The Student Room Group

Losing weight at 17

I live with my family which means that I’m constantly surrounded by bad food and having to eat whatever my mum makes. There’s no space to exercise because in every room there’s always a family member and I don’t think I’d go on walks if I’m being honest. How would you recommend losing weight with family being surrounded by you? I feel horrible and fat, I’m tired of feeling like this but it’s so hard to un my house. I think if I moved out one day or perhaps had more space to exercise etc I’d lose weight. Any advice?

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Reply 1
Lose weight through a caloric deficit alone. Surely, you can exercise in your own room?
Reply 2
Why don't you want to go out for a walk? Maybe you could start going to the gym? Could you get yourself a bike and start cycling to places instead of driving or getting the bus? Is it possible to ask your Mum to start cooking slightly healthier meals, or for you to cook your own? Have you tried talking to your family about this? Would they be willing to support you, i.e. giving you a bit more space so you can exercise, or trying to eat healthier with you?
I don’t have my own room. I share with my sister and the space is so narrow that it’s difficult to even walk in tbh. The gym costs too much. I’m always telling my mum that the food we eat isn’t nutritious but then she says just have salads alongside and they economise by making a large amount of food to last us a few days because it’s expensive for us to have different meals everyday.
I think changing your focus to being healthier rather than loosing weight is a good idea, maybe try and find some healthy alternatives to diners your family makes and offer to help your mum make them and you can try excercise in your own room or go to a pool or the sea if you close to it for a swim. I’m sure you are amazing and I’m sorry to hear you feel horrible x
Reply 5
Don't eat before 12am and after 8pm
Reply 6
Original post by Blue_skies124
I don’t have my own room. I share with my sister and the space is so narrow that it’s difficult to even walk in tbh. The gym costs too much. I’m always telling my mum that the food we eat isn’t nutritious but then she says just have salads alongside and they economise by making a large amount of food to last us a few days because it’s expensive for us to have different meals everyday.

I know you've said that you don't want to do it, but walking / running is a good way to do more exercise, and it's free. Do you have any asort of garden that you can do exercise in or not?
Reply 7
Original post by hzz.7
Don't eat before 12am and after 8pm

That's just stupid. It doesn't matter what time you eat.
We have a large garden. I used to run up and down in my garden but my neighbours would gawp at me so it was so awkward. I wear a head scarf and dress modestly so men and even women ( my neighbours) just staring at me isn’t ideal. I feel like everything’s so difficult but I really need to sort my health out
Reply 9
Original post by Blue_skies124
We have a large garden. I used to run up and down in my garden but my neighbours would gawp at me so it was so awkward. I wear a head scarf and dress modestly so men and even women ( my neighbours) just staring at me isn’t ideal. I feel like everything’s so difficult but I really need to sort my health out

Don't care about what they think. It will only hold you back.
Original post by Blue_skies124
I live with my family which means that I’m constantly surrounded by bad food and having to eat whatever my mum makes. There’s no space to exercise because in every room there’s always a family member and I don’t think I’d go on walks if I’m being honest. How would you recommend losing weight with family being surrounded by you? I feel horrible and fat, I’m tired of feeling like this but it’s so hard to un my house. I think if I moved out one day or perhaps had more space to exercise etc I’d lose weight. Any advice?


Diet & exercise.
You need to burn more calories then you consume.
Wether you walk or do cardio or muscular endurance or callisthenics you should find something.

Diets are a lot about routine & metal will power.

Tell your family so they can help you be disciplined.
Original post by Blue_skies124
We have a large garden. I used to run up and down in my garden but my neighbours would gawp at me so it was so awkward. I wear a head scarf and dress modestly so men and even women ( my neighbours) just staring at me isn’t ideal. I feel like everything’s so difficult but I really need to sort my health out

Honestly going for walks more often seems like a great way for you to get more exercise if you can't do it in your house or your garden. You could find go for a run outside too rather than just your garden, maybe on a cycle path, a park, or just on the pavement. In regards to the food that you eat, I get that it can be hard to eat healthily if money is a problem - if the food your mum makes is unhealthy, is there any way for you to have slightly smaller portion sizes instead?
(edited 3 years ago)
True, I think I’ll start tracking my calories, just boiling a load of veg and salads on the side of what my mum makes. Sometimes, I’ll eat healthy but by the end of the day I end up ruining it by eating something unhealthy.
When I was younger I used to exercise in the living room but now I’m more self conscious so I wouldn’t feel comfortable exercising where everyone is sitting in. I genuinely feel like if I did perhaps have my own space, I wouldn’t be In the position I’m in now. I’m starting school in September but I really don’t want to go because of how self conscious I feel about my weight
Maybe take the opportunities when your sister is out of the room to excercise or if you can go and walk to a local park do a workout there also look up some things about personal well being and meditation it make help to boost your confidence to go for walks
It’s not that it’s unhealthy. It’s not nutritious whatsoever. Normally she makes chipatis or naan and curries but I’m missing out on fish, red meat, vegetables etc and because it doesn’t fill me up, I end up eating crisps and junk because that’s all that’s available in my house.
*might help
Original post by Blue_skies124
It’s not that it’s unhealthy. It’s not nutritious whatsoever. Normally she makes chipatis or naan and curries but I’m missing out on fish, red meat, vegetables etc and because it doesn’t fill me up, I end up eating crisps and junk because that’s all that’s available in my house.

Can you ask your Mum to stop buying crisps etc, or to at least buy less of them?
I’ve said that but she says that I don’t need to eat them it’s for my siblings. I should just have the self control not to but it’s so hard 😭
Exercising is really important for your health but the catchphrase at my local running club is "you can't outrun a bad diet". Working out how to manage to eat healthily within the constraints of what your mum makes is the way forward - more veg, salad on the side, whatever works for you
Original post by Blue_skies124
I’ve said that but she says that I don’t need to eat them it’s for my siblings. I should just have the self control not to but it’s so hard 😭

Could you get your Mum to remind you not to take a bag of crisps or whatever to try and help you?

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