Trying to lose weight...Without support from your parents.

[alirocker08]

Lets set the situation out, I'm a teenager who wants to lose weight for a number of reasons, so that I look nicer in general, so that I'm healthier, and so that I have a better chance of making it into acting (even in stage acting, the young lead females are generally healthy looking and attractive). Now, I'm not morbidly obese or anything, but being 5'3" the puppy fat that was meant to come off during my growth spurt hasn't because...Well, I never grew.

I can see why I've gotten to where I am, and in recent years (since my sister went to University) one of the main reasons that I'm a tad larger than my friends is because Mum stopped giving us proper meals and instead gave us crap. For a lot of the week we either eat waffles and greasy sausages, chips, white pasta and burgers, with barely any veg. I finally decided after seeing some holiday photos that I was going to try and lose weight, and so I ask mum if I can make my own meals. She says no, because apparently I don't eat enough good stuff.

It's gotten to the point where I'm willing to cook my own meals and maybe even buy my own ingredients when I can barely afford it when I should be able to rely on my mother to give me and my siblings at least one decent evening meal. I'm not one for vegetables, but I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm going to have to try them and eat them for my own good health. I'm also going to drink water (I already get my 8 glasses a day most days) and go jogging and play on the Wii fit, but it will all be pretty useless if I can't get my parents on side.

So, what do DTF? My sister told me to completely ignore my mother and commandeer the kitchen, but well...She's kind of scary when she's pissy and I don't want to upset her. Any ideas?

[kári]

Explain the part again why your mom won't let you cook your own food? I don't get it.

[alirocker08]

Because apparently I don't eat enough good stuff to make a proper meal apparently, but I wont be able to eat enough good stuff unless she lets me try it out and not make me eat her meals. She has a strange sense of logic.

[Adami]

Because apparently I don't eat enough good stuff to make a proper meal apparently, but I wont be able to eat enough good stuff unless she lets me try it out and not make me eat her meals. She has a strange sense of logic.

Hunger strike?

[alirocker08]

Might be an idea.

But I don't think I could last :')

[MasterShakezula]

Ali, do you tend to eat small snacks throughout the day, in addition to the big meals?

This summer, I cut snacks completely, and have lost about 10 pounds, in addition to taking long walks 3-5 days a week, and decreasing portion sizes at meals. 

Try any or all of these, and you'll be glad you did, if you're looking to lose weight. 

[chknptpie]

Because apparently I don't eat enough good stuff to make a proper meal apparently, but I wont be able to eat enough good stuff unless she lets me try it out and not make me eat her meals. She has a strange sense of logic.

Write down a mock up menu of what you would like to be eating. Might help if she see's exactly what you're hoping to be eating?

[alirocker08]

Ali, do you tend to eat small snacks throughout the day, in addition to the big meals?

This summer, I cut snacks completely, and have lost about 10 pounds, in addition to taking long walks 3-5 days a week, and decreasing portion sizes at meals. 

Try any or all of these, and you'll be glad you did, if you're looking to lose weight. 

I actually don't tend to eat that much at all, breakfast is normally toast with milky coffee, lunch is generally a sandwich with an apple, and then dinner is whatever mum cooks up, generally along the lines of what was mentioned earlier. The closest I get to snacking is drinking coffee which I know can be kind of bad for you. Glad it worked for you though ^^

Write down a mock up menu of what you would like to be eating. Might help if she see's exactly what you're hoping to be eating?

Maybe, but the thing is I never tried many vegetables and so I don't know what I will/will not like until I try it

[Scrub206]

coffee isnt really bad for you a little off topic but if you were to body build and/or just get lean/in shape, they say drink as much coffee as youd like   the only downsides i see to coffee are potential caffine crashes and stained teeths. tho brushing will help that


EDIT: also i am currently trying to lose a few pounds aswell. im starting up on the Paleo diet (posted a thread about it). and i agree with the "make a mock menu" idea and show it to your mom. maybe shell give in. also tell her that if you cook, thats less time she has to be in the kitchen aswell. (inb4lolwomanzjokes)

[alirocker08]

Oh really? That's alright then, it's not as if I put sugar in it or anything (unless I'm hungover, I know beer=calories but I don't drink all that often)

I think I'll have to go round to my sister's and see what she has that I can try then to get ideas. Mum barely spends 10 minutes in the kitchen a day.

Maybe she's not a woman ho shit my whole parentage is a lie

[TempusVox]

Tell your mother you're tired of not eating nutritious meals. Tell her for your sake, and the sake of the rest of the family, you'd like to try to eat at least one healthful meal each week--as a start, and gradually increase that until you only eat a junk food meal each week. Tell her you'd like her to help you. Ask her what type of meals she ate as a kid. Find out what she enjoyed, what she didn't like, and what she does and doesn't like now. Involve your whole family in the meal planning stage. Make it fun. Tell your parents that you want all of you to live long healthy lives, and this is important to you. Ask them what you can do to get them to be more involved in hdlping hyou accomplish this. This should be easier than you think, unless of course you live under the stairs, in which case I suggest during the times the let you out and leave you alone long enough to use the computer, that you contact the proper authorities right away and save yourself!  

Good luck!

[73109]

Am I the only person who thinks that she probably doesn't have to lose any weight in the first place?

[kári]

Am I the only person who thinks that she probably doesn't have to lose any weight in the first place?

Perhaps not but if she wants to eat healthier she should be allowed to do so.

[alirocker08]

Tell your mother you're tired of not eating nutritious meals. Tell her for your sake, and the sake of the rest of the family, you'd like to try to eat at least one healthful meal each week--as a start, and gradually increase that until you only eat a junk food meal each week. Tell her you'd like her to help you. Ask her what type of meals she ate as a kid. Find out what she enjoyed, what she didn't like, and what she does and doesn't like now. Involve your whole family in the meal planning stage. Make it fun. Tell your parents that you want all of you to live long healthy lives, and this is important to you. Ask them what you can do to get them to be more involved in hdlping hyou accomplish this. This should be easier than you think, unless of course you live under the stairs, in which case I suggest during the times the let you out and leave you alone long enough to use the computer, that you contact the proper authorities right away and save yourself!  

Good luck!

That actually sounds like a great idea, I shall try that tomorrow!

Am I the only person who thinks that she probably doesn't have to lose any weight in the first place?

You haven't seen full pictures of me, I am at risk of being overweight and I do have a belly on me. Sad face

[Fuzzboy]

I lost quite a bit of weight quite rapidly when I stopped eating meat. I basically found veggies and fruits that I liked and ate the shit out of them. I also bought a bunch of veggie burgers and all that hippie crap (which is quite tasty). If I did ever need to get fast food for the convenience of it, I memorized all of the taco bell items that had no meat (7-layer burrito is godly) 

Unfortunately, I started eating meat again after a trip to Argentina and recently took up a little hobby called "drinking", which hasn't helped my weight.

anyways:

Am I the only person who thinks that she probably doesn't have to lose any weight in the first place?

I'm sure you're right, but as long as she's doing it through exercise and eating healthy, which is great, and not starving herself, I can't see the problem.

[black_biff_stadler]

Here are some meal ideas for you main course-wise:

Pan-seared fish: white fish species are generally healthier because of lower fat content. Tilapia works very well.

Turkey burgers: Don't know if ground turkey is readily available on your side of the pond but my step-dad taught me how to make amazing turkey burgers with a mushroom worcestershire sauce that comes off like a slightly sweet, thick beef gravy and it's not fatty at all.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: marinated in italian salad dressing(3 hours is good according to our pal and resident chef, lonestar.)

Any of these can be made into a satisfying meal by adding a serving of vegetables the size of a fist if you're aslso adding a starch like brown rice or lightly buttered and herbed mashed potatoes or go with about two fist-sized servings of the veggies if you aren't serving a starch.


Also, I'll gladly post concise recipes for anything you may wanna try from above, just let me know and best of luck in your endeavor

[Ravenheart]

Regardless, if she's looking for tips, there's no harm in asking for them, since she wants to change her lifestyle in a way that make her comfortable. She doesn't seem anorexic, so there's no harm.

As for myself, I lost 70 lbs just from watching what I eat and exercising more, as well as refraining from drinking regular soda. Of course, I come from a different place, since I went from NO exercise whatsoever to exercising every day.

[Arch Benemy]

Not sure all of this will apply to you but in some corners of the internet this is considered the definitive guide to losing weight and/or getting in better shape.

https://www.liamrosen.com/fitness.html

[Nick]

You're doing a really good thing, always good to keep a healthy body.

That said I had quite the support from my parents...

By which I mean they gave me shit for being fat pretty much daily for years. It may sound harsh but it really was a fantastic motivator when I did finally lose 70 pounds and got in shape.

You should confront your mother about this more, try and go shopping with her and get things you need when she is grocery shopping. Frankly I feel any parent who would try hard to keep their kid from eating well is not doing a very good job.

[j]

Since everybody else is addressing your dietary issue, let me remind you that you need to exercise too!  You may already to some degree, I don't know, but it's just as important as eating right if you want to be healthier.

-J

[chknptpie]

I found a pretty cool iphone app called Lose it! It helps to track the amount of calories you eat and track calories burned from exercise. Granted its all estimates, I like it. I feel when I use it that I do eat less and lose weight.

[Kotowboy]

Once I decide to exercise that's it. I start swimming 50 lengths every few days - walk everywhere and drum as much as possible. It's the same with me and revising for exams. The hardest part is just sitting down and *starting*. But once i've started revising - I can go for hours and hours.

When I go to swim 50 lengths, I don't think Oh God I have to swim 50 lengths now, I just dont think at all and just do it. Then before you know it you've done 25 and you're halfway there.

Hard to explain maybe  

Just gotta remind yourself the end totally justifies the means.

[toro]

If you can get her to buy you some chiken breasts you'll directly on your way, they are no that expensive and really easy to cook, just add salt and pepper and grill it. And you can make them yourself easily, it's fast, it's easy, it's healty and somewhat tasty.
Also if you can't get that just cut your soda intakes to 0% and do some cardio(A.K.A. run) and you will lost some extra weight.

[Chino]

Threaten to call protective service.

[5]

I have lost almost 20 kg (around 44 lbs) in 3 months without really changing my diet (still eat tons of meat etc) just by not eating supper and cycling for at least 2 hours a day - so it can be done without waging a war with your mom, just exercise a shitton. You can also convince her to get yourself an electric grill - food prepared on it is healthier and a lot less fatty.

[lonestar]

I think it's great that you are trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle at a young age, it is something that will benefit you greatly in the long run.  Any culinary questions, feel free to post them in the official food thread, I am more than happy to help and I always keep an eye on that thread.