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Nutrition

What's a Healthy Weight?

Worried about your weight?

Some teens have a hard time knowing what a healthy weight is, especially with all the body changes that are taking place. Girls especially may think they need to be thinner even if they are not overweight. If you're worried about your weight, talk to your family doctor. Your doctor can help you find the best way to be at a weight that is healthy for you. This may include having you see an expert in nutrition, called a nutritionist or a dietician. And remember, weight gains are a normal part of growing up.

If a doctor tells you that you should lose weight, it's best to increase your exercise as the first step. Often that's all teens need to do for weight control because they're rapidly growing and changing. If changing what you eat is also needed, keep eating a variety of foods while cutting down on foods and drinks with extra calories like fats and sugars.

If you need to gain weight, a doctor or nutritionist can help you make a plan that is right for you.

Thinking of going on a diet?

Many teens who go on diets don’t need to lose weight. Pressure from media images, friends—and sometimes parents—to be very slim may cause you to have a distorted body image. Having a distorted body image is like looking into a funhouse mirror: You see yourself as fatter than you really are.

It can be hard to get the nutrients you need if you eat less than 1600 calories per day, so don't go below this level unless you are under a doctor's care. You cannot make up for the nutrients you're not getting on such a strict diet by taking a multi-vitamin.

If you're into sports, taking in less calories could hurt your athletic performance. In fact, if you are an athlete, you will need to eat even more healthy grains. Also, never drink less water to lose weight. Skipping meals to lose weight is not a good idea either—you're likely to overeat at the next meal just because you're so hungry. And studies show that people who skip breakfast or other meals tend to have poorer nutrition than those who eat regular meals.

Instead of dieting because your friends are doing it or because you are not as thin as you want to be, first find out from a doctor or nutritionist whether you are carrying too much body fat for your age. With their help, make healthy lifestyle choices to reach a healthy weight. A loss of ½ - 2 pounds a week is usually safe, and losing weight slowly makes it easier to keep off.

Do's and Don't's of healthy weight management:

DO	DON’T
Change your habits to focus on healthy foods and exercise. Overweight or not, regular daily exercise is important to look and feel your best. If you do need to lose weight, stepping up your activity level will help. Exercise increases your lean body tissue, which will help you burn calories more quickly.	Don't skip meals, eat only bread and water, take diet pills or dietary supplements, or make yourself vomit. You may make it through the end of the week and maybe even lose a pound or two, but you're unlikely to keep the weight off. Forced-vomiting is a sign of an eating disorder called bulimia, which can cause serious health problems.
A healthy diet is one that has balance, variety and healthy serving sizes. Limit the amount of high-calorie foods that you eat. If high fat foods are among your favorites, balance those foods with fruits and vegetables, which are generally lower in fat and calories.	Don't deprive yourself of foods you love, because you'll be more likely to binge or over eat... and you may gain even more weight.
Try to eat a wide variety of foods to keep from getting bored and to make sure your diet is balanced. Keep portion sizes reasonable so that you can have a dessert once in a while without taking in too many calories.	Low-calorie diets that allow only a few types of foods can be bad for your health because they don't allow you to get enough vitamins and minerals. Quick weight loss from very-low-calorie "starvation diets" can cause serious health problems in teenagers, such as gallstones, hair loss, fatigue, and diarrhea.
Another way to lower your calorie intake is to replace the regular foods you eat with lower-fat options. Try these tips: Switch to 1 percent or fat-free milk instead of whole milk Try nonfat or low-fat frozen yogurt, or nonfat or low-fat ice cream, instead of regular ice cream Have pretzels instead of corn chips or potato chips Switch your fries for a small baked potato with a little low-fat sour cream Remember, low-fat doesn't always mean low calorie. For example, extra sugars may be added to low-fat muffins or desserts to make them taste better. But, they may be just as high in calories as the regular kinds.	Don't believe advertisers trying to sell you miracle foods that burn fat. Foods don't burn fat, they make fat when we eat more than we need. Also, stay away from diets that claim you can lose weight without exercise or say you will lose more than 2 pounds per week.

 

Do I have to give up some of my favorite foods?

Healthy eating doesn't mean you have to give up all your favorite foods. You can be picky about what you eat and still also eat foods you enjoy.

A nutritionist will tell you to eat an apple or celery sticks if you want a healthy snack. But can you imagine serving celery sticks, tofu kabobs, and rice cakes when "the gang" comes over to watch a video? Even the most health-conscious among us have to admit that there are times when only cookies, chips, crackers, dips, and spreads will do.

Many well-known brands of snack foods are now available in reduced-fat or reduced-sodium versions so that you don't have to be a party pooper. The trick is to find lower calorie, fat or salt versions of your favorite snacks. Compare the amount that makes up a portion with the amount you normally eat so you can include snack foods in your diet without overdosing on fat and salt.

Healthy snack ideas:

• Baked potato chips or tortilla chips with salsa
• Pretzels (lightly salted or unsalted)
• Bagels with tomato sauce and low-fat cheese (low-fat version of a pizza)
• Flavored rice cakes (like caramel or apple cinnamon)
• Popcorn – air popped or low-fat microwave
• Veggies with low-fat or fat-free dip
• Low-fat cottage cheese topped with fruit or spread on whole-wheat crackers
• Ice milk, low-fat frozen or regular yogurt (add skim milk, orange or pineapple juice, and sliced bananas or strawberries to make a low-fat milk shake)
• Frozen fruit bars
• Vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, graham crackers, animal crackers, fig bars, raisins
• Angel food cake topped with strawberries or raspberries and low-fat whipped cream
• String cheese

Healthy ways to gain weight

Have you ever been teased about being too thin? Have ever been called too skinny to the point that it began to worry you? Although most teen girls are concerned about being overweight, some may be worried about being too thin.

If this is your concern, first talk to your parent(s) and your doctor. Also, check your BMI to see if you’re underweight for your height. Here are some tips for gaining weight the healthy way:

Tip #1: Eat More

You may think "duh," but many people might not think of this right away. Extra calories above your daily needs can add pounds. Just try to pick foods rich in nutrients, such as complex carbohydrates (whole wheat breads, pasta, or potatoes), milk or other dairy products, or "good fat" (avocado, peanut butter and olive or canola oil).

Tip #2: Increase "Good Fat"

Increasing mono- and polyunsaturated fats, found in foods such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut butter, avocados, and nuts, can be good for you, as well as adding some pounds to your weight.

Content last updated July 3, 2007

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