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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How do I lose weight when I keep gaining it back?

    Related Topics
    Eating Disorders Fitness and Sports Medicine Mental Health
    I'm a 16 year old girl. I weigh 132 lbs and i'm 5.4ft tall. I've been trying to lose weight this past two years but never seem to reach my goals. I either end up gaining everything back or go on binge eating periods. (4 days a week for about 3 weeks) I get so depressed.

    i'd literally do anything to just lose atleast 7pounds. I've tried starving myself, bulimia, calorie counting diets and even just eating healthy. I go to the gym 3 times a week, i do netball twice a week and dancing once a week. I'm quite active and burn more calories than I take in. The least i've weighed was 125lbs, but i quickely gained it back again. I know my BMI is in a healthy range but i still feel so fat. I hate myself everyday and losing weight would make me happy again. So please can you answer this and help me? Anything would help. PLEASE
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  • 1

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    Daniel La Spina

    Exercise Physiologist

    I have been working in a Physiotherapy practice since 2010, specialising in post-injury rehabilitation and also metabolic and lifestyle disease prescription.I am passionate about educating … View Profile

    From my professional experience, weight loss is a project and calorie counting diets will lose the weight in the short-term but it won't keep it off in the long term. The types of food you eat, quantity and frequency is very important to ensure you maximise the energy release throughout your daily life and minimise the amount of food that would get stored as fat around your body. Seeking advice or a consultation from a dietitian would be highly beneficial as they would be able to give you a better idea of the types of food you should be eating and when you should be eating them. 

    Exercise is a tool in the combat of weight loss, the fitter you are, the better you are at utilising fat stores from around your body. “Burning fat” is a difficult process, so if you are physically unfit your body will have a hard time doing this. The frequency of exercise you are doing is fantastic, however maybe you need to re-assess the types of exercise you are doing, seeking advice from an exercise physiologist would allow you to better understand this and assist will implementing an exercise program to maximise your goals.

    Being a teenager is hard work, trying to fit into social groups and seeking body image stereotypes. Looking at the numbers and as you correctly stated you are considered to be in the “healthy weight” and BMI range. 

    I hope this helps give you some direction.

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  • Kirsty Woods

    Exercise Physiologist

    Hi I’m Kirsty Woods,I would like to use my experience, expertise and passion to help you reach your weight, energy and health goalsI have been … View Profile

     Hi,
     
    As you have mentioned your weight is within healthy limits. Your post covers many aspects, some of which are out of my scope of practice.
     
    There is no denying that diet and exercise play an essential role in weight control and health.
     
    It is suggested that you visit your GP for further referral and assessment. 

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  • Elizabeth Newsham-West

    Dietitian

    I agree with Kirsty that you need to visit your GP with your Mum or Dad and discuss what is a healthy body weight for you and how to eat to meet the nutrients you need for your own healthy growth and development  as a growing teenager and to help you preform well in your sport and dancing. Some of the eating habits you are trying are not that healthy for you or helping you achieve a healthy body weight.

    We do not use BMI for teenagers less than 18 years of age but growth charts. A discussion with a Dietitian would also help you understand how to eat for your nutritional needs as a growing active teenager, provide you positive eating habits and help you have realistic goals that will help you achieve a healthy body weight long term.

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  • Jessica Webb

    Exercise Physiologist

    It is all about management. The reason you would be putting it back on, is because you have changed again, to where the energy in to energy output is reversed. You'd need to go back and really make sure that you're doing enough exercise for the calories you're consuming.

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  • 1

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    Kyla Holley

    Counsellor, Psychotherapist

    Are you concerned about your relationship with food? Would you like the opportunity to explore this further? Hello, I am the Director of the Australian … View Profile


    It's very important that the binge/purge behaviour that you mention above is addressed as quickly as possible.
    The body can absorb up to 1200 calories during a high carb binge, even if the food is purged straight away. 
    People with bulimic behaviour often fall within a normal weight range, so appear to be otherwise healthy. Howeve,r bulimic behaviour can have some very unpleasant long term effects, so you need to talk to someone who can treat the emotional, behavioural and physical symptoms you are experiencing.
    The binge/purge cycle can often be the thing that is responsible for weight gain, and if you are able to get the appropriate treatment, your weight will probably stablise naturally.
    The first step might be to visit your GP and be completely truthful with him/her. Ask if they can refer you to someone locally who has experience with eating disorders. Good luck x

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  • Anonymous

    we are very much alike.

     I lose weight and put it back on …. you do not mention your sleeping pattern.

    As you do exercise and are very active how much water or fluids have you been drinking.  I believe up to 8 glass of fluid is good for your body and very important for weight loss.  

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  • Vangel Rizos

    HealthShare Member

    Exercise longer,  each day.  try 2 or 3 or even 4 hours a day every day, for a 2 week minimium.  keep eating a ballanced diet.  dont starve.  lots of veggies, and salad,   drink only water,  6 - 8 glasses a day.    till you achieve your goal weight. then once you achieve your goal, say with 3 hours a day, of  exercise, a day every day.  then   stick to that length of time each day for another 4 weeks to stabilize your digestive system. After that slowly do less exercise to get back down to 1 hour a day.  the whole time before, and after  weigh your self every day with a set of digital scales, to make sure it dosnt creep up. 

    I only consult with over weight and obese.

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