13 yrs old Girl diet??!

ralostaz2000 · April 2016

Hi...my daughter is 13 years old and she is above her ideal weight...
Can I let her follow a calorie specific diet ? And if yes...what are tge best calories that fits a 13 yrs girl and what r the correct ratios to follow her up.
She can play HIIT treadmill 3 times a week and u know a school girl how they move and go.

shadow2soul · April 2016

Talk to her doctor for recommendations.

Ninkyou · April 2016

This is a question better suited for her pediatrician. We cannot advise you since she's still a growing child.

sympha01 · April 2016

Talk to a doctor, not the internet, about your child's health.

Also, be very careful to avoid making 13 yo girl overly body conscious. Girl have enough of that pressure and don't need it from their parents. Check your own motivations.

Listen to your child's health professional on this topic.

rankinsect · April 2016

I wouldn't try to have a teenage girl focus on calories - I think too much focus on weight is not healthy psychologically, particularly for the population most likely to suffer from poor body image & most likely to develop eating disorders.

Why not focus, rather, on being more fit and active? It's something you could do together, and it's a hell of a lot more fun. Pick up a sport or activity that you both like and do it together for some quality time. It's a lot harder to be very active and overweight.

PaytraB · April 2016

I suggest speaking with your daughter's doctor if there's a need for diet.

However, I agree with Rankinsect. Focussing on calorie restriction has the potential to set up a life long uneasiness with her body shape.
Focus more on activity and fitness. Introduce a few healthy snacks after fitness (an apple instead of a bag of chips) while not completely eliminating the unhealthy snacks that she may be used to. If it works, introduce healthy snacks more often. In this way, she may never notice the switch, lose weight, have fun being active & spending time with you and learn to reach for healthier options once in awhile.

mathjulz · April 2016

Ask the doctor for a referral to a registered dietician who specializes in children and adolescents. This should be an appointment for your daughter to learn about good eating, not something where you and the RD talk over her head and then you try to enforce everything. At 13, she is old enough to take charge of her eating choices, given the proper skills and education. Your job it to support and love her.

My daughter was about 13 when the pediatrician noticed her growth (height) and stopped, but she was still gaining weight on the same trend as when she was growing. The pediatrician gave us the referral to and RD, and my daughter listened and started being more mindful of her eating. She lost 15 pounds in 6 months and now has the skills to be aware of her eating and activity levels. When jeans start feeling tight, she knows what to do to keep it from going too far (this isn't yo-yo dieting, it's paying attention to the wiggle room in maintenance before gaining really starts happening).

HeidiMightyRawr · April 2016

It'd be better to speak to a doctor about it rather than the internet, as mentioned.

That said, I don't think it's best to put any child on a diet. Teach her about food, how to cook healthily, nutritious food. About what different foods provide you (energy, flavour, nutrients etc) and how certain foods don't compare (you may feel sluggish, or hungry again not long after) Introduce new things.

Get her involved in exercise (sounds as though she is already) Find something she enjoys, show her how fun it can be. Don't make it about burning calories. I've seen friends when I was growing up be put on diets, by a doctor even, it didn't do anything and only made them self conscious about their weight.

People have enough pressure on them when they get older, by all means don't let it get out of control and speak to a Dr if you're concerned but you're only a child for a short length of time and they learn so much, literally their minds soak up tonnes (including the negative things) that sets them up for years to come. Let it be something positive they learn, the things they're good at, the things they can do. Not the things that are "bad", what they can't do.

emmadonaldson95 · April 2016

ralostaz2000 wrote: »

Hi...my daughter is 13 years old and she is above her ideal weight...
Can I let her follow a calorie specific diet ? And if yes...what are tge best calories that fits a 13 yrs girl and what r the correct ratios to follow her up.
She can play HIIT treadmill 3 times a week and u know a school girl how they move and go.

I would say talk to your doctor and your daughter about the best way to progress.
I would assume you're still largely in control of her food intake so I'd suggest you try to make some healthy choices for her by cooking healthier options.
The thing is while 13 is young it's old enough that she needs to want to do it or it isnt going to happen.
At 13 it isnt really about the weight it's about the health so use your position as the parents to make healthy choices e.g. dont have crisps or snacks in the house and therefore they arent available and get the whole family involved in a walk or cycle ride at weekends to boost activity without making her feel singled out.

ralostaz2000 · April 2016

Thank u all alot for all these helpful advises...u all really releived my heart..I was so worried that this thing will get out if control..but as most of u said...I am not bringing anymore snacks to the house...I limited starchy and fatty food to sone extent...and i stopped mentioning weight issues in the house...
So..sooner or later..she will learn how to take care of her diet and body...and its gonna be something from the past...because neither I nor her father have a obesity history and if we sometimes get alittle bit off track...we are back to our ideal weights after sometime.
Hopefully she will get rid of these extra kilos and be a slim beautiful girl

myheartsabattleground · April 2016

sparkteens.com

PrizePopple · April 2016

ralostaz2000 wrote: »

Thank u all alot for all these helpful advises...u all really releived my heart..I was so worried that this thing will get out if control..but as most of u said...I am not bringing anymore snacks to the house...I limited starchy and fatty food to sone extent...and i stopped mentioning weight issues in the house...
So..sooner or later..she will learn how to take care of her diet and body...and its gonna be something from the past...because neither I nor her father have a obesity history and if we sometimes get alittle bit off track...we are back to our ideal weights after sometime.
Hopefully she will get rid of these extra kilos and be a slim beautiful girl

For some reason that last comment there really doesn't sit well with me. I mean, maybe I could see if you had said a healthy young lady, but equating slim with beauty in regards to your child sounds absolutely horrible. She does not have to be whatever you seem to think slim is to be beautiful. Being active and mindful of food choices is what you should be hoping for as a parent, because it's that mindframe that will set your daughter up for a life that doesn't include an unhealthy relationship with her body or food. As others have said she is at a point in her life where she is vulnerable, and what she learns now at 13 is what she will embrace - and if it's shady AF she'll struggle later in life to change it (you know, like I am in my mid 30's).

snickerscharlie · April 2016

PrizePopple wrote: »

ralostaz2000 wrote: »

Thank u all alot for all these helpful advises...u all really releived my heart..I was so worried that this thing will get out if control..but as most of u said...I am not bringing anymore snacks to the house...I limited starchy and fatty food to sone extent...and i stopped mentioning weight issues in the house...
So..sooner or later..she will learn how to take care of her diet and body...and its gonna be something from the past...because neither I nor her father have a obesity history and if we sometimes get alittle bit off track...we are back to our ideal weights after sometime.
Hopefully she will get rid of these extra kilos and be a slim beautiful girl

For some reason that last comment there really doesn't sit well with me. I mean, maybe I could see if you had said a healthy young lady, but equating slim with beauty in regards to your child sounds absolutely horrible. She does not have to be whatever you seem to think slim is to be beautiful. Being active and mindful of food choices is what you should be hoping for as a parent, because it's that mindframe that will set your daughter up for a life that doesn't include an unhealthy relationship with her body or food. As others have said she is at a point in her life where she is vulnerable, and what she learns now at 13 is what she will embrace - and if it's shady AF she'll struggle later in life to change it (you know, like I am in my mid 30's).

+1000

chimaerandi · April 2016

Same, @PrizePopple . I cringed. Doing these things with your child, when, trust, the world will already make her feel awful for not being clinically underweight, as we see with young girls on these forums time and time again, is really, really, ill-advised. Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, find other hopes for your child than her being slim and beautiful.

elphie754 · April 2016

ralostaz2000 wrote: »

Thank u all alot for all these helpful advises...u all really releived my heart..I was so worried that this thing will get out if control..but as most of u said...I am not bringing anymore snacks to the house...I limited starchy and fatty food to sone extent...and i stopped mentioning weight issues in the house...
So..sooner or later..she will learn how to take care of her diet and body...and its gonna be something from the past...because neither I nor her father have a obesity history and if we sometimes get alittle bit off track...we are back to our ideal weights after sometime.
Hopefully she will get rid of these extra kilos and be a slim beautiful girl

She should be beautiful to you whether or not she is slim. Also slim=/= beautiful.

PrizePopple · April 2016

elphie754 wrote: »

ralostaz2000 wrote: »

Thank u all alot for all these helpful advises...u all really releived my heart..I was so worried that this thing will get out if control..but as most of u said...I am not bringing anymore snacks to the house...I limited starchy and fatty food to sone extent...and i stopped mentioning weight issues in the house...
So..sooner or later..she will learn how to take care of her diet and body...and its gonna be something from the past...because neither I nor her father have a obesity history and if we sometimes get alittle bit off track...we are back to our ideal weights after sometime.
Hopefully she will get rid of these extra kilos and be a slim beautiful girl

She should be beautiful to you whether or not she is slim. Also slim=/= beautiful.

I can't like and awesome this simultaneously apparently, but if I could I would.

queenliz99 · April 2016

PrizePopple wrote: »

elphie754 wrote: »

ralostaz2000 wrote: »

Thank u all alot for all these helpful advises...u all really releived my heart..I was so worried that this thing will get out if control..but as most of u said...I am not bringing anymore snacks to the house...I limited starchy and fatty food to sone extent...and i stopped mentioning weight issues in the house...
So..sooner or later..she will learn how to take care of her diet and body...and its gonna be something from the past...because neither I nor her father have a obesity history and if we sometimes get alittle bit off track...we are back to our ideal weights after sometime.
Hopefully she will get rid of these extra kilos and be a slim beautiful girl

She should be beautiful to you whether or not she is slim. Also slim=/= beautiful.

I can't like and awesome this simultaneously apparently, but if I could I would.

I will

PrizePopple · April 2016

vinegar_husbands wrote: »

Just wondering, but how overweight is she? Or is she just on the larger side of healthy?

That's all subjective with a 13 year old who is still growing. My 8 year old is likely about to hit a growth spurt because she's been eating like a wild animal and getting "chubby", but once that growth spurt hits it will balance out. Save for her sudden love of Snickers bars, I'm not too concerned. She looks small to those who don't really know her, but is built like a tank and is not too far behind her sister who is nearly 3 years older than her. My 11 year old is a lanky thing who wouldn't even weigh 65 pounds soaking wet and we can't find jeans that fit both her waist and rise. If my children teach me nothing else, it would be that children are all very different and you cannot compare normals between them be it physical, academic, or social.

Also, if she takes her daughter in for routine well-child exams then the pediatrician can come to their own conclusion as to there being any cause for concern.

ronjsteele1 · April 2016

When my DD was 10-13 she seemed to get a round little belly and chunk up quite a bit. I am not a skinny minnie and I was quietly worried within myself that she was going to struggle as she got older. We eat healthy anyway so we continued to and she continued to learn by example what to eat and to be active. That little girl is now days away from 15. She's 5'6" tall and soaking wet weighs 103#'s. She was still growing and she put on chunk weight before her height hit. I am soooooo glad I never said anything and we just kept eating well and hiking a lot. I would suggest you do the same. You do not want to set your daughter up for a life of feeling awful about herself (I was that kid) and no matter how she ends up, she needs to know she's love regardless of her weight. I would check your motives and feelings at the door with this one.

HeidiMightyRawr · April 2016

PrizePopple wrote: »

ralostaz2000 wrote: »

Thank u all alot for all these helpful advises...u all really releived my heart..I was so worried that this thing will get out if control..but as most of u said...I am not bringing anymore snacks to the house...I limited starchy and fatty food to sone extent...and i stopped mentioning weight issues in the house...
So..sooner or later..she will learn how to take care of her diet and body...and its gonna be something from the past...because neither I nor her father have a obesity history and if we sometimes get alittle bit off track...we are back to our ideal weights after sometime.
Hopefully she will get rid of these extra kilos and be a slim beautiful girl

For some reason that last comment there really doesn't sit well with me. I mean, maybe I could see if you had said a healthy young lady, but equating slim with beauty in regards to your child sounds absolutely horrible. She does not have to be whatever you seem to think slim is to be beautiful. Being active and mindful of food choices is what you should be hoping for as a parent, because it's that mindframe that will set your daughter up for a life that doesn't include an unhealthy relationship with her body or food. As others have said she is at a point in her life where she is vulnerable, and what she learns now at 13 is what she will embrace - and if it's shady AF she'll struggle later in life to change it (you know, like I am in my mid 30's).

Well said!

Your child should always be beautiful to you, and do not doubt it when I say if you think otherwise they pick up on it!

Beauty is not a size. Health, fitness, energy, enjoyment...those are what you should be encouraging a child towards, and the rest will follow. Please don't make it about looks, they have enough pressure there as it is.

13 yrs old Girl diet??!

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