has had this experince and / or knows what to do could you PLEASE share it with me. PLease, It would mean the world to me if you could help. Thank You.

 

[Hulk2]

Hey Nathan...not to worry. From what I can infer, you are still young and it is so much easier for young bodies and minds to adapt.


Let me tell you about me: When I was in school, I was pretty much like you, and I was peaking at 200 pounds of pure lard. I had almost no body strength and at gym class the teacher would make an example of me by making me trying to do a push up with the whole class watching and then seeing me collapse on the first count, much to the mirth of everyone. The teasing was part of daily routine and at the end of the day, I had to huff and puff for any activity that the rest of my friends would do without even noticing. The more depressed I got, the more I ate and especially sugars which comforted me.


Then one day I decided that I had had enough. That day onwards, I just went onto a diet that cut out practically all carbohydrates and fats and followed the principle that I would get up from a meal and feel that I could eat another easily. I was steadfast in this.


But I did not limit myself to that. I started to exercise for an two hours each day. We used to stay in an apartment and I hated to exercise in front of anybody. So jogging/ gym was out of the question. I used to shut myself in a room and do the following exercises:


Skipping

Stretching

Push ups

Free hand squats

Chin ups

Crunches/ Leg raises.


Let me tell you...when I started I could practically do nothing. But i kept trying and if i collapsed on a push up, so be it. I kept collapsing for 10 counts...until one day I was able to do the first push up, ever, in my life...and I was 15.


Skipping...I started with a goal of 100 counts...if I stumbled and stopped inbetween I used to punish myself by counting down 10 counts and starting all over again. I increased counts and effort slowly and patiently. I did not care what others had to say. All I knew was that I was excited as I kept progressing.


I then bought a 'chest expander' ...one of those spring/ rubber thingees and started to work on my upper body strength. I started to progress on this too.


At the end of 6 months my weight was down to 145 pounds and I was looking fantastic. For the first time in my life I used to walk to the swimming pool without a towel covering me. People actually started to stare at me ...I loved it.


I am 43 now and over the years had put on weight and reached my old 200 pound weight. This was until a few months back when I decided to have a go at it again. I have already lost 20 pounds and 5 inches on my waist. Only this time it is so much more difficult...age tells.


So keep your chin up....at your age, nothing can stop you and losing weight is not rocket science...it is just logic and determination.


You can do it...just decide

 

[PLB]

Hey Nathanadam, welcome to the forum! And thanks, Hulk, for posting your experience with being overweight at the same age... it always helps to have someone to relate to! Nathanadam - as Hulk said, at the most basic level, you just have to decide that you're going to do it. What is your typical day like food-wise?