in need of advice

[Mikayla848]

Okay so I weigh about 133 and I can't figure out how to lose 15-20 pounds. Its mostly my stomach and love handles. I do volleyball and tennis so I stay active but since my parents still cook for me I don't always get a choice. Also, how do you manage school, working out, and sports? I can never seem to find time.

[Barb135]

Grab a piece of fruit, instead of the junk food. But do be careful; while fruit is good for you, most types also have a lot of sugar, which causes your blood sugar to spike and you produce more insulin.  This can increase your chance for type II diabetes when you get older. So can junk food.

Ask Mom to make sure there's plenty of veggies, like carrots, celery, etc to snack on.

Every time you get ready to reach for some junk food, ask yourself if it's really worth wasting calories for.  I'd say that most of the time, you'll decide it's not worth it.

It can also help to say "I don't want that", rather than "I can't have that"... "I can't have that" tends to make us feel deprived.  "I don't want that" is our own choice; we're deciding not eat something that's not good for us.

[Mikayla848]

I guess I'm not talking about the meals, I mean more for the food we have around the house, like junk food that seems so good at the time but then I realize I shouldn't have eaten it. But maybe I just need more self control.

[Mikayla848]

Usually it has protein. Its tempting to eat when I'm bored and we usually have some junk food around, thats my biggest problem. I'm better at eating more fruits than veggies.

[Barb135]

"Yeah I definitely need to stay away from bread but everything I eat seems to have bread. Yeah my mom is usually pretty good about making things." Are the things she makes healthy?  Lots of lean protein and veggies?

If you drink soda, that's quite likely more your problem than Mom's cooking.

[Mikayla848]

Yeah I definitely need to stay away from bread but everything I eat seems to have bread. Yeah my mom is usually pretty good about making things. Yeah I definitely need to tone my stomach but I'd also like to drop a few sizes and lose some weight. And I am trying to drink less soda too, and more water.
Thanks

[Barb135]

Sports IS working out, as is any activity that gets you moving.

Are you sure you need to lose 15-20 lbs or do you just need to tone up?  

If you drink sodas, switch to water; eliminate sugary treats, chips, etc and opt for apples, carrot or celery slices, etc. Eliminate or greatly reduce the amount of white bread, rice, regular pasta and white potatoes that you eat.

I would assume that your parents provide plenty of lean meat and lots of vegetables, which is best for you.  If they typically cook a lot of starchy things, you may have to reduce your portion sizes.

If you can fit it in, yoga is excellent for toning muscles and for weight loss.