First off, at 17 you are still too young to be using those ephedrine-based supplements! Stop using them right away.

I suggest reading "Body for Life" and following the program. It involves strength training, cardio and a very sensible way of eating - six meals a day with a portion of carbs and protein at each meal.

Go to www.leanandstrong.com and check out the photos in the Transformation Gallery for motivation and inspiration!

PS - SlimFast is mostly sugar so it's no wonder you weren't able to lose weight with it...in addition, there is NOTHING wrong with potatoes and corn - they're just carbs...it's what you add to them (sour cream, butter, etc) that makes them bad. Matter of fact I eat potatoes (both white and sweet) regularly!

I am no longer 17 wish I was but oh well. I do know what you're going through thou as a male of the species and only 5'6" myself. I agree with the third posting you got the most, but... I'm assuming you're still in high school so eating six small meals a day would be kind of difficult.

My first thought after reading your post was that I don't think you're exersizing ennough. I came to that conclusion since you didn't mention anything about working out.
After spending 25 years trying to become a professional dancer and another 10 years teaching dance, pilates and coaching teens about good health I have learned a few things. One thing a lot of people don't realize about the shape of our bodies is that its determined by muscle tone or lack there of mostly. Lean toned muscle takes up less space in the body then fat does, but lean toned muscle also ways more then fat. So try not to get caught up in the numbers on the scale. Being a short male with a short torso myself. I would first suggest working on increasing your abdominal strength. You know what I'm talking about, crunches that sort of thing. I suggest that because it will do wonders for the ego fairly quickly. The first thing you will probably notice is your pants wont be as tight, at least if don't wear your pants "Baggy". Also being short and carrying more weight the stronger you get your core muscles (abdominals, lower back) all other exersizes will be easier and more comfortable. Thus you will be more likely to work out on a regular basis.

I also will tell you point blank to stay way from any weight lose potions. You would be better of putting that money toward a health club membership. I also know its hard but this is not a fast proccess. How long have you been working on changing how your body looks?? I can gaurantee it wont work if you want it tomorrow. The only way it works for anyone is if you're willing to change your lifestyle.

As far as food I could give you a lot of suggestions, but I wo

At 17, you need good protein and nutrients, and liquid or extreme diets are not that good for you in the long run. Also, I would absolutely stay away from weight loss supplements.

Unfortunately, the best way to lose weight and keep it off is just to develop good eating habits and stick to them. This doesn't mean you can never eat junk food, or high fat food! Just not every day. I like Salena's suggestion...eat lots of fruit, vegetables, beans, high fiber cereal & grains. Instead of cornflakes, eat raisin bran. Order salads (they even have salads at McDonalds) instead of burgers. I assume you're still living at home; tell whoever does the grocery shopping & cooking in your house that you're trying to eat better. Instead of eating Doritos or whatever while watching TV, eat non-fat yoghurt or fruit. Make these things habits.

And just so as you don't feel too deprived, allow yourself to eat junk food once in a while, just not that often! I have a theory that if you eat plenty of good stuff with high fiber, you can get away with eating a big fattening meal once in a awhile, and it will go through your system faster & not settle around your waist. :)

Also: Exercise, exercise, exercise! Again, make it a habit. Take stairs instead of elevators. Don't drive around for 5 minutes trying to find the closest parking spot to the mall. Do situps, crunches, curls, etc while watching TV instead of just sitting there. Even five minutes worth helps. Is there a family dog? Take it for walks! If you're uncomfortable going swimming until you lose the weight, buy a used stationary bike or something and use it at home...check the paper, they're cheap. As well as building muscle mass which burns more calories, exercise will boost your metabolism.

And remember...you're a guy, and you're young. You will lose weight fast if you put your mind to it...just eat less, move more. It's that simple, and that hard! :) You will lose weight much easier than me (I am 43, yikes). But I have made these things a habit, and still look dynamite in a bikini at my age, plus I can hike ten miles with a pack and feel good.

Carina