Teenage daughter wants to "tone up"

Swimming is a great way to tone up! If you look, there are lots of places that offer swim and swim lessons. Sometimes you can get a fitness membership that only includes the pool. I also like the idea from other posters about some sort of martial arts. Finally, the Chalean is a great DVD if you are looking to go that route. I use her tapes and have had great success in toning up

113, 5'6" is really small, but don't forget that weight does not equal level of physical fitness! I have a friend who is 5'8" and close to 200 pounds who has a higher endurance and more muscle mass than my 5'8" 120 pound friend. The 120-pound friend can barely jog half a mile, even though she's really thin.

That being said, at age 14, I can only imagine that she is feeling insecure about her body... it happens to everyone. Like everyone else here said, I think that you should take an active role in her fitness. Perhaps go over the options for signing her up for sports that put her in a group setting with a responsible coach. Volleyball, swimming, softball/baseball, gymnastics, martial arts, basketball, or dance all sound like sports easily accessible for teens and would probably be offered by her high school. As a plus, if she thinks about college in the future... they're another activity to add to her list of extra-curriculars on college apps!

If she isn't interested in sports, consider signing up for a gym (I know that they offer free gym memberships at community centers as long as you're in the district/neighborhood where I live) with her. If you have the money or really want to make sure she's training correctly, perhaps think about signing her up for a few sessions with a personal trainer. Nothing too serious... I would interview a couple of them before choosing the correct one... but it might be a way to get her on a routine that would emphasize building muscle in a healthy way, and would give her someone to talk to about her goals that can make sure that they're safe and reasonable.

Since I was 14 years old a little less than ten years ago, I can remember that it was hard to be at-peace with my body, but it was even harder to stick to an exercise routine that was consistent! If she's really serious about this, you need to make sure she's doing it the right way. If it turns out that she's not so serious about it (which is a definite possibility), she will taper off in a few weeks and you won't have much to worry about.

My daughter (soon to be 14) says she wants to tone up. She is by no means overweight and doesn't need to actually lose weight. She is about 5'6" or so and weighs 113 (I think). She wears a size 0 in juniors. I want to support her efforts but I want to make sure we're not going down a slippery slope. She LOVES food so I'm not worried about her starving herself but I want to make sure we're doing this in a healthy way.

Any tips or suggestions I can give her? She really just wants to tighten up and tone. I know - what's there to tone on a 113 lbs size 0 body right??

I'm thinking maybe just some hand weights and body weight exercises. Maybe some light cardio here and there. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Have her do weight training and start taking protein shakes.

My daughter is 6 and I encourage her to work out with me when I'm stretching doing push-ups etc. Not because she needs to lose weight, she's perfect of course, but because I want her to know that being fit and healthy is much more attractive than being holocaust thin and unhealthy like fashion magazines portray.

M16yr old daughter lifts weights with me every morning.... and heavy ones too.

But if you are not up for or into that, maybe some Cha Lean or Jillian Michaels Dvd's from walmart.

Is that safe!!! Surely her bones are still developing.

I'm confused by this question...care to elaborate?

Weight training actually helps to increase bone density, which is why it's an excellent thing for women to do at any age...and unfortunately that so many women shy away from it in fear of "bulking up". Knowing this mother is a heavy weight lifter, I would assume she eats plenty of calories with a good macro balance and has her daughter do the same.

I might be wrong but I thought heavy weights could cause muscle to pull on growing bone plates. Nothing to do with bulking up. Just isnt the skeleton still being formed at that age?

She's at the age when many young teen girls lose the desire to just go out and "play", so be happy she's interested in staying fit. I'd have her try several different things (whatever fits your budget and her interests) to help her find something that could become a life-long physical activity. Over the years, my girls took ballet, Irish dancing, figure and roller skating, swimming, and horseback riding lessons. Both of them continued with Irish dance and horseback riding into adulthood.

Just googled it- I'm talking twaddle. Maybe I should have done that first::blushing:

No sweat, I was just curious as to where you got the idea. I know when I was in high school, the guys involved in sports (football, basketball) used the weight room regularly. Stength training can actually help avoid injuries during sports and as long as they're being safe, not pushing through injuries, etc, there should be no problem.

My daughter is 17, 5'7" and weighs maybe 113. She has the tiniest waist I think I've ever seen and a figure that literally makes me ill. lol However, she was not in shape. Unfortunately, she didn't learn healthy habits from her father nor I. So when I started this, I just talked to her about what I'm doing. Before long, she started going to yoga with me (she still goes but it isn't my favorite), getting some cardio, and will sometimes get her strength training moves on with me. Through it ALL, though, we are focused on health. What can we do to make our bodies as healthy as possible. I think as long as the focus is on health and strength, you can't really mess up. My two cents.

M16yr old daughter lifts weights with me every morning.... and heavy ones too.

But if you are not up for or into that, maybe some Cha Lean or Jillian Michaels Dvd's from walmart.

Is that safe!!! Surely her bones are still developing.

I'm confused by this question...care to elaborate?

Weight training actually helps to increase bone density, which is why it's an excellent thing for women to do at any age...and unfortunately that so many women shy away from it in fear of "bulking up". Knowing this mother is a heavy weight lifter, I would assume she eats plenty of calories with a good macro balance and has her daughter do the same.

I might be wrong but I thought heavy weights could cause muscle to pull on growing bone plates. Nothing to do with bulking up. Just isnt the skeleton still being formed at that age?

Probably not an issue at 16.

The growth plate fracture issue exists, but it is not as risky as was thought 15-20 years ago. The guidelines for adolescent strength training recommend no maximal lifts and no heavy overhead lifting. But by "heavy", we are talking 1-5RM.

People have different interpretations of what is considered "heavy", but it's probably best expressed in terms of number of reps. E.g. If a 14 yr old can bench press 100lbs 12 times, then it is not a "heavy" weight for him or her.

When I was that age I loved to do free weights training and really pushed myself. My dad was (and still is at 62) into heavy weight training so I was inspired by him and the various weights magazines he had lying around.

It really made me feel empowered as a female to be lifting weights, I felt different and special but in a good way! I didn't boast about it or anything, it was just my own thing that made me feel good.

I think it's set me up for life, I can easily gain muscle even if I've not exercised for ages, I am regularly commented on about how strong I am (ie. by a Turkish karate champion who told me I had a 'gift' - I think that was a tad extreme!!).

She might think it's a 'boy' thing to do but there's loads of inspirational females who lift weights (without looking extreme!).

I guess you just need to find something that she likes - it might just as well be zumba or gymnastics.