Need help for weight gain please.

cherylhirons
cherylhirons Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My 12 year old is crazy active but super underweight. I desperately need tips on things that have lots of good calories for not much bulk, but not empty calories. We like to keep those as treats. please give me many ideas.

Replies

  • ABQsheila
    ABQsheila Posts: 46 Member
    nuts and nut butters with apples/bananas, cheese and crackers, Greek yogurt and fruit..... Maybe deviled eggs or a peanut butter & jelly sandwich with a glass of milk. For special treats, milk and oatmeal cookies

    for meals, maybe homemade mac & cheese or pasta with meatballs and lots of cheese, homemade pizza with a whole wheat crust, chicken wings or nuggets, roasted potato skins with cheese/bacon/sour cream

    what about a shake or smoothie with protein powder & fruit?
  • cherylhirons
    cherylhirons Posts: 37 Member
    Thank you, I was just doing some research as well and I could definately have her snack on spoonfuls of peanut butter and switch her to whole milk, she loves pizza and hot wings so I will have to do that and hide while she eats, I like it too. Now to find a protein powder suitable for kids. I would like her to gain without created bad eating habits that will last for a lifetime.
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    smoothies made with avocado?
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Anything.
    He needs about 2500+ cals a day and you need to make sure he gets it.
    Hormones are starting to ramp up and if the nutrients arent there.....

    Feed him anything!

    Go for an 80:20 ratio of whole foods and junk!
  • cherylhirons
    cherylhirons Posts: 37 Member
    Anything.
    He needs about 2500+ cals a day and you need to make sure he gets it.
    Hormones are starting to ramp up and if the nutrients arent there.....

    Feed him anything!

    Go for an 80:20 ratio of whole foods and junk!

    My 12 year old is a her and she eats like a bird and then she is full. Biggest fear is that was me at her age and as my metabolism changed my eating habits did not(I could eat alot if I want to). So the higher the calories per bite is what I need. She will get a kids egg breakfast when we eat out(hashbrowns, 1 egg, 1 toast and 2 bacon) there is always extra on her plate.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    Your doing the right thing - teach her to eat right and she'll be fine. I know usually those extra pounds start coming on as you get older. You could also get her into doing yoga or ballet - maybe weight training. If she develops an interest, she'll always be physically fit so it'll be easier to eat more without overdoing it.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Her meals don't have to be absolutely perfect all the time at her age, especially as an athlete. However, I would certainly take Dan's (no relationship to me) advice by giving her a ratio of 80% whole foods and the rest can be whatever. She's experiencing her growth spurt and will likely do so until she is 17 or older so she needs the proper amount of nutrition. I would estimate how much she needs to eat to maintain her current weight considering her level of activity and then add about 10% to 20% of a surplus.

    If you are looking for a healthy, "natural" protein shake for her to drink perhaps during school or any other time, check into Jay Robb's Whey or Egg Protein powders or Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard Natural 100% Whey. If its for home, you can make a protein shake by simply using water (or milk) with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 1/2 avocado and a bit of fruit.

    Additionally, 12 years of age is an optimal time for her to be engaging in some form of basic strength-training program - to further develop as an athlete as well as properly strengthen her body against potential injuries - due to her rapidly developing body - its more than capable of handling the demands of such a program.
  • g4genn
    g4genn Posts: 58 Member
    Mediterranean yogurt (8 to 10% fat)
    nut butter like cashew and almond on graham crackers with honey or jam
    tzatziki with nacho chips
    hummus with olive oil on ciabatta bread
    fried eggs on stone ground bread with ketchup
    avocado with lime juice and olive oil
    apricots and dried fruits
    cereal like vector
    fruit leathers
    smoothies with protein added for weight gain
  • g4genn
    g4genn Posts: 58 Member
    oh yeah and goat cheese on crackers like wheat thins. So delicious and you can get it in higher fats.
    All cheeses and chicken thighs
  • cherylhirons
    cherylhirons Posts: 37 Member
    She gets her junk food for sure but that cannot be an allday everyday thing. My problem is that she gets full easy. Love the smoothie ideas and she loves fruit leather and and finding a high fat cheese may help. She just started weight training this summer. She had to give up taekwondo because we moved where it is not offered. She is on two different soccer teams and went to 3 camps this summer. 4 practices this week along with a tournament this weekend with 4-5 games. On top of that Middle school volleyball starts in a week. She has played soccer since she was 4 and loves it. She is as active as her schedule permits. We are trying to figure out the easiest way to up her calories without her walking around stuffed all of the time and learning good habits at the same time. We are not super healthy eaters in this family, we have pop tarts and cupcakes in the house right now and she eats them. Luckily she hates soda:) But getting her to eat a couple big spoons of peanut butter is much easier than getting her to eat a bowl of spaghetti. I was a super skinny athlete until I became an adult with responsibility, now I am a super fat mom.

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