High school student with pot belly concern, please help!?

Question

Ok, I will give you guys some info on my situation.

I am a 16 yr old high school student and a Junior in high school. This is the first semester of my high school year. I go to high school in Georgia (not telling anyone where). What is different about my high school is that well, its a Magnet High School (basically they give you more tests, more work and keep you busy with school work). Since Middle School (7th Grade), I have had troubles with my pot belly. It became visible in the 9th grade and ever since then, every time summer vacation came I tried my best to lose it. I would spend 2 hours at the Family Y just running and doing basketball but that only worked for a few, my pot belly got SLIGHTLY smaller. I did the same thing the past summer, I figured out that the problem was the Chinese food I started eating and going to buffets on Saturday.

I have quit doing all of that and instead I plan on eating at Subway on Saturdays. 

So here is my problem,

My high school gives us WAAAYYYYY too much homework in order for me to have enough time for exercise. We have a test or a quiz nearly every day. I am usually busy studying and doing homework. 

This is my usual school lunch (I bring the lunch from home):
Ham Sandwich, Brownie, Oreo Granola Bar and Water.

After I come home from school I have some frozen food (I am REALLY hungry when I come home from school, so I usually eat some lean cusine and some chips). 

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays I hit the gym. My exercises include

1. Doing curls 10 times with 50 LB Weight
2. Doing 10 pull ups on the pull up machine which adds weight to help pull you up (it adds 8 stacks for me)
3. Doing 140 sit ups on the exercise ball (the big ones you do exercises on) 

I started these exercises in July of 2008 and my potbelly is still present. I have quit the Chinese food Buffet 2 weeks ago, see here is the problem, I have stubborn parents and they get pissed when I bring up the weight issue. Today I had an argument with them about it and they said I need to concentrate on my grades instead of my physique.

Sooooo here is my question and concern summarized.

My concern is that, lets say I put off physique and just go to the Family Y 3 days a week, and then by the end of my high school year, the time I get in college and STILL have a potbelly, will I be able to lose it or will it stay with me for the rest of my life?

Also, I want to get six packs before our senior trip (which will be in 2010), what can I do to get them?

Is what I eat really the problem of my pot belly still being present? (I do have a big appetite at times and tend to eat some chips and heavily for dinner).

Any other tips you can give me?

Also I was curious about this, does the state I live in the US really have an impact on my physique? (lets say instead of Georgia I lived in New York)

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

It is the Chinese Food man, quit eating it. Those buffets will basically just kill you, I mean they will make that pot belly extend. As for the school work, I think they SHOULD have an after school activity, join one! Your senior year you should try to go on any sports team, I know in Magnet Schools they don't have the fun sports like Basketball, Football or baseball but I say if they have something like soccer or Tennis, do it! Those will help wear fat off.

I suggest at the Family Y that you stick to what you are doing and if time is available, start jogging or running. Also, buy these two pairs of weights they sell called "Perfect Push-Up", it will benefit GREATLY for your body. Do at least 50 reps if possible.

Also, funny thing YES geography does have a lot to do with your physique. Someone in Mississippi would have a harder time getting a better physique than someone in New York or Illinois, states which promote exercise by making clean parks and keeping their citizens busy. A person from NYC would walk and run to work a lot, so yes, geography plays a HEAVY role.

juella · Answer

I've lived in Georgia and now in CA.  Geography really doesn't have much to do with the habits you have about health and exercise.

The best way to lose the belly is cardio exercises; running, walking, cycling...

As far as food choices, you might want to swap the brownie and granola bar for something a little healthier.  Both of these snacks are high in sugar which contribute to the belly.

With increased cardio exercise, drink a lot of water, keep doing your sit-ups and have fun on your senior trip!

Anonymous · Answer

just saying, if you can't/won't make 30 min for cardio or 1 hour for weights every few days, you don't deserve a nice body tbh. every kid in america cares about their physique and we're all in hs with hs work and sports and other stuff, and we can still make the time for it, so find out were your priorities are or keep the pot belly

your diet's ****, more fruits/vegs/lean meats/anything that isn't from a restuarant/subway, stop eating pre packaged stuff like chips/oreos/frozen food/chinese/subway/whatever else you've been eating

you have other muscles besides your arms, so only doing work for arms/shoulders is kinda weird and will do nothing for your stomach

run/dance/swim/box to do cardio, if you aren't doing a sport, do one

Anonymous · Answer

) Do you sometimes discuss your clothing choices with: a) your parents b) your friends 2) Where does the inspiration for your personal clothing style come from most? b) fashion magazines e) friends/peers 3) What styles of clothing do you prefer for school? e) none of the above 4) How much time do you spend getting ready for school? a) 5 minutes or less b) 10-20 minutes c) 20-40 minutes 5) How much time do you spend getting ready in your free time? c) 20-40 minutes 6) On a scale of 1-5, 5 being of most importance, how important to you is how you look to your peers? b) 2 - I am a bit concerned with how I appear to my peers (so a 4)

alskdj · Answer

I think you should drop the brownie, and chips.. Replace with them with something healthier. And maybe switch the oreo granola bar to a healthier kind. 
Good luck. :)

doesnt m · Answer

just change your lifestyle. who cares if you have no "time" to exercise. eat right. inhibit exercise into things you already do.

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High school student with pot belly concern, please help!?

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