Dr Girl/Dr Dejour Q&A
Dear Doctor Dejour,
I am 16 years old turning 17 in 16 days. I am 5 foot 8 in height and my mum says that I am 12 pounds overweight which worries me because I don't do much walking or other exercise. Will I become fat?
Signed Worried.
Dear Ms Worried,
Well, sixteen turning seventeen - Congrats! As for the twelve pounds, as long as you are comfortable (and even if you are not), I doubt that there is any health issue.
One health 'objective' of your teens is to develop a healthy 'peak bone mass'. That is the amount of calcium in your bones and strength in your frame, and it reaches its peak in your early 20's (and is down hill from there). Carrying some weight (you did not say what you weigh?) will strengthen your bones and suggests your calcium intake (milk, yoghurt etc) is probably okay. This is your best chance to make strong bones and will stand you in good stead for older age. And you might have developed a liking for rambles in the bush or something by then.
Sixteen turning seventeen can be a very difficult time, and often the difficulties manifest as friction occurs with your mother. Slowly and quietly your mind will be trying to identify itself as a person separate from your parents. In order to define oneself, some people jump on various bandwagons (e.g. try drugs or take up smoking!). Another thing some girls do is excessively control their diet and weight, or ignore their diet and weight, and in doing so stand up to their parents and say I can eat what I want because I am old enough to know now.
I think the trick of negotiating this time is to try and do as many things that are 'you', that you like doing and that make you happy and strong and get a sense of 'you'. From this point you can try to listen to what your Mum says but not FEEL it, and perhaps see it from her end. She no doubt loves you and wants the very best for you (even if misguided in approach as in this case), and perhaps herself is feeling your imminent loss as a child. She will of course gain a wonderful young woman and get over that!
The other thing, and I know you just asked a simple question (!), is that it is important to form healthy habits now, if you can. Most people feel better if they do something in the way of being outside and moving a bit. This is not necessarily formal or group exercise, but if you could find something you did like it would probably add to your feeling confident and happy. It might be playing with a dog or roller-blading!
Hang in there!
Dr Dejour.
I am 16 years old turning 17 in 16 days. I am 5 foot 8 in height and my mum says that I am 12 pounds overweight which worries me because I don't do much walking or other exercise. Will I become fat?
Signed Worried.
Dear Ms Worried,
Well, sixteen turning seventeen - Congrats! As for the twelve pounds, as long as you are comfortable (and even if you are not), I doubt that there is any health issue.
One health 'objective' of your teens is to develop a healthy 'peak bone mass'. That is the amount of calcium in your bones and strength in your frame, and it reaches its peak in your early 20's (and is down hill from there). Carrying some weight (you did not say what you weigh?) will strengthen your bones and suggests your calcium intake (milk, yoghurt etc) is probably okay. This is your best chance to make strong bones and will stand you in good stead for older age. And you might have developed a liking for rambles in the bush or something by then.
Sixteen turning seventeen can be a very difficult time, and often the difficulties manifest as friction occurs with your mother. Slowly and quietly your mind will be trying to identify itself as a person separate from your parents. In order to define oneself, some people jump on various bandwagons (e.g. try drugs or take up smoking!). Another thing some girls do is excessively control their diet and weight, or ignore their diet and weight, and in doing so stand up to their parents and say I can eat what I want because I am old enough to know now.
I think the trick of negotiating this time is to try and do as many things that are 'you', that you like doing and that make you happy and strong and get a sense of 'you'. From this point you can try to listen to what your Mum says but not FEEL it, and perhaps see it from her end. She no doubt loves you and wants the very best for you (even if misguided in approach as in this case), and perhaps herself is feeling your imminent loss as a child. She will of course gain a wonderful young woman and get over that!
The other thing, and I know you just asked a simple question (!), is that it is important to form healthy habits now, if you can. Most people feel better if they do something in the way of being outside and moving a bit. This is not necessarily formal or group exercise, but if you could find something you did like it would probably add to your feeling confident and happy. It might be playing with a dog or roller-blading!
Hang in there!
Dr Dejour.
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