Hello. I am a 16-year-old female who weighs 160 pounds right now. I am not doing a sport right now, but when I do I tend to weight between 145 and 150 pounds. I have big bones, so I know that I should weigh between 130 and 140, but I find getting down there very difficult. I hit 145 and just stop losing weight. I don’t know why.
My eating habits when I am doing my sports consist of eating a ham and cheese sandwich and a bag of chips with juice for lunch. I practice till about 5 after school. Then dinner and a snack before bed. How come I am not losing more?
I don’t understand. Should I be trying harder in practice? Sometimes we don’t do much. But I’m working out 6 days a week and not eating too much. Shouldn’t this be sufficient enough? Please help. I am very confused. Thank you.
Since you didn’t tell me how tall you are or whether you are a girl or boy, I can’t comment on whether your weight is appropriate for your height or not. You are also still growing though. Please reply with your height and gender.
Since you are an athlete, you may have more muscle mass than an average person. Per square inch, muscle weighs more than fat because it is 70% water. If you are working out 6 days a week, it is possible your lean tissue (muscles) is larger than average which could attribute to a higher weight. You also said that you have “big bones” which we don’t consider anymore in determining a kid’s weight. You may be trying for an unrealistic weight for your height, especially for sports.
You didn’t mention what you eat for the rest of the day so I can’t comment much on your lunch. Eat a variety of foods and average sized portions. Some suggestions to decrease fat from your food choices would be to eat fresh fruits and vegetables at lunch instead of a bag of chips. I noticed you didn’t mention any milk intake. It is essential for a young athlete such as yourself to drink 3 cups of milk (skim or fat-free) each day. Calcium is essential for bone growth and reducing the risk of stress fractures. You could follow the recommended number of servings in the My Plate which for your age are:
- 6 to 7 ounces of whole grains
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups vegetables
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups fruits
- 3 cups milk
- 5 to 6 ounces meat or cooked dried beans
- 5 to 6 teaspoons healthy oils from margarine, mayonnaise or salad dressing or 1-ounce servings of nuts.
