Hi there,

First off, you should know that your weight is perfectly normal for your height. It's also normal to develop doubts and hangups about your body, no matter your size. That said, I applaud you for looking for a healthy way to feel better about your body ... as you seem to have learned, diets generally don't work!

Being healthy means developing habits that you can live with and stick to for your entire life. You need to experiment with ways to eat healthy and exercise that don't leave you feeling hungry, anxious, or tired at the end of the day. I would advise eating a big, healthy breakfast. For me, this helps a lot with cravings for unhealthy snacks during the day. Exercise is also key: team sports are an excellent way to stay in shape while having fun and being social, but there are also other ways to make your life active.

It's possible that your relationship with food has some emotional component. Do you eat when you feel sad or stressed out? Try to identify exactly why you are eating things when you are not hungry, if that's in fact what you are doing. And EAT when you are hungry, or when it's mealtimes. You will feel better, inside and out, if you understand your body's natural rhythms and learn to respond accordingly.

I hope this helps! In truth, everyone goes through a process of understanding their physical bodies, their urges, hangups, relationships with food and exercise. It's just a matter of getting to know and trust your own body and mind.