Eating Right Can Be Hard

[[old] grimsby1]

i find it real hard to keep on a strict diet nowadays....im 17, in grade 11 and i am a lightweight (well...i try to be). I am about 170 right now, wich is obviously 5 lbs above the lightweight cut-off. Last years school season i was about 150 lbs throughout the entire season and during the intense summer season i maintained a very trim 150 lbs while eating an enormous amount of food everyday. I really need to get back down to about 160 lbs, so i can row lightweight this school year, and i just have such a hard time staying on a strict diet now a days. it has never been like this for me, could it be the stress of school? either way, i need to find the dicipline inside me to achieve my goal. <br /><br />any suggestions or motivations?<br /><br />cheers,<br />light-weight in distress

[[old] Janice]

Stress is a big reason people don't eat as healthy as they could. We often turn to comfort foods and snack when we have a lot on our shoulders.<br /><br />I would caution you against dieting at your age. I'm sure there is a reason your body is holding onto that 20lbs. You have to realise that you are still growing and developing. If you are a healthy weight for your height/build and still exercising, you shouldn't go to extreme measures to lose the weight. It can really damage your health down the line if you are in battle with your body to maintain 165 when 175 is your natural weight. I have found that 175 is my natural weight and that I don't function below that. Your body may have changed and it might be the case for you.<br /><br />Sometimes we have to accept changes and you might have to examine the situation and think if you really should be a heavyweight and not a lightweight. If that is the case, start lifting weights to develop lean mass and continue to eat healthy.

[[old] Steve_R]

It is quite common for people to put on weight in the off season, especially if you continue to eat like you did when you were training intensely.<br /><br />What is a strict diet (no fast food and sugar)? How tall are you?<br /><br />I agree with Janice, you don't want to be doing severe dieting but you should also be eating a healthy amount and balance of the right foods. If you are about 6'0" then 160 is the lower end of the ideal weight range for that height.<br /><br />Steve

[[old] grimsby1]

oh i thank you i see what you mean by my natural weight janice i might have had some internal change in my body. i will definatly look into the situation, by taking a body fat % test. <br /><br />and by the way steve i am 5 foot eleven and a strict diet to me is just not eating candy and stuff like that, and not eating at like mcdonalds.<br /><br />thanks to both of you<br /><br />cheers

[[old] Steve_R]

At 5'11" you should be able to get to 160, depending on your lean mass. I understand that it isn't always fun to eat the "healthy stuff."<br /><br />Do it healthy and good luck.<br /><br />Steve

[[old] TomR/the elder]

The fact may be that you no longer are a lightweight. You are 5'11'' today, but have you grown since last year? Are you still growing? <br /><br />You are at an age when you are supposed to put on weight, so unless you have stopped growing entirely, you might think about considering that you are a heavy--not a big heavy today, but perhaps someday.<br /><br />Don't beat up on yourself about your diet, if in fact you are still growing. And if you are growing, make sure you eat enough. Adequate food is more important than one more season as a skinny.<br /><br />Tom<br />