FAQ - Lose weight for summer time?

Q) How can I lose weight for summer time? Tips and advice needed please. I'm 13 years old and about 5'3-5'4 . I weigh about 108 pounds, so I'm not fat or anything, but I'm very untoned and I want to lose at least 10lbs for summer. Any good exercises to tone stomach, bum and legs ? And any good diet tips etc ?

A) PLEASE don't do this. At 5'4" your current Body Mass Index (BMI) is 18.5 - right at the bottom end of normal. You are tiny! And you are only 13! If you try and lose weight now, you could stunt your growth for ever. If you achieved your 'goal' of no more than 98 pounds in weight, you would be seriously underweight and could end up shorter than you should be for life.

Take any advice that other people give you for toning up (swimming is fantastic for toning and building the 3 S's - strength, stamina and suppleness) but please don't do any diet tips that you may be given.

Enjoy your lovely body as it is now - I bet you can wear any clothes you like and your friends must envy you. I had anorexia at little more than your age - you really don't want to head in that direction.

Sorry if this isn't what you want to hear, but a lot of people on these pages really do care and we just can't give you advice that would ruin you.
All the best - Zoe

Zoe Harcombe: The Harcombe Diet