Your girlfriends may weigh more than you do if you're a late bloomer. However, if your weight is too low for a teen at your height you may be at risk for health problems such as menstrual irregularities and malnutrition. Your doctor may suggest that you actively try gaining weight if he thinks you're not eating enough to fuel your body's energy needs.
Considerations
Don't try to gain any weight unless you talk to your parents and doctor first. If a temporary illness has caused some weight loss, you will likely get your appetite back and return to a healthy weight without making any changes in your diet, according to the University of Iowa Health Care website. If you've recently had a serious illness, your doctor may need to prescribe a special diet and exercise plan to ensure that you stay safe and healthy. Some symptoms that may indicate an underlying health problem are frequent fatigue, diarrhea or aches that have lasted at least a week.
Healthy Weight Gain
If your doctor concludes that you need to gain weight, she will probably recommend that you try to gain it at a steady pace of about 1/2 to 2 lb. per week. In order to gain 1 lb. of body weight each week you would need to add about 500 calories to your diet, according to the American Council on Exercise. You may not gain the same amount per week, but any consistent weight gain is progress and your doctor will tell you if you need to make further changes to speed it up.
Diet
Junk foods like sweets and potato chips aren't the way to go when you're trying to increase your intake of calories. Instead, eat more nutrient-rich foods that also happen to be higher in calories. Examples of healthy and calorie-dense foods are nuts, cheeses, avocados and nut butters. Eat more of these by having five or six small meals spread throughout your day and by tossing the extras into your meals. For instance, you could spread peanut butter on your morning toast, bring some trail mix to snack on between classes, and top your salads with almonds and avocado slices.
Muscle Gain
The extra calories you eat should contribute to muscle growth, not excess body fat. Having extra muscle will help you maintain a healthy appearance and reduce your risk of injury during activities like lugging a heavy backpack. Get in touch with a coach at school or sign up for a teen-oriented strength-training session at your local gym. Your trainer will likely suggest that you start with three sessions spread throughout each week that last no more than about 20 minutes to an hour. She will also probably recommend that you include exercises for all parts of your body and start with a lighter weight load until you get the knack of technique and build up strength.
Warning
Though you may be tempted to fill up on tasty beverages such as soda and iced coffee, they provide little to no nutritional value for the calories they provide. For a tasty beverage, stick to smoothies made with fresh ingredients such as fruit, juice and milk, recommends MayoClinic.com. Also avoid drinking fluids within 30 minutes of meals to reduce your risk of getting too full on liquid. Other items to avoid are any foods labeled sugar-free, low-fat, low-carb, fat-free and calorie-free.
Member Comments