Scarleteen

Scarleteen's goal is and always has been focus on sexual health and all related areas, including physical and mental health, body image, and abuse. It can be difficult to find reliable, non-judgmental information on these subjects, and the staff and mods spend the majority of their time here ensuring that users get necessary information in-line with the site's purpose.

However, in order to truly focus on providing vital information and support, Scarleteen is not in the habit of providing or entertaining non-essential or cosmetic discussions, such as with hair removal, stretch marks, hair and makeup, etc; there are already numerous reliable sources on the web for such information. It's become obvious that, though considered a health problem throughout the nation, weight loss is becoming one of these discussions.

First and foremost, we always encourage that anybody who suspects they have a weight problem consult a healthcare provider of some kind. Through the web, you can get input from others based on BMI calculators/charts and common recommendations for a healthy lifestyle for healthy individuals, but someone who can talk to you in person, and get the big picture of your health and health history is a better choice to determine if you are healthy enough to follow any diet or exercise plan, as well as if your weight is an issue.

To boot, the BMI system has its flaws, mostly in its negligence of overall muscle mass, frame size, and bone mass that varies between individuals. A healthcare professional also has the tools at their disposal to evaluate you for any related health causes/effects that diet and exercise on your own WON'T address, as well as referrals for such resources as nutrition counseling or treatment for an eating disorder.

(This goes without saying that being under, over, or at a normal weight can often be no indication in of itself as to how healthy you are on the inside, so seeing a doctor about healthy ways to eat and exercise is always your best bet at your next checkup, no matter your weight.)

We are certainly for supporting folks in making healthy choices for themselves and providing encouragement for everybody to improve their health, but Scarleteen simply isn't the most appropriate place for questions about your weight, especially when it is apparent that the desire for weight loss is purely cosmetic. Those issues are also outside the mission of the site, which it's important we focus on.

We can to talk to you about your body image issues, maintaining health (rather than appearance) or offer tips to help you achieve your goals under your doctor's advice.

That said!

What we can also tell you:

Healthy eating habits are important, this includes (but is not limited to) the following:

-Drink plenty of water – remember, we lose water daily through urination, bowel movements, sweating and breathing. Typically, we need roughly two liters of water a day to replenish those fluids we lose, but it's especially important to hydrate and rehydrate yourself before, during and after exercise, and if you consume anything that may deplete fluids such as sodas and coffee. So, instead of reaching for that can of cola, why not reach for a bottle of water, instead?

-Cut out the sugary stuff – I'm not about to tell anyone to never eat a cookie or a candy bar again, but moderation is key. Sugary snacks and especially carbonated drinks like cola are really not doing much for you, in the long or short run! So the more you can cut down on those, the healthier you're going to be overall.

-Know what you're eating and what you need to eat (and again, you can find this out through your doctor) – I'm talking protein, calcium, vitamins, and other awesome-for-you nutrients. Did you know that many young adults don't get near the amount of calcium and Vitamin D they need for good bone strength? Did you also know that drinks such as cola and coffee and sugary teas and "fruit" drinks can make it harder for you to get the good nutrients you need from not drinking things like 100% juice or milk? Consider as well asking your doctor if a multivitamin would benefit you and what type in particular they would recommend – multivitamins are not a replacement for the nutrients you can find in food, but they can help you out day to day to boost your intake!

Daily activity is also important. Getting a good 20-30 minutes of activity a day can greatly help increase cardiovascular, respiratory, muscle and bone strength, as well as helping your metabolism. Staying active can also help you get to sleep and stay asleep better! So take your dog for a walk, hop on your bike to get to the store instead of driving the car, go on a jog, go to the park with your friends, play a sport, go swimming – stay active!

And we can never recommend this enough – a good, in-person healthcare provider, is going to be your number 1, ultimate source for helping you establish the best, healthiest routine you can to live your life as healthy and happily as possible.

Cosmetic weight loss queries will likely be closed from now on and referred to this thread. If you would like to repost your question as something we can help you with (discussing WHY you feel pressured to lose weight, addressing self-esteem/body image issues, etc) we'd be more than happy to help you out. Thanks so much! [Smile]