Thank you, Lane.

you have to be in this weight class?

55 lbs is far too much too loose in that short period of time.

For your body to burn the food you are eating more efficiently trying eating 5 to 6 meals a day. Over time your body will adapt and be the better off for it. It will burn what you are eating for energy and there won't be the excess normally associated with 3 meals a day that would normally get deposited/stored as fat. Drink plenty of water which will help clean out your system. Start a weight lifting program that will help burn some of the extra fat as the muscle will need more energy. I'd also suggest cardio but you say you swim ... but possible you may want to pick up jogging or skipping rope on the side.

If by chance you do loose this weight by January you will not be very fit and then expect to put back on this weight and more. Take if off gradually and your body adapts. Take it off too fast and you'll pay for it sooner then later.

At your weight 55lbs by jan is possible... but so bad for you its not even funny. you would be a wreck. i understand you may be aiming for a certain weight class, but if you tried to lose 55lbs in 8 weeks, you'll be FAR more ineffective than you would be if you stayed in your current one. At 200lbs you might (i repeat MIGHT) be able to work out a diet/workout plan that keeps you healthy and strong while losing MAYBE 2lbs per week. thats 16lbs if you have a profesional telling you what to do, then you actually do it. A realistic goal would be 1.5lbs per week, so 12lbs.

Problem with those plans is that you'll be putting on muscle as you lose wieght... so you might only lose a net of 12/9 respectivly. but with the extra 3-4lbs of raw might, you would be more ready for your present weight class(you'd be amazed at what a differance even just that much muscle will make).

Point is, you either need to re-think your goals to make them more realistic, or wait till next year (and by then who knows what you'll be like physicaly, as your still probaly not done growing).

When I was younger I did a really quick massive weight loss and have regretted doing it ever since. I lost just under 2 stone in 6 weeks and this was far too much. I was taking in about 8-900 cals a day and exersizing hard on top of it.

I eventually ended up not putting enough energy into my body to function properly and collapsed. I was choking on my own toungue and if one of my mates was not an ER doctor and stuck his hand down my throat I would have died.

I got to the point where my muscles were so weak that I was good for nothing. I was knackered in the gym after about 30mins and was feeling light headed.

THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!!

I put the majority of the weight on shortly after that, but I put it on using the right foods and doing the correct exersize.

That was a few years ago and this year I lost about 8 pounds, but that was intentional and just by changing my lifestyle. Feeling strong now and have a fair amount of muscle.
Got tested last night for my body fat percentage and it was sitting at 16.4% perfect

Listen to someone who has already made this mistake. Don't try and loose weight too fast... it's not worth it!

I'd be interested in gaining weight. I don't seem to have a very big appetite, but I assume there's some way to develop a larger one...? I eat a large bowl of (healthy) cereal for breakfast with 2% milk every day (and a piece of toast+orange juice on weekdays).

On weekdays I have a usually unhealthy school lunch half the time and the other half a cold lunch with a small sandwich, couple small slices of cheese, few slices of apple, some whole wheat crackers, two cookies and a small carton of chocolate milk (I know, sounds real filling and healthy, huh? ). On weekends I'm lazy and usually just make a couple sandwiches and some 2% milk for lunch.

After school I have some cookies for a snack with milk, then I usually have a pretty healthy supper (although sometimes kind of small) prepared by my parents. Usually along with 2% milk (occasionally orange juice). Dessert is usually a couple cookies or ice cream. I can't remember the last time I had whole milk, but my parents just buy 2% milk for themselves and I just drink it too.

I hardly ever exercise or practice Tae Kwon Do outside of the once a week class (even though I know I should, there's no room in my house, parents don't always feel like driving me somewhere). I'm not really sure what this is doing, I think I'm just maintaining my current (under)weight.

That burn calculator is nifty. Apparently I burn 3,500 calories a day on martial arts...I never knew.

So you train 4-5 hours a day?