Whether I am refering to football, weight lifting, or simply lifting a bag full of laundry, I feel that I am weak. Why is this? I trained for about a year with weights in a class, and barely could gain any strength. I have seen myself lose to girls in arm wrestling. In football, when the ball comes to me, I feel too much pain when the ball hits my arms, and all I can do is drop it. Could it have something to do with me being small? For instance, I am 17 and I am only 5'5". Also, how come I barely have facial hair? I see guys who are about 13 years old and have started shaving alredy where I myself have basically nothing to shave?

Could it be that I am low on iron or nutrition?

Your size should have nothing to do with your strength. Have you had blood work done so maybe the problem can be determined with testing?

__________________
"Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music."

The blood test sounds like a plan. Before I go to college, I am getting a physical anyway so during that time I will do something.

Today, when I was organizing the shelf at the library (I do volunteer work for college), I had trouble pushing the books towards the other end of the shelf. The books literally fell back.

You should get your hormones checked by your doctor as well as a test for anaemia. Dont start taking iron supplements without being tested.

Let us know what the blood tests come back with, k?

__________________
"Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music."

I am the product of a broken home, the first of seven children. My mother finally left after years of cussing and fighting with my father. My father left some years later. None of them was on drugs as far as I know. My progress/development was stunted for years as a result. I did not let that keep me down. In my forties I got a good education. I never worried about the size of my penis, the scarce growth of hair on my face or my skinny to thin body. For years I weighed 145 pounds. I decided that females would have to like me how God made me. I also took advice from older folks, which you don't seem to want to do.

You should seek medical and psychological help VERY quickly.

oh yes I would make sure to not take anything until testing is completed
Yes, I will make sure to do so. (However that may be a while since my mom is hesitant for some reason, she thinks I don't need to do it but I'm going to have a LONG talk with her).
The thing is, here in New York City, everyone moves very fast. Education wise people are starting their careers at maybe 25. People are getting married as soon as they graduate college. Guys have girlfriends at 12 years old, sometimes younger, and I have yet even kissed one--perhaps me being a minority in Brooklyn (white) has something to do with it since they tend to cast me out in every school I go to. Well, I worry about my penis size since I always hear guys talking about how theirs is 7 or 8 inches long, and mine is only like 5 inches. Then for the last year or so, it hasn't seemed to get any bigger in length or width, which also scares me. I just worry about a day where my "time" would come, and the woman would see it and walk out on me.

As for medical help, I am going to do my best. It is hard to explain psychologically, being I've seen messed up things (my dad being arrested or shooting drugs into his arm), I was picked on so many times from when I was overweight and now that I've lost much weight, I still cannot take off my shirt in public. I still feel uncomfortable and now I am more than self-conscious. My ex-girlfriend would complain about my height, and now I keep walking around comparing myself to everyone else's height, and I'm self-conscious about that, too.

spidey,

Actually you're lucky to be in NY City because there are a lot of resources there. One excellent doctor who has written many books on health and chronic fatigue is Dr. Majid Ali. I have many of his books. He has offices in NYC and NJ. His theory is that energy enzymes get damaged from various reasons and you gradually lose energy and endurance.

But there are some common deficiencies that you probably have that reduce energy.
1. Vitamin D. You should be taking 5000 units for a few months probably to build up your levels. See donaldmiller.com and vitamindcouncil.org
2. Iodine is another commonly low one. Iodoral is a supplement. Kelp is a great one too. Iodoral is 12mg. THis is the average amount a Japanese woman gets. donaldmiller has something in this too.
3. Selenium is a great antioxidant. donaldmiller again.
4. Magnesium is low in many because of the refined foods we eat and too much dairy which is out of balance with calcium and magnesium. Mg Citrate or Malate is a good form. It helps the brain and muscles etc. It is also necessary with the Vit D.
5. Carotenoids as in carrots, is previtamin A. This is also needed with D. You don't want actual vit A as it's better for the body to convert the carotenoids to A as needed, in proper proportion to the D it makes from the D3 supplement.
6. Some mild exercise if very important for building strength. If you don't improve with training you probably are short on the above. Zinc is also important for hormones. Zinc supplements are commonly available. Don't OD on it, take just the daily amount.

Nuts are a great source of the selenium, magnesium, iodine, good oils and other things. Try to eat them if you can from time to time. Brazil nuts are high in Iodine among other things.