
To send a question Click Here Please read Disclaimer
 What is a normal serving size

=> Hi this is Remi.How much is a normal serving size for a 12 year old girl? I want to lose a little weight, but I am not sure what is a normal serving size. Thanks!

 Sometimes we may not realize that the size or amount of the food we put on our plate is WAY MORE than what is considered an average serving size. Larger sized servings can lead to weight gain. By learning to recognize a normal serving size (portion control) we can be more successful at maintaining a healthy weight or weight loss, if that is our goal.

Sometimes visualizing the normal serving size of a certain food as a familiar object can help. For example, think of a medium size apple to be the size of a baseball or a serving of chicken to be the size of a deck of cards. Check out the handy serving size plate for more examples.

You can also do things at home, at restaurants and at the supermarket to help you follow and maintain proper portion sizes. Take a look at more portion control tips. Good Luck!

 Emotional Eating: How To Help Someone Who is an Emotional Eater

=> hi my name is ester i live in africa and ive lost weight and gained it back from emtional eatin pls help

=> My friend who is age 14. She found out that she is obse. And is 4'8 130 pounds. She is an emotal eater. I am getting worried.. She even said I give up..She got bullied and I dont know what to do.. Any ideas I can help her? she is not tall.. It hard for her to keep with her friends running now.. She eats and eats. When strss sad. Or angrey. I been trying to help her..

=> How do you know when to stop? I eat alot! Way too much! Sometimes I don't know when to stop. I just eat, eat, and eat! It is usually only when I am home alone. When I am around people I eat very little. Why is this? I am 12, 4' 9", 85 lbs. Am I overweight? I feel huge!

 What can we do when we think we eat to soothe our feelings? We call that emotional or comfort eating. First, it is helpful to recognize the different between eating for fuel (to nourish our bodies) or eating for comfort. You can learn what your body needs to run on at sites like MyPlate.gov Check out what the body does with extra fuel and what you can do to avoid this.

When we eat to soothe a feeling, we are TEMPORARILY comforting our self, not fueling our body because it needs it. Take a look at the action plan to help you to stop eating emotionally.

The emotional part of our brain sometimes tries to trick us into thinking the food will make us feel better. But, our thinking brain knows we don't need the food. Remember that the thinking part of the brain is BIGGER than the emotional part of the brain so WE CAN LEARN TO CONTROL THE EMOTIONAL BRAIN. It just takes practice by becoming aware of what is going on. Practice talking to your brain and reasoning with your emotional brain. "No emotional brain! No! I am not going to let you trick me!!" I do not need that food because I am not hungry. GO AWAY!!"

Then, go do some fun activity to take your mind off the food. YOU CAN DO IT. TRY IT TODAY. Let us know how it works!

 Tips on How to Maintain a Healthy Weight

=> Can you help me stop getting fat!!!!!!!!!!!!!

=> Hi im keartyn and i think I'm overweight i weigh 150-160 pounds and im only 11 I'm 5.1 but i just cant ever loose weight its very hard for me please help because i don't know wat to do:-(

=> hi lucy my name is tameyah and i weigh 170 how in the world did you lose weight so fast can you help me

 First, check out the weight calculator to see if you are overweight or if you are a healthy weight. If you find that you are considered overweight, check out the Healthy Weight School "How Do I Lose Weight" area to learn about how to start losing weight the Healthy Way!

Once you learn more about why you overeat, how to avoid temptations, and how to get more motivation, you can make a plan. Armed with a realistic plan, you are more likely to stick to it and be successful. You can do it! Good luck!

 Special Diets – Are They Right For You

=> hi Lucy i have a question is it good if you go on a weight loss program at age 12 the weight loss program that i am on is call crystal lite weight loss program, just wright me back and say if it is good for me thank you

 Only your doctor can determine if going on a diet is right for you and if so, what kind of diet to go on. Drinking lots of sugar free drink mixes may not be a healthy choice as sugar free drink mixes often have artificial sweeteners in them including aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose (Splenda). They may pose health risks including actually causing weight gain by making people feel more hungry. See Controversy over health, Crystal light and weight loss and Crystal light and health risks to learn more.

PLAIN OLD WATER (POW) is the healthiest drink. You can jazz up water by making decaffeinated iced tea in your favorite flavors like Strawberry, Raspberry or Lemon and freezing some for ice cubes to add to your drink. You can also try crushing peppermint or spearmint leaves on the rim of your glass for added flavor. Try it, you will like it!!!

 Feeling Sad About My Weight - Tips to Feel better about yourself

=> soetimes i cry myself to sleep because of weight,can you help?

=> hi im a 10 and im 170 pounds i ger teased alot and i tryed to kill myself please i need help

 It is normal to feel sad about being overweight. Remember that it's not your fault (see brain below). Sometimes others may tease you or say things that make you feel sad. Talking to a trusted adult or school counselor about how you feel and asking them for suggestions can help you deal with your feelings.

If you feel desperate or have thoughts of harming yourself, you should contact emergency services like 911 or a Help Crisis line Crisis Links.

You can also check out the suggestions under self-esteem, bullies, and teasing. You can also find other kids to talk to that care in the chatroom and on the bulletin boards. Remember, don't be alone with your feelings. Talk to others that can help you.

 Why am I more hungry after lunch? A TUG OF WAR WITH OUR BRAIN

=> i do good between breakfast and lunch but as soon as i get lunch i want more but i dont know why that is could u tell me

 Most overweight kids don't know what real hunger feels like. They may feel that they are "always hungry," when actually it is their EMOTIONAL brain that wants them to eat something that tastes really good to soothe sadness, boredom, loneliness, stress, or depression. That's why you get cravings. Don't worry about recognizing true hunger. Mealtimes are planned in our world and your THINKING brain knows pretty much what food your body needs for energy and repairs. There are many places you can find this information, for example the Food Pyramid, and you probably learn it in school. Your thinking brain and your emotional brain can therefore be in a tug of war!

It's a good idea to "talk" to your emotional brain and tell it to "go away" when you have already eaten enough food, like when you've just had lunch, or especially if you aren't losing weight. Finding things to distract yourself from eating can also help, like shooting hoops or reading a book. Flavored water or low fat yogurt or fruits can help to wean yourself off always putting something in your mouth to soothe stress or boredom. But the idea is to learn to do other things besides eating stress or boredom away. Eating when you don't need food usually makes you feel worse afterwards, causing more stress. And, usually a craving will go away if you can just wait a minute or so.

TIP: Write down a list of things you can do to resist eating when you know your body does not need food. When you have a situation where you want to eat something to soothe a feeling, do something on your list instead. Usually, the desire to eat will go away.

Your list might have things on it like:
1. Count to 10.
2. Brush my teeth.
3. Dance to one song.
4. Call a friend.

Make your own list and try it. Let us know how it works! Good Luck!

 Why aren’t I losing weight with healthy eating and exercise

=> hello lucy, i was wondering wat i am doing wrong in my new diet. i eat three well porportioned meals, i sleep 7=8 hours, i exercise everyday an hour of cardio, and about 2 hours of weight training, yoga, and strength building exercises. i eat no processed, or sugary foods at all. i eat 5-6 fruits/vegetables a day, plus i eat protein after my workouts to gain muscle. is there any reason why i cant lose my body fat? thank you

=> Lucy I try very hard to llose weght by eating healthhy and by exercising but I never lose weight and sometimes I even gain weight Ireally need some advice about this.

=> Hi there Lucy, So recently i have started dieting, I eat less than 1000 calories a day. Im 15 5'2 and weigh 140 pounds, so im over weight. So far, ive been eaten alot of cottage cheese and exercising regularly for 30-40 min and doing core workouts, for 4 days. but i just want to give up. I dont know what to do, im not seeing any results and I always give up on my diets. what can i do to keep me motivated?

 There could be a number of reasons why you are not losing weight. Your doctor can assess your activity and diet and give you the best advice. Generally, if we eat more calories than we burn off, we gain weight even though we are physically active. "Normal" portion sizes, "eating healthy," and exercising mean different things to different people so consider keeping a Food and Activity Journal to re-evaluate your food and activity levels. Sometimes adding just a little extra serving size here or there or skipping exercise for a day can put the weight back on.

Cardio-exercise means exercise that gets our heart rate above its normal resting rate for a certain amount of time. You might want to re-check your Target heart rate as you might not be exercising at a high enough target heart rate or for a sufficient amount of time to balance the amount of food that you are consuming. Make sure that you are checking labels for added calories and watch how much protein you are eating after workouts.

 Motivation to lose weight – How to Keep the "M" in Motivation!!

=> Hi Lucy. My name is alexis and I loved your story, which is why it inspired me to write this letter. I am having a little weight problem and I need help. I'm going to the seventh grade and I'm ready to loose weight. I need help and encouragement to motiviate me to loose this weight. HELP!

=> im 13 and i just hate my self for letting my self get fat but anyways i am 5 foot 10 and im 235 pounds am i obeas

=> how could i get motivated to start excirsizing ! without getting bored every time i try to excirsize

Motivation. It's a simple word, but sometimes it's difficult to keep motivated.

Here are some ideas:

1. Write down the things that you don't like about your weight. (Things like: "Cool clothes don't fit me," "I have stretch marks on my thighs," "I can't get a date.")

2. Write down the reasons that you want to be thinner. (Things like: "So I can wear cool clothes," "I want to be able to walk 3 miles," whatever they might be.)

3. Make a list of FUN ACTIVITIES that you would like to try. Things that you enjoy like walking with friends, gardening, dancing, whatever they might be.



6. Get a MOTIVATION BUDDY to help encourage you and keep you accountable. The Teen Bulletin Board area is a good place to find a buddy. Many kids post motivation tips on the Success Boards as well.

Let us know how these ideas help. "You can do it!"

 How to stop craving junk food at home - set up a “safe house”

=> I fell sick when I look at myself I want to lose weight but my mom is never around she is always at work and i cant stop myself from eat junk food so is there a way to lose weight inside and stop myself form eating

 Controlling what and how much we eat is a learned behavior. Getting in touch with our feelings and emotions can help. Ask yourself, "Am I eating because I am hungry, or am I eating because I am Comfort Eating?" Feeling bored, stressed, or lonely might cause us to eat mindlessly. It can help if we can control what food is in our house and make a plan ahead of time to avoid eating when we aren't even hungry.

Here are some ways HOW TO SET UP A "SAFE HOUSE:"

1. MAKE A GROCERY LIST with your Mom or whomever buys the food. Make sure that JUNK FOODS that you crave such as candy, ice cream, chips, soda, etc. are NOT ON THE LIST. This is the best idea!!!

2. GO SHOPPING WITH THE PERSON THAT BUYS THE FOOD. Follow your list and don't get tempted into buying things not on the list, especially junk food.

3. If JUNK FOOD is bought, limit the amounts! Ask your Mom to put junk food items in drawers or containers that you can't easily see. Out of sight, out of mind!! This still allows others to access the food but helps you to avoid it.

4. MAKE A PLAN AHEAD OF TIME so that you will know what to do if you feel tempted to eat when you are not actually hungry. For example, brush my teeth, go for a walk around the block, count to 100, dance to one song on the radio, call a friend. Usually, the urge to eat will pass.

5. IF YOU MESS UP, JUST TRY AGAIN. Writing down how we feel helps us to get in touch with our emotions. When we can understand what we are feeling, we can make a plan to change that feeling and do something else but eat. It gets easier, so just keep trying.

 What should I weigh? Losing weight for the right reasons

=> ok i am a very pretty girl. but i am overweight. i weight 167 ab i am only 12. what should i way? and a my friend thats is a boy told me that if i would lose some pounds i just might be perfect. so i would like to lose some weight befor school starts. augest 10th

=> I have a question I am 11 at 5'4 and weigh around 130 to 138 am I over weight?

=> I fat all I see when I look down is my poped out belly and th floor but I am 5'4 and at 143 people don't say I am fat. Tell me the truth am I or not? Confused

 To help determine if you might be overweight, check the BMI weight calculator on this site. Your BMI (Body Mass Index) is a number that shows how your weight compares to your height and how you compare to everyone else. Your age, sex, height and weight are used to calculate your BMI. If the calculator shows that you are overweight you can check out the Healthy Weight School to learn more about being overweight and what you can do to lose weight.

Remember, it is always a good idea to lose weight for the right reason: So you can be healthier. Being healthy is a life style choice, a journey you take for the rest of your life.

  Click Here To See Page 21 Of The Q&A Area  

Click here to go
back to the home page