I want to lose 20 pounds, help?

Question

im 15 years old. 5'4 and 140 pounds. I'm the exact statistic for the average women. I'm not fat but I'm thick. I already have muscle but I just need drop the fat so I'm sexy and toned. I need a detailed descriptive answer on how I can lose twenty pounds. I'm doing it for my health, well being and self esteem so please don't say something like "you don't need to lose weight" cause I will anyway. include how many calories I should burn and take in and all that jazz. the more information, the better(: also include how much and how long I should work out? I want to work out on the treadmill everyday.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

i get the bagged lunch at school so ill list what's in it so you have a general idea of how many calories I take in on a school day:

-string cheese

-skim milk

-garden salsa sun chips

-a fruit of your choice, I usually get an apple

-peanut better jelly sandwich, I usually eat half of it or none of it at all

-and sometimes I have an additional cookie, not all the time

for breakfast I have an apple & wheaties with no milk. or rice crispies or chex cereal (gluten free) they all are non sugary cereals, I hate sugary cereals

applemint · Accepted Answer

Your lunch is good although it seems lacking on the protein side. It's healthy enough that you don't need to skip the PB&J sandwich. I would say eat the whole sandwich as peanut butter is the only protein source of your lunch, plus it will make you full so that will help avoid temptation to munch on other stuff before dinner. Nearly all the cells of your body need proteins to function properly so don't ignore protein intake in your meals. (By the way, if you eat meat, the issue is not the protein but the fat it contains so if you eat it, keep it lean and remove the fat!)

Other than that, you don't need to go on a special diet, just need healthy habits that you can continue once you lose the weight. If you have a tendency to munch all the time which is quite common at your age, one thing you can do is to keep healthy snacks handy like fruits and veggies so that you don't munch on unhealthy snacks. Another option is to reduce your lunch or dinner portions and get a bigger snack in between. That way you're eating more throughout the day and feeling less hungry.

I would not recommending working out on the treadmill everyday. Your body needs rest to build up its energy again. Your body will get tired from working out the same muscles everyday and your workout session will no longer be efficient. If your run 3 times a week for about 30 min you will be fine. Record how far your run in 30 min when you run at a pace that is comfortable to you. Then try to switch up your workouts by increasing your speed (you can go by intervals like run faster for 5 min jog for 5) or add a mile or 2 to your workout.

On the days you are not running, you can do other exercises to tone up to get the sexy body you're looking for. Push-ups, squats, sit-ups, planks etc. (take a look at leesi's suggestions) Don't focus on one part of your body though, you want a full body workout. You can pick 5-6 different exercises (for different body parts) and do as many as you can for 1-2 min, then take 1 min rest then repeat the whole sequence 2 more times and voila! You get about 30 min full body workout! Don't forget to keep hydrated when you workout and leave yourself a full day of rest per week with no exercising to let your body recover.

Losing the 20 pounds before the summer is definitely feasible if you lose about 1 pound per week. To be honest, weight is just a number. If you get into healthy habits, you'll feel better in your body and if you work out regularly, you'll definitely get the toned and sexy body you're looking for even if your weight doesn't match up with your expectations. I'm sure you'll be fine without counting the calories, just concentrate on eating healthy (try and get a bit of all the food groups in every meal) and exercise more without overtiring your body and concentrate on the whole body when you do exercises not just certain body parts. You'll be more than fine but good luck!

leesi · Accepted Answer

I am only 5' and I weigh about 125 and I have a belly that sticks out a little, curvy thighs and all that jazz. I'm sure your height stretches your weight out so you look fine. But if you really want to loose all that fat mass, do a lot of cardio. If you do strength training, you will gain more muscle mass which weighs more than fat. Eat a really good breakfast every morning. Eat a big apple and some kind of protein for lunch. Have little snacks all day long. For dinner do not eat carbs. You will have put carbs in your body that you will not burn off. Try to eat a protein with every meal, no carbs after 6pm.  Drink only water. Nothing else, they are just extra calories that wil want o ger rid off. Except for milk. You need calcium and Vitamin D. Make a reasonable exercise routine. 2-3 miles a week, get some exercise bands to tone your arms, do lunges, get a 5lb hula hoop to tone your lower back muscles and abs. Do some crunches, stretch, ect. Don't count calories, it will just make you go crazy and don't weigh yourself more than once a week, your body might loose and then gain and then loose again, that will also drive you crazy. Good luck! :)

ngreenw · Accepted Answer

Diet doesn't seem that bad. I find it really important (and personally, this is very important) just to burn calories, loads. I take in like 3000 calories per day, but I burn all of that easily. I don't really exercise either really and I'm really slim. Not toned, but well shaped. All I do is just walk everywhere. I walk and at a good pace whenever I can. I also think loads. They say that thinking burns calories more effectively than anything. So push yourself intellectually, in a subject at school that interests you, say. This has worked well for me, you don't have to change lifestyle or anything. Try it for a bit at least maybe? Before committing to a heavy gym schedule.

kheserthorpe · Accepted Answer

Cut back on the refined carbs (sun chips, cereals) and increase protein and legumes instead.

Add some exercises, ideal might be a mix of a resistance and cardio.

Don't focus on the scale, which will bounce around a lot with water weight, focus on your waistline.

asianfreak · Answer

Don't just simply exercise more. Eat right and more of the healthy kinds of foods. Get the right amount of sleep too.

Anonymous · Answer

make sure to burn more calories than you eat, that is how you lose weight.

GuyAdviceFromGuy · Answer

think your self thin, trust me, it works

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