Freshman 15 – What is there to be Afraid of?” Part 1
Absolutely nothing. In my next two posts I will clarify why this culturally created, fear-based thinking is not only misguided but can make a typically normal time of transition, transformation, exploration and growth into something to be fearful of and anxious about.
As high school graduates prepare to embark on their next life journey, it’s vital for them to recognize the normalcy of “continuing to grow.” The truth is that children and adolescents are meant to develop beyond the age of 18.
Everyone experiences puberty and there is no phase in our lives when the body is making more changes, physical and mental, than when going through puberty. Between the ages of 10-14 girls will gain between 40-50 pounds and grow 10 inches while boys between the ages of 12-16 will gain between 50-60 pounds and can grow 12 inches. This growth is NORMAL and NECESSARY and needs to be welcomed and encouraged, not shamed, ridiculed or hindered. This is why kids will notice their friends changing so much between one grade to the next, some may get taller and some may gain weight and some may do both and this is NORMAL for all genders.
Adolescent bodies are in extensive physical development during these years and the energy demands of the body are high. Consider this: by the time we are 18 our body has acquired almost 80% of the peak bone mineral density that we will ever have in our life and is not complete until we are 25-30 years old. The human brain is the most metabolically active organ in our body, taking 20% of the calories we eat in a day and it’s not fully mature until age 25, so definitely still growing after 18. Our heart is fully mature around age 20, our liver is continuously renewing new cells throughout our life keeping it’s youthfulness. For all of this to happen the adolescent body NEEDS adequate calories which our bodies are exquisitely adept at getting, when we listen.
During growth spurts, children and adolescents will experience increased hunger cues, which is NORMAL. Their bodies naturally seek higher-calorie, palatable foods to facilitate this growth. It’s common for their brains not to crave fruits and vegetables during this phase because optimal growth requires more proteins, fats, and starches for sufficient calories. This doesn’t mean kids should disregard fruits and veggies; rather, it’s natural for them to crave them less and not eat as often.
Parents, Pediatricians, and coaches, need to recognize that it is NOT typical for kids to NOT grow/gain from year to year. Kids NEED to be gaining weight from one age to the next. While my focus is on eating disorders, I cannot count how many children I have encountered who have shown NO gain over two or more years or experienced weight LOSS that was never questioned or addressed, leading to disordered eating patterns. Children should NEVER be losing weight. They NEED to be growing, period.
In our weight-centric society, I fear we have become blind to identifying potential issues. This “blindness” can not only foster disordered eating tendencies but also lead to serious consequences, such as damage to bone and brain development and hindered progression through puberty, including stunted height.
Let’s cultivate curiosity, ask more questions, and normalize “growing” without succumbing to our own weight biases. The health of our children depends on it.
“Freshman 15 – What is there to be Afraid of?” Part 2 Coming Soon….