I've always been a petite girl. I'm 19, I weigh about 96 lbs and I'm 5'3. All through high school I have always been around 100/105 lbs. I went to college and didn't eat as healthy and ended up losing a LOT of weight. I smoked a lot of marijuana and drank a lot and was pretty self destructive and now I really can't stand the way I look. It's to the point now where I'm so skinny that I haven't had my period for a bit. I know that when you're under a certain weight you stop having your period. I know skinny is in nowadays and people would die to be skinny, but I think that I just look sick. It doesn't help that the guy I'm talking to likes bigger girls and tells me all the time that I need to gain weight. I tell my friends and my mom even that I think I have a problem and I'm too skinny, but they all tell me it's a good thing and they wish they could be as skinny as I am. I have been trying to gain weight, and it just won't come back on. I've been trying to eat right, and even eat a LOT of food but the weight won't come back. I just want to be at least 100 lbs. like I used to be. I thought I looked good then. I am just really helpless now, and I don't know what to do to gain weight anymore.. Any tips?
I don't know what your diet consists of, but maybe try adding meal replacement shakes on top of eating a lot of good, healthy food. They with give you nutrients and add some calories without making you too full. But don't use them as they are advertised (to replace a meal). Bring them into your diet on top of everything else. I'm sorry the women in your life arn't taking you seriously and are telling you they admire how skinny you are. Your body mass index IS falling in the borderline unhealthy low weight category so it makes sense that you are no longer menstrating. But don't listen to your mom or friends or boyfriend. If your weight is bothering YOU, that's all that matters. You need to take care of yourself, girl. It's probably harder to gain weight because your body is lacking nutrients you need. I have a few friends that were anorexic (NOT saying you are, just making a comparison) and when they started eating full meals again after recovery, they actually LOST weight for a bit before putting it on. I think its because their metabolism got all out of wack. I just mean I think it takes time for girls that have naturally high metabolisms and have been underweight for a bit to rebalance everything and return to a healthy weight. So just be patient? And if it's really bothering you, go see a nutritionist. I'm sure they'd be able to steer you in the right direction.
Thank you, Stella! I have been thinking about meal replacement shakes, and taking those on top of the meals I usually eat. I have also been trying to eat healthy and cutting out the foods that aren't. (fast food, etc.) If this doesn't help, then yes, I will go see a doctor/nutritionist and have them help me out.
I'm also 5'3 but I'm more like 92lbs. I just don'tput on weight, and that runs in the family. Try to get a lot of protein which'll aid with growing muscle cells. I think a cell of muscle weighs twice as much as a fat cell but takes up half the space.
Making sure to eat enough, especially lots of protein, along with strength training can make a difference. My husband is naturally slender-he was 6'3" and 145 pounds when we met. He's about 185 now. One thing about getting older-he doesn't have to work so hard to keep from losing weight now.
thanks for the replies! i went and bought some meal supplement shakes and i'm thinking about starting lifting or doing something like that to gain the weight. i feel better already knowing that i can put on the weight.
how much is a lot of food for you, calories wise? tracking what you eat to see how much your eating throughout the week will give you a baseline of how much you should increase. its really hard to know how much you really are eating without some way of tracking. and you do want to add some fat to your body, so you don't necessarily have to always eat clean. healthy eating, sure...but you can get away with some things to add weight.
I was about the same measurements as you, and now I'm about 102. I gained by doing mild weight training, drinking whey protein shakes, and eating lots of good fats like nuts and avocado. Make sure you also get enough whole grains. Don't do too much cardio.
Oh and like fitzy said, it's beneficial to eat dirty now and again. I usually go out to eat a shitload of Mexican once a week. Seems to help keep me balanced.
You're young. Why on earth are you people even worried about this? Let me tell you something. Middle age spread is no myth. Age a little. Careful what you wish for. x
who cares. if you're skinny, but healthy.. stay skinny & healthy. and if you're boy wants a meaty girl, say sorry i'm not a meaty girl, lol. plus once you start gaining fat cells, they multiply easily.
it is not healthy to not get her period other health risks include bruising easily heart issues fainting dixzzzy spells death (probly not an extreme danger yet) weakness the list goes on she is not healthy at all i agree with the lifting eweights to a point, but it shouldnt be excessive at all... 1/2 hour 2-3 times a week light to moderate.. too much and your only burning too many calories that you need you want a ballanced diet with a ample supply of the junk food variety, ice cream, chips snacks in general throughjout the day, dont go overboard on unhealthy fats but a lil isnt bad and u do want to gain both fat and muscle in adition to the shakjes and increasing calories (shoot for 2500 at least till close to your gopal weight then lower to normal) you may also want a multi vitimin with iron till your period kicks back in
soaring eagle - I agree, but I mean if she is eating a good amount, and not menstrating, it might just be a hormone issue, in which case she should go to the obgyn. I have a friend who is normal weight, and stopped getting her period, due to her hormones. she went on the pill and now she's fine. it sounds to me that she just dislikes being skinny - not that she has any kind of eating disorder.
prissbaby that is a definate possibility, but shes also about at the weight that typicaly would start causing that kinda issues we havent defined what eatting alot means to her to some 6 grapes and a cracker is more then alot..lol but lets assume shes eatting enough, shes already at a low enough weight to be causing health risks, bouncing back would be slow..she may gain a pound 1 week only to dsee it gone the next extra special care is needed to reballance her body she should see a dr/niytitionist regardless but in ther meantime gaining 10 pounds should kick her period back in unless it isd a hormonal/strress related thing
Eat what you want, when you want, but prepare it yourself. Feed others. Get some good nutrition from home cookin' and throw away your bathroom scale. Look in the mirror and smile, see beauty there. BTW i looked at your photos, and i gotta say- I wish i knew ya, gorgeous girl.
