Am I doing the right thing? page

[ebrady98]

Okay, so I've posted a lot of questions on here regarding my weight. But for those who don't know, I'm a 14 year old girl who does cycling who needs to lose weight. My mam and dad say, I say, even some people at cycling have commented on my weight.

I've been trying to follow a paleo diet mostly, but it's hard with low-fat, calorie-restrictive parents. I've noticed that my mam has been giving me less and less on my plate, in order for me to "lose weight." Doesn't work though, I normally end up snacking on biscuits and chocolate, out of defiance and hunger.

So after the millionth time my dad had a go at me for making scrambled eggs with butter this morning, and after he grabbed the pan and threw the butter away, I told him that I've had enough. I've had enough of cycling and not getting anywhere competitively, I've had enough of judgemental assholes who comment on my weight and say losing weight is "easy" like I haven't tried hard enough. I've been trying for over a year now. They say they want me to be healthy, but they don't care about my mental health, and they think being hungry is normal when you're trying to lose weight. My mam also says I've been brainwashed because I don't believe the low-fat dogma.

So I want to do full paleo, weight-loss diet. I want to lose weight atkins style then gradually introduce my carbs so I can continue to cycle. I want my energy to go up and I want to be flat-stomached so I can feel happier and prove a point to my overweight dad who thinks he is morally superior because he doesn't eat red meat.

So can someone please help me? What do I have to eat in order to lose weight? I don't need to keep my energy up because I won't be cycling for a few weeks. Can someone give me a meal plan or something?

I'm sorry if this comes across as arrogant or rude, but I'm really sick and upset about the way people have been treating me and it saddens me that so many people are clueless about a good diet.

I'm 5.3" and 150 pounds.

[Rueben]

Okay, so I've posted a lot of questions on here regarding my weight. But for those who don't know, I'm a 14 year old girl who does cycling who needs to lose weight. My mam and dad say, I say, even some people at cycling have commented on my weight.

I've been trying to follow a paleo diet mostly, but it's hard with low-fat, calorie-restrictive parents. I've noticed that my mam has been giving me less and less on my plate, in order for me to "lose weight." Doesn't work though, I normally end up snacking on biscuits and chocolate, out of defiance and hunger.

So after the millionth time my dad had a go at me for making scrambled eggs with butter this morning, and after he grabbed the pan and threw the butter away, I told him that I've had enough. I've had enough of cycling and not getting anywhere competitively, I've had enough of judgemental assholes who comment on my weight and say losing weight is "easy" like I haven't tried hard enough. I've been trying for over a year now. They say they want me to be healthy, but they don't care about my mental health, and they think being hungry is normal when you're trying to lose weight. My mam also says I've been brainwashed because I don't believe the low-fat dogma.

So I want to do full paleo, weight-loss diet. I want to lose weight atkins style then gradually introduce my carbs so I can continue to cycle. I want my energy to go up and I want to be flat-stomached so I can feel happier and prove a point to my overweight dad who thinks he is morally superior because he doesn't eat red meat.

So can someone please help me? What do I have to eat in order to lose weight? I don't need to keep my energy up because I won't be cycling for a few weeks. Can someone give me a meal plan or something?

I'm sorry if this comes across as arrogant or rude, but I'm really sick and upset about the way people have been treating me and it saddens me that so many people are clueless about a good diet.

I'm 5.3" and 150 pounds.

Life is tough when you're 14. You could sit your mum and dad down and really talk to them about how you are feeling. Can you download marks book and ask them to read it?

At 14 you are still growing and to be hungry is no fun. I am hoping someone else can help you here because at 14 you have limited control over what gets bought. You could ask your mum to leave the rice or pasta off your plate and ask for more veges. She surely can't object to that?

[ez2cy]

I think Rueben's advice is bang on.

Talk them rationally. Pull the "but if you loved me card" LOL (if you have to) and get them to read the book. I"m not quite thru it and it's opened my eyes like you would not believe. In the past I've had people tell me I should be a personal coach (couldn't tell that now) but man.....I really was ignorant to the food industry and fitness.

My daughter (25) is a Holistic Nutrionist and she says the Primal is good, REALLY GOOD.

If your parents or just one, would take the time to read the book, atleast you could talk to them. They may not agree, but they'd understand where you are coming from.

Good luck

[SophieScreams]

Reading your story really breaks my heart. I was a bit fluffy as a teenager as well, even though I was athletic. And it was hard seeing my teammates with their fat-free, curve-free, boyish figures stuff chips and cookies into their mouths, when my mom was a food Nazi and wouldn't buy anything she deemed as junk food.

You shouldn't be going hungry, especially as growing adolescent and even more so as a competitive cyclist. (which is really freakin' cool, btw!) Sitting your parents down for a family meeting is about all you can do. You can prove to them that you're adult enough to make the decision to become paleo by arming yourself with knowledge and resources.

And now, a quick google search...

From a competitive cyclist's blog :Cycling (training and racing) on a Paleo Diet | Texas Tailwind

And another cyclist's experience: Primal/Paleo Diet and Cycling - YouTube

Also: CYCLINGTIME.com The Paleo Diet for Athletes

Mark's book and Dr. Cordain's The Paleo Diet For Athletes are both good resources. Then, propose a challenge to your parents to take on the paleo diet as a family for 4 weeks. Mark's book is a great resource for the how-to's to get started. Your parents will need to do this with you, as they're the one's buying the groceries and doubting your methods.

Just one more aside, rebelling and lashing out with junk food is only proving to your parents how uncommitted and immature they think you are, and is completely detrimental to your goals. You'll make a louder statement by sticking to your primal guns.
Good luck, and please keep us updated! You'll find lots of support on here, and welcome to the tribe!

[sbhikes]

I feel for you. Your parents are kind of cruel. They shouldn't be so focused on your weight at your age. You are young and probably a beautiful endomorph that hasn't finished filling out yet. You'll probably end up strong and gorgeous when you are older. You'll see.

I used to cycle with a group and every single person in that group was obese except for one or two. I rode with the ones who rode hard and yet I was still obese.

You might have success adding strength training to the cycling. You are probably too young to use weights, but you could do body weight exercise like on Al Kavaldo's website. If you are anything like me, these exercises will be impossible and you'll have to start with his super basic work your way up to the real ones exercises.

Meanwhile, you can eat the diet your parents want you to eat, but if you get hungry, don't reach for biscuits, choose more paleo snacks. Apples with nut butter, hard boiled eggs for example. You don't have to do atkins or a low carb approach, but you can right this minute choose lower carb and more natural foods whenever you do have a choice. So tell your parents you want to have eggs for breakfast and compromise with them by making them hard boiled or poached or scrambled with the minimum of oil. Have them with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach instead of bacon. For lunch ask for cold chicken rather than a sandwich, and fruit or salad rather than biscuits. Stuff like that.

[ebrady98]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I will keep you all updated

[lowcarbjas]

I wish I'd found Primal at 14! Would your parents object to avocado instead of butter with your eggs?

I never argue with my parents coz I'd never win. Maybe you could ask them to give you just 1 month of eating Primal. No restrictions or criticisms. You could write a diary of how you physically feel and how you perform as evidence of the benefits of this lifestyle.