~ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ~

Diagnosing Metabolic Syndrome

=> How do doctors diagnose metabolic syndrome in teens and children?

Kids with metabolic syndrome have at least three of these risk factors: 1. Excessive belly fat - (waist measurement at or above 90th percentile for a child's age and sex) 2. High Blood Pressure - at or above the 90th percentile for a child's age and sex 3. Abnormal levels of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides)- low levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) 4. Hyperglycemia - High blood sugar Metabolic Syndrome is occurring in younger children due to rising obesity in children and teens. Some studies suggest that nearly one in ten teens and over a third of obese teens have metabolic syndrome. If left untreated, major changes such as arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), poor kidney function, insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome in girls and acanthosis nigrican (a skin disorder commonly causing dark patches around the neck, armpits and groin) can occur. What you can do to lessen your chances of developing metabolic syndrome: 1. Drop excess weight. Losing weight can improve your blood pressure and blood fat levels. 2. Get more exercise. 3. Eat smaller food amounts and avoid empty calorie foods like sweets and fatty fast foods. 4. Don't smoke.

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Exercise But I Don't Lose Weight

=> Im 11 yrs old and weigh more then my mom and my sis Im 167 pounds idk what to do i work out every day and still dont lose weight im in a size 13 womens and if i cant lose wieght ima starve myself! => I'm 12 years old and 135 lbs, and about 5'0 or 5'1.I REALLY want to weigh around 100 lbs, but it's kinda hard to, because I don't have a say in what my family eats. I do play volleyball, and exercise. Please help!! => i am only 14, but since as long as i can remember i was always chubby, everyone told me its baby fat.. but i trie working out, eating less, starving myself, and nothing worked, i loose 5 pounds and gain them right back. i cant seem to loose any weight no matter how hard i try.. can you tell me if starving myself is the right answer?

If you've been trying to lose weight but it isn't working, it's time to RE-THINK your approach. Perhaps you are dieting or exercising but you aren't seeing any results. We may practice bursts of exercising or healthy eating several times a week but to be successful, one needs to work on weight loss EVERY DAY. Starving yourself isn't the answer!! Often times when we fail, it's because we don't have a PLAN and we aren't consistent in our weight loss efforts. Remember, losing weight is a long term commitment. Here are some helpful ideas: 1. First, take a STEP BY STEP APPROACH. 2. Second, make specific and measurable SHORT TERM GOALS. Check out How Lucy Lost Weight for more ideas. Things like: - Avoid Problem Foods - Cut Down Food Portions - Do Distracting Activities - Get in Touch With Your Feelings - Ask Your Friends For Help Try some of these ideas. You are bound to be more successful!

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Fast Weight Loss - It's Unhealthy and Unsafe

=> im a 13 year old girl nd i want to lose weight before december wat should i do? => I am overweight and weigh 180 and i have tried over 10 diet plans and none of them worked, and I would like to lose 50lbs in 2-3 months and don't give me any of that 2lbs a week is healthy stuff. I know it's totall bull. I am 14

Fast weight loss doesn’t work and doesn’t last! Quick diets, and food fads are bad ideas. They don’t work either. So, be smart, lose weight safely! While most of us would like to lose weight fast, weight loss that occurs gradually (1-2 pounds a week) is more likely to stay off. Safe Weight Loss takes time and effort, so be patient. Generally, successful weight loss requires healthy portion controlled eating and increased activity or exercise. We need to take in less (food) and put out more energy (exercise) in order to lose weight. It's time for a STEP BY STEP APPROACH. This involves making better choices. So think about a plan you will be able to stick to for the rest of your life. All the small changes you make everyday will add up over weeks and months to a healthier body and a healthier you. Instead of focusing on "I want to lose 30 pounds by "X"," try making WEEKLY WEIGHT LOSS GOALS. Learn to set achievable goals. For example, if your goal is to lose 30 pounds, make your first goal to lose 5 pounds. Then when you lose the first 5 pounds make your next goal to lose another 5 pounds. STEP BY STEP, that is the way to do it! When you accomplish the smaller goal first, you will feel more successful and it will make working toward the end goal weight more attainable.

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Do I Have Pre-Diabetes?

=> I have a bunch of bruises all over the bottom of my stomach I looked it up and the internet said it may be diabetes please help me

We do not make medical diagnosis. We suggest that you make an appointment to be seen by your health care provider. That way, you can be reassured and treated if there is a problem. The single greatest risk factor for type 2 diabetes in children is being overweight. Unhealthy eating patterns and lack of physical activity contribute. We hope you will seek the advice of your health care provider so you can alleviate your fears.

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Binge Eating - How To Stop

=> I have been over weight for the longest time and I hate it i want to lose weight and i dont know what to do i bienge eat like it is no big problem. I need help please thank you

Binge eating is a type of eating disorder most often caused by stress. Seeking help from your health care provider or counselor is a good first step. WHAT IS BINGE EATING A binge is when a person eats a lot of food at one time. When the person binges, she or he usually feels out of control (often due to some stress in their life) and uses eating a large amount of food at one time for comfort. They feel better for a while after eating, but then typically feel guilty about themselves later so they then might restrict their food intake. By doing this they may get overly hungry from not eating and they also might feel stressed at gaining more weight so they binge again for comfort and the vicious cycle repeats. Click here for a video about a girl who binged. Most people with binge eating disorder feel out of control with their eating and food habits. WHAT TRIGGERS A BINGE Often times binge eating, is triggered by some emotion or stressful event or even by seeing food commercials on television causing stress eating. WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP: Dealing with the source of the stress and problems that prompt you to binge eat, will help to reduce and hopefully eliminate binge eating episodes. It can be helpful to learn to recognize what your triggers are. Once you recognize your triggers, you can develop a plan ahead of time for what you can do instead of binge. Write your problems down on a piece of paper with a plan for each problem. For example: Do a distracting activity or call a friend for support when I am stressed about my homework. BINGING IS TREATABLE, and there are many resources available. TALKING WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OR A SPECIALLY TRAINED COUNSELOR ABOUT YOUR BINGING PROBLEM CAN HELP YOU STOP. You can also find other kids who care in the chatroom and you can get good ideas from other kids on the pre-teen and teen bulletin boards. Don't forget, every Wednesday "Lucy" is in the chat room to answer questions too! OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE or STOP BINGE EATING: 1. Don’t Skip Meals. 2. Eat Balanced Meals. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and calcium. 3. Learn to cope with stress without using food. Squeezing your hands together tight; slow deep breathing; and, relaxing are other ways to relieve stress. DON'T FEEL ALONE, OTHERS ARE HERE TO HELP SUPPORT YOU!

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Craving Food - What To Do When Junk Food Is All Around You

=> I'm 131lb or 60 kg and I keep wanting to eat more and more like I'm sneaking in snacks at night I don't do much exercise and I think it's completely boring and tiring and I get out of breath quick in PE and sometimes people will laugh. I just need some tips on not craving for food 24/7 it would be helpful but my brain keeps telling me to gain even more please help. Your eating half and saving the rest for later tip doesn't work I only wait two seconds then eat the rest => I think I have a disorder but it's not listed I eat secretly my brain tells me go while mums out go grab some stuff and when I'm walking home sometimes I go and grab lots of sweets or even chips I've tried your half it trick but I ate the hole thing like today my mum went out to the food store I went to the kitchen grabbed two muffins and loads of chocolate biscuits I want to tell mum but I'm embarrassed to and even then I'm worried she might flip out or something and my dad would probably think I was silly please reply => I am 13 4`9height and weigh150 pounds I want to lose weight because it my last year of middle school and I have to wear a dress at the graduate. During the summer I tried and did lose weight 10 pounds but than began church school and I had to sell chocolate and I am very shy so I buy all of it and sell them at my house and I end up eating it now I and back to the weight I want to lose weight but can't I cut down food and don't eat as much junk food. Can you help me => Im a 12 year old girl and i weigh 65-70 kg. i really want to lose at least 10 kg but i cant help what to eat because A)my family chooses what we eat and if i dont want it they will make me eat it and B)i have bad will power, if my family offers KFC for dinner ill say yes because i love it but i know its bad for me, please help. i really want to be skinny and have a flat stomach => im 13 years old and i am around 120 lbs. I started to be concerned on my weight when my family would tell me that im fat and that i eat alot. I started to try a healthy diet but my mom keeps buying chips, pizza, cookies, soda, etc. I do good on.cutting out junk food but when my brother comes home with mcdonalds something i fail my diet. How can i get rid of my craving for junk foods? Can you give me any good tips on how to lose weight? => I'm 13 and 61 kgs and I find it really hard too stop cravings of food im craving right now I want to eat as much as possible I don't have a disorder but I hate exercise and love food so what do I do

CRAVINGS. You can crave just about any type of food, most frequently salty and sugary foods as well as sugary drinks. You think about the food or drink, you eat or drink it, you want more and sometimes you can't stop until it's all gone. That's often called a craving. Why is it so hard to stop? There can be many factors at play including boredom and the habit of overeating. Here's a little science: Our brain has an emotional and a thinking area. The EMOTIONAL brain can try to trick us to eat something that tastes really good to soothe our sadness, boredom, loneliness, stress, or depression. Our THINKING brain is more rationale and knows pretty much what food our body needs for energy and repairs. It knows you don’t need the food you are craving at the moment. The Problem: The thinking brain and the emotional brain can sometimes be in a tug of war! Good News! WE CAN LEARN TO CONTROL OUR EMOTIONAL BRAIN. It just takes practice to become aware of what is going on. Here's what you can do: 1. Practice talking to your brain and reasoning with your emotional brain when you have a craving for a certain food. Tell yourself, "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!!" 2. Get in touch with your emotions and learn how to substitute other activities for eating. Make a list of things you like to do and refer to the list when you get a craving. Then, go do the fun activity INSTEAD of eating. Usually, if you can resist for a few minutes, the craving will go away. TRY IT, YOU CAN DO IT. 3. Here are other tips and ideas to help you conquer cravings: - Saying Goodbye to the Food Drug - Curve Your Cravings - THINK BEFORE YOU EAT! Are you really hungry? If not, DON'T EAT. THINK DISTRACT as in distracting activities. - Get the particular food or drink out of site and out of the house! Out of site, out of mind! - Surround yourself with SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE. Once you understand why you are reaching for the junk food, you can learn to do something about it. You can overcome "mindless" eating. It just takes practice! YOU CAN DO IT!

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School Weights - How To Handle When Others Ask Your Weight

=> How can I respond when people ask me what I weigh? Every year, my school weighs us and takes our height to calculate bmi for report cards. Everybody then asks how much you weigh! How can I respond to this question? I am quite obviously obese (210 pounds), but do not feel comfortable telling my weight to others.

Feeling embarrassed about your weight is normal, especially when asked by peers who weigh a lot less. Most likely other kids that ask about your weight are probably just curious and don't mean to embarrass you. They don't realize how self conscious you might be about your weight. You can either ignore them or be up front and just tell them what you weigh. If you decide to tell them, be matter of fact and honest. That way, they are much less likely to tease you about your weight. You might even say that you know you are overweight and that you are interested in trying to lose weight. You'll be amazed at how often they are happy to support you if you just ask. You might ask them to do fun things with you like bike riding or walks, playing games or sports. Here are more ways you can ask others for help to lose weight. You might also consider working on building up your self esteem. You will feel more confident about yourself and it will show. Start believing in YOU! You are unique. Try some of the self confidence tips and you will start to feel better about who you are now.

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Ambivalent About Weight - Lack of Commitment & Motivation - Why We Become Obese

=> Hi I'm a 16 year old girl and I'm 170 pounds, my weight is a bit miss leading though because I am very muscular. I do have fat on me though and I do wish that I was a bit smaller. My problem is sometimes I want to lose weight but sometimes I'm happy and confident with my weight and body so I can never stick to any healthy living regimen because my feelings fluctuate so often. I also tend to over eat a lot not even with un healthy foods but eating too many healthy things can be bad too! I'm just wondering what I can do to really stick to living healthy! => why do ou think that kids like us become over weigh => I am so upset. I really need to lose weight and I don't so anything. I feel so stupid and makes me mad. Like today for instance I made a bet with my family, whoever eats so,ething unhealthy after dinner loses. I lost right after I ate dinner, I forgot. I have no self control, HELP ME. How do you think I should stop this? => I am almost 12 years old and I am 5'3 . I have a very hard time losing weight because I lack self motivation. I am very self conscious because I am 140 pounds . I really need to know how to lose the weight and keep it off, and learn some motivation. => Im 13 and im 161 pounds. I really want to loose weight because my mom is 33 and 170 pounds and the same is with my dad. Im almost as heavy as them and its embarrassing I don't want to be my parents weight. I have a very tight schedule I go to church 4 times a week for 4 hrs and school is 7 hrs. Also I work 2 hrs babysitting so I don't have time to work out and its hard to eat healthy my parents are Hispanic so all are food have fat. What do I do?

TAKE INVENTORY OF YOURSELF: Do I really want to be a healthy weight? Some kids may feel resigned to the fact that they are overweight. They may be bothered more by the thought of having to give up food than being bothered by the fact that they are overweight. Which is harder or bothers you more, giving up the food you love or being overweight? It's important to TRUTHFULLY answer this question! HOW WILLING ARE YOU TO SAY GOODBYE TO A LIFE OF EATING EVERYTHING YOU WANT? If you aren't MOTIVATED or COMMITTED to change your current lifestyle (eating and activity habits) you probably will not be successful at losing weight. Take the time to understand why you want to lose weight, how you became overweight and honestly determine your commitment and motivation levels. It's important to do this! Basically, losing weight requires that you eat less calories than your body burns up. If you are not losing weight that means that you are still eating more than you are burning up. It's that simple. What is not so simple is resisting the high fat, high sugar foods, the large portion sizes, second helpings, and frequent "junk food" snacks and soft drinks that you are used to. HOW DO I LOSE WEIGHT: A STEP BY STEP APPROACH We've put together AN ORGANIZED WEIGHT LOSS APPROACH to help you be successful with your weight loss. It is designed to be a step by step manual for you to follow. NEXT, GET STARTED: Take out a notebook and write out each answer. That way you can refer to it each day. If you feel you are losing your motivation, review why you want to lose weight or find a motivation buddy to help encourage you and keep you accountable. There is lots more information about motivation in the Healthy Weight School. You can also check out the Teen Bulletin Board and the Success Boards. THINK OF THIS AS YOUR JOB. FOLLOW YOUR PLAN EVERYDAY! If you mess up one day, just start over the next day. Don't look back, look forward to the new you! STEP BY STEP, YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHIER YOU!

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Weight Conditioning / Training

=> Is it true that if you gain muscle in an area, that fat in that area will "melt away" over time? If so, what are some exercises that will strengthen my stomach and core. What are some tips on running a mile race at school? Last year, I was at about 12 minutes. I'm really hoping for 10 or 11 this year. Is just walking helping a little at improving my time? Thank you so much! => I'm 15 and i way 160 pounds and i want to lose weight before my travel season for volleyball starts so my jersey doesn't look bad and i am usually home alone a lot and i want to go out running but i usually can't so do u have any ideas on how i can lose weight while I'm inside

Toning, or strengthening certain areas of your body (your stomach and core) by exercise will reduce fat over time. The key is REPETITION of movement in the area(s) you wish to tone or strengthen. The best exercises for your thighs, butt, hips, and stomach are those that get your heart pumping faster. These are called cardio exercise and help your body burn fat for energy. Doing activities like swimming, dancing, walking, jumping rope, playing sports, even cleaning, can help your body get healthier. Try to get 30 to 60 minutes of "cardio" most days of the week and you should begin to notice changes. This might also improve your race time! WHAT YOU CAN DO: 1. GET MOVING. The simple act of walking more can make a big difference in your weight and overall appearance as well as tone your stomach and core. Here are some activity ideas to try: - Cardio Exercise. - Physical Fitness. - Increased Physical Activity. - Exercise For The Cold. - Exercise When Your Busy. 2. Exercise EVERYDAY. If you do that, you will notice body tone improvement everywhere. You'll also feel more energetic and feel more positive about your appearance in general.

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Lose Weight By Eating Less

=> I'm 13 and I weight 130 lbs, about 59 kg and my height is 157 cm. I really want to lose weight and I have to because I want to be really healthier. Please do help! Thanks so much in advance!! => I'm 16 and 5'2. Right now I weigh 110. How many calories should I eat if I want to lose weight? => i understand the story and all but i dont think that i can pull this off due to the island i live on and the way i live...i dont really know what to do...i have no where to excercise and i dont have a lot of fruits and vegetables in the house where i live. What to do?? => me and my friend werent over weight but we were chubby in primary school and we were both unhappy so we tried going for runs then we went to high school and she lost heaps of weight quickly that was 3 years ago and im still trying to loose weight. help i hate my body => I am 5 foot 3 inches and i am 14 years old. How long would it take me to lose 25 pounds. I also lose wieght a liitle easier than most people. => im 12 5'3 and 140.5 pounds. And I have a hard time eating healthy excersizing. I want to get back to 120-115. I really want to some help on how to lose weight. => So I have been told by many people that im fat. I want to lose the weight because I am fat.it's just every time I go on a diet, I start to lose weight but then I get off track and start eating again. I want to go back to school looking Skinner and not fat or fatter. What do I do!?!!?! I need help!! => Hi Lucy i know exactly how you feel,I've tried losing weight but I couldn't. Sometimes a girl would make fun of me because I looked like a fat duck. And since school coming up it would be nice if you gave me tips. => I'm 12 and 5'2,I weight between 120-125,and I wanna get healthy and loose weight I cut back on like cake and, pizza,spaghetti, and some surgar foods. I'm not a big fan on surgar. I'm here to ask what is a good healthy trend to depart on? Good shape? => I'm 13 and I'm in 8th grade. I'm about 5'0 and weigh around 130-140 lbs. What would be the best way for me to slim out before my freshman year?

Losing weight is an every day long term commitment. Fad diets and extreme workouts don't work and don't last. Losing weight requires that YOU EAT LESS CALORIES THAN YOUR BODY BURNS UP. Simply put, you will need to eat less, be more active, or a combination of both. What is not so simple is resisting the high fat, high sugar foods, the large portion sizes, second helpings, and frequent "junk food" snacks and soft drinks that you eat and drink. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Check out AN ORGANIZED WEIGHT LOSS APPROACH to help you be successful with your weight loss. It is designed to be a step by step manual for you to follow. These are all things that YOU CAN DO AND THAT YOU CAN CONTROL. TOP TIPS: 1. KEEP A FOOD DIARY. Write down EVERYTHING and HOW MUCH that you eat and drink each day for all snacks and meals. You might be eating more than you realize. Keeping a food diary will help you recognize what and how much you are in fact eating. Review your food diary EVERY DAY. You will begin to see where you need to cut down. Even cutting down small amounts will help. (For example, cutting out one 16 ounce soda a day will result in about 25 pounds of weight loss a year!) 2. KEEP AN ACTIVITY DIARY. Write down all the activities and how long you do them EVERY DAY. Try to increase the kinds of healthy activity you do EVERY DAY! For example, walk up the stairs instead of taking elevators, walk to school, walk up hills instead of walking on flat areas, or ride a bike. Sometimes eating about the same but increasing ones activity level breaks the cycle and can get you on your way to losing weight. 3. START DOING DISTRACTING FUN ACTIVITIES EVERY DAY.Distracting Fun Activities can get your mind off of food and help burn calories. Make it fun and mix it up!

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