~ ISABELLA'S STORY ~
 
Hey, My name's Isabella and I'm 13 years old. The truth is that I've always had a larger frame, some of it's muscle, and my mom's built like that, so I've always been a little thicker. I used to get really discouraged when I was younger, but then I'd blow it off by having pizza and reminding myself I was still a kid. This does not mean that I was obsessed. I enjoyed my childhood a lot! I played with dolls, made friends, shopped for clothes, went to places with my family, became one of the top 4 my class, and so much more! I learned how to stitch and paint, take good photos, write stories, and read! I was always pretty busy. But I was still kind of chunky and overweight. By February of 2006, a month before my b-day, i had reached my highest weight-- 184 lbs! Some adults don't even weigh that. I was getting out of control. But i knew I could get serious. I could do it. In the past I had managed to loose ten pounds on Weight Watchers. My mom is a member, and because the program is all about healthful choices and good judgment she has been able to stick to it through the years. I also bought a few books: "The Diet Book for Teenagers Only", "French Women Don't Get Fat" and Bobbi Brown's "Teenage Beauty". Here's what I learned. You can definitely learn to shop well and eat right by finding out nutritional info and such, and that teens shouldn't go on fad diets because of their nutritional needs. Buy "The Diet Book for Teenagers Only"! Also buy the other two books, because they taught me that you should enjoy life and food alike, balance is key, and that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. If you love your bodies and accept yourself you're more likely to succeed at loosing weight and being happy! By March I had slimmed down to 178, and now I am 172lbs and still going. I don't really have a goal weight, because I have realistic images. I will never turn into J-Lo. However, I aim to be more healthy, loose more fat, and gain muscle. Once I'm satisfied with my appearance, I won't care what the numbers are. I can reach for the stars, and so can you! Don't beat yourself up. Don't be obsessed. It's not worth it! I'm having fun and trying to love myself every day. It's not easy, of course i still have my "fat" days and binges, but I will never stop trying! I hope I helped! A few tips:
1) Drink 2% milk or lower. 2) Always have breakfast and frequent meals to keep your metabolism up. 3) Never starve yourself! 4) Fruits and veggies are great snacks, whole grain is great in the morning and lean protein like chicken is great for dinner. (Don't forget fish- a lot of antioxidants!) 5) Eat Smart Balance instead of regular butter or peanut butter, both formulas are really special! 6) Have a treat every weekend. 7) Diet sodas occasionally. Don't go overboard with salt or frozen meals either. Use spices! 8) Don't weigh every day. Every week is good. 9) Exercise for 30-60 min 3-5 times a week. 10) HAVE FUN! YOU CAN EAT EVERY TYPE OF FOOD IN MODERATION!
Lots of love- Izzy

See ya later- Izzy


 

 


 

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