Teen Health: Developing Healthy Bodies

Q: I am a 15-year-old girl, around 5-foot-6 (still growing) and about 130 pounds. I am skinny apart from my gut, which is fat and makes me very self conscious. I am worried about the amount I eat. In the mornings I am never hungry and will sometimes skip breakfast. At school I will have a snack at around 11 and then have lunch at 12 to 12:30 (these are the allowed breaks in my school). In the evenings I eat dinner and then I get really hungry and will eat lots of food. My mum is a health reporter so our house is full of healthy food, and I won’t snack on anything unhealthy, but sometimes I will eat up to seven oranges in one sitting. I have heard that you shouldn’t eat a lot in the evening because you don't have a chance to work it off.

Is there anything you can suggest that will reverse my eating habits and will reduce the amount that I eat? Do you think that if I drink more water and smoothies they will fill me up and I won’t eat as much?

A: Your concerns are common for girls your age. My teenage daughter is also concerned about her tummy, how she looks in her clothes and how to control her weight. As an adolescent, your body is changing and developing at a very rapid rate, so you should know how nutrition impacts your health and physique. There are some practical things that you can do to improve your well-being and develop a healthier body..

You absolutely can change your eating habits, but eating less may not be the main goal. It sounds like your weight is normal for your height and that you eat like many teens—ravenously! You are probably eating a lot a night because you don’t eat breakfast. So let’s fix that first.

Your body is trying to make sure that it has enough calories to support the rapid changes that it is undergoing, so don’t skip meals—especially breakfast. Start each day with a hearty breakfast, then snack on some vegetables during your break. If school lunch is not your bag, be sure to take a sandwich, some fruit and perhaps pretzels to school with you. Wash it down with water or skim milk. You are probably starving after school so grab a few wholesome munchies such as reduced-fat cheese cubes and whole-grain crackers. This will hold you until dinner. After dinner, sweeten your palate with snacks such as fruit and fat-free or low-fat popcorn.  Following this pattern can level off your eating during the day and stabilize your blood sugars. You can go to www.mypyramid.com to learn what your nutritional needs are. This Web site will give you detailed information about the types of foods that you need in each category to support your growth and development.

Most teens don’t get enough water and calcium. Although there are differences of opinion about fluid needs, we can all agree that the human body is 50-75% water so it needs to be replenished frequently. Be on the safe side and drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day as well as two or three 8-ounce glasses of skim or soy milk. Drinking more fluids will help you feel fuller too. And while drinking more fluids will help you feel fuller, remember that you should not rely on the “full” feeling that fluids give you to reduce the amount you eat, as you may end up robbing your body of needed nutrients. 

Ask Mum to let you check in with a Registered Dietitian to find out more details on ways that you can plan meals and snacks. A dietitian can offer you practical advice on balancing your health needs as well as tips on how to get the most out of the smoothies that you mentioned. They can be a power-packed way of getting fruit and calcium from dairy products into your diet. But often, the smoothies made away from home are loaded with calories. Your best bet is to make them at home occasionally.

Now that you know what to eat, let’s reorder your thinking. It sounds like you are not aware of what is an appropriate look for your body. Your body is perfect for you right now, and it will continue to change. Accepting how your body looks, tummy pouch and all, will help you realize that there is no one perfect body type. Your hormones are surging and may cause you to have more tummy fat than your peers, depending on your genetics and menstrual cycle.

Increasing your activity level to at least 60 minutes a day can help keep your body lean and fit. Think of the physical activities you participate in now (biking, swimming and gym class, for example) and calculate how many minutes a day you are active. Find ways to increase your activity level by doing things you enjoy, perhaps rollerblading, walking or dancing. Don’t fret if 60 minutes sounds like too much—start slowly and increase the amount until you gain endurance and strength. Seek the guidance of a fitness professional and your doctor before getting in too deep.

Ten years from now, you will look back at pictures of yourself and realize you were a pretty good-looking girl. Twenty years from now, you will wonder why all the fuss. In the meantime, be kind to yourself—love your body as it is, eat healthy foods and exercise on a regular basis.

If the definition for beauty gets any thinner, no one will fit in.  So, please check out these sites to learn more:

• Adolescent Development
• After School Snacks
• CDC Recommendations for Physical Activity for Young People
• Girl’s Health
• New Moon Girl
• Small Step
• Smoothies Can Be Bad for You
• Turn Beauty Inside Out
• What's a Healthy Weight?

Find all articles by Keecha.

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Keecha Harris is President of Harris and Associates, a food systems and public health consulting firm based in Birmingham, Ala. (Read her full bio.)