Journey to good health...

[asheeants]

I was watching Oprah yesterday, and the topic of the show was about womens health.  It really opened my eyes, and I feel I should being doing more to take care of myself.

Really I don't know where to start...  I'm 20 yrs old, I weigh 100 lbs and I've been extreamly small all my life, runs in my family.  I've been on a struggle with my weight for years, all I've wanted since middle school was to gain weight.  Well I've finally come to the point where I'm not so much worried about gaining weight as I am about staying healthy.

So what I'm asking is where the hell do I start?  What do I eat, how do I exercise, how do I keep myself in good shape so I don't end up looking and feeling horrible by the time I'm 40?  And how do I involve my husband and my 3yr old son in with this?

[AnnieBrooke]

Besides all of this good advice, try speaking to a dietician and your doctor.  There is a whole healthy lifestyle that you can get working on, involving a logical balance of food, healthy cooking, well paced meals, exercise, and other things.  It's not only a matter of one product or another.  You will be modeling a whole approach for your husband and kid(s).  You might try some books on organic foods and whole-grain cooking, because a lot of them have good stuff on balanced diets too.  (The original "Laurel's Kitchen" had a whole long introduction about the author's first, timid efforts to make meals more fun, interesting and healthy.)  The "food pyramid" is also available in articles from the government that can be found online, and it gives some useful guidelines.  Good luck!

[mumwith#4]

The protein powder from Herbalife is actually Soy protein not whey and you can mix it with anything from soy milk to skim milk to different juices...they come with loads of recipes. You can put them in a blender and add bananas, strawberries - whatever it's up to you and they can taste unreal once you find what you like. Blueberries are another fantastic add to the milk as they contain wonderful antioxidents and great flavours...you can buy frozen blueberries and add them in whenever...You should try it just to see for yourself!!! Normally if you were to lose weight you would replace a meal with one of these shakes - whereas to put on weight I used to have it as a supplement to my meals. Not all of them, maybe just for morning tea or as well as lunch. You don't have to have it 3 times a day! Soy protein contains powerful nutrients that release endorphins - those 'good feeling' triggers that we get when we eat chocolate or some carbs and your energy levels increase as a result. It's powerful stuff and you will feel incredible! You can choose to do this with exercise or without (more the type of exercise that tones your muscles as you gain weight - not the type that burns fat!!!). I learnt soooo much about my body and why I was never able to put on weight in the past. As I said before - you can buy the stuff on ebay for much cheaper and no strings attached from the buyer, or go through a Herbalife distributor as that will come with free support with regards to how to assist your goals. Either way, you've got nothing to lose...only to gain (pardon the pun!).

[asheeants]

Alright you've got me interested in this Herbalife.  I've just got a few questions though.  I've tried many things one of them being protien shakes, I actually was taking the whey protien powder.  The bad thing about that stuff was not only did it taste auwful but it made me really sick to my stomach.  So does the herbalife share the same nasty effects?  Did it put weight on you evenly, and did you have to exercise? Did you eat well? Once you got to you're desired weight how did you stay there?  I know these are alot of questions but basically just fill me in on what you did, and your results.  

[mumwith#4]

I have had the same problem my whole life. I've always been underweight (fast metabolism) and only now that I'm 31 and pregnant with #4 do I look ok (others would still say I look skinny though). Anyhow, for a while there I was taking Herbalife soy protein shakes. Although Herbalife is widely seen as a weightloss aid, it actually works the other way too because it gives your body the right nutrition it needs to adjust to your body's metabolism. It's only a suggestion and it can be expensive but you can also buy whey protein which is far cheaper from health food stores or even body building stores! These are also great ways to get extra calories and your energy levels will increase too! You can get the herbalife protein powder on ebay if you don't want to go through a 'distributor' (I'm not affiliated with herbalife at all so please don't think I'm doing free advertising LOL!). I'm only mentioning it because it worked for me and I was able to get to my goal weight and it also gave me fantastic energy. I stopped because I fell pregnant again and didn't want to think about 'weight' issues whilst pregnant - but it's truely fantastic stuff!

[lucylocket2]

If you are that small you need to lift weights and do toning routines.Not so much cardio. I agree to take a vitamin

[cugirl]

Nows a good time to start taking a multi vit with calcium so that you dont develop osteoprosis(Sp?) later on in life...many people say they will deal with it when they get it but it takes years for the calcium to build up your bones for later in life.  
Check this website out:
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/fitness/exercise.html