Is it normal for 13 year olds to rapidly gain weight ?

[Nicole1976]

My DS has recently turned 13, I'm worried about his weight, he's 4"11 and he weighs 8 stone 3 pounds, I'm not even sure if this is normal and he has gone from being quite skinny to being really noticeably fat. He seems very self conscious about this issue. His physical ability seems to have been affected too, as he gets tired just from walking short distances. It's very hard to get him clothes that fit as well, trying to fasten the button and zip on his 13/14 size chinos is an impossible task and an absolute nightmare !

If anyone has had kids with similar issues it would be great to see what can be done about it !

This is pretty normal but he needs to be encouraged to keep his exercise levels up and avoid eating too much of the teenage fodder his friends will be encouraging him to eat when your back is turned.

BoffinMum- Do you know any good exercises he could try

probably about to have a growth spurt

A growth spurt is unlikely as he only recently had one

My 14 tends to put on weight, and then grows. Also, i found that 13-14 year old clothes don't fit, and I have to buy small mens.

I also find during winter that my dcs fitness decreases, due to being inside most of the time. With all this rain, their football matches have been cancelled.

If there is a severe difference, then it may be worth visiting the gp, just to do a general check. The decrease in walking sounds a bit worrying.

I think that sounds quite a lot for his height. I weighed about that at 12 but was 5'2 and definitely on the chubby side.

My advice is to not buy any biscuits, crisps, chocolate, sweets. He is then limited to what he can buy with his pocket money/ is given by friends only. Also find a new type of exercise he enjoys.

You maybe need to talk to him about it in positive terms. I have a 14yo son and as part of our occasional talks about puberty and body changes we've discussed the need to keep active in order to help the changes along.

My ds is not traditionally sporty so we've worked form what he is happy to do which for him is swimming/diving/mucking about in water and the gym with some walking of his grandad's dog or some geocaching thrown in. We've also got a rowing machine set up and he'll often take himself there for a few minutes at a time each day - if he doesn't for a few days he finds himself getting more growing pains.

My daughter has put on weight too, with puberty and the general decrease in activity with going to secondary school. I've managed to get her to go for a run a few times, but she is very touchy about it and it is really hard to talk to her about it. I don't want her to panic and stop eating!

I know in dd's case she has a very sweet tooth and has been managing to buy and scrounge far too much sweet stuff since going to secondary. So I know why she has put it on, and I've tried talking to her about healthy choices, but she does seem to lack will power and be permanently hungry.

It is difficult, I can't really offer any advice, but will be watching this thread!

According to this website he is overweight.

No advice sorry, but just replying to your comment about not knowing if his weight is normal.

I've heard this book recommended - haven't read it myself though.

They grow "out" before they grow "up" He is probably due a huge growth spurt.

What does he eat? How often/how many times per day does he eat? What does he drink?

I don't really keep track of exactly what he eats but I did today, he's had around 2800 calories, Im worried and I'm sure this is too much

theteenmachine.webs.com/calories.htm

On this website, it suggests 2500 calories for 11-14 year olds.

Nicole, swimming is best, and you can buy sun protection tops that cover any little moob issues, and large swim shorts. Perhaps look for a pool with water slides and take him every weekend.

Make sure he has a bike that is set up properly, and encourage him to use that to get around, visit friends, and so on. Be too busy to give him lifts to places. Let him see you walk and cycle as well.

A sport like Taekwondo/judo/karate can be good as they have a good standard of coaching usually, and they are not too hard to pick up. It's good if he can get a friend to go along with him.

Basically it's about getting off the sofa and doing some structured exercise for as near to an hour a day as you can manage.

Teenagers snack a lot when we are not looking. They can eat 1000 calories of rubbish without a second thought. But on a good day mine eat this:

Morning - bowl of cereal or small packet of Belvita biscuits. Glass of milk or juice.

Lunchtime - Hot school dinner, 2 courses. Usually something like pasta bolognaise and yoghurt.

Tea - Toast or cereal

Supper - Vegetable soup, lean meat or fish with potatoes and another vegetable, small pudding or yogurt (150 calories max), banana.

Oh yes, trampolines are very popular and B and Q did quite cheap ones last summer.

2800 calories at 17.00. I imagine you'll have to add dinner to that.
As you noticed, it is too much. But it is not so difficult to lower that number. Take away the crap, and I mean not only the junk food, but all the highly processed food. Start with crisps, than chocolate bars, sauces, ice-cream, ready-meals, soda and juices and introduce colors.

Fruits and veg. Grilled chicken breast with some salt , pepper and half a tea-spoon if olive oil, is quite tasty tasty and hummy. Ditto a tuna steak. Prepare a spicy dip with olive oil, salt, balsamic vinegar and cut carrot, celery, lettuce, in sticks or portion. Invest in a good juicer. I bought mine on Amazon for 60 pounds (what's that 2 or 3 take aways) and my kids love to use it. After school, they have fun creating and inventing juices with fruits.

Speak to him in a natural way. Tell him you've noticed he's not so comfortable about the way he is right now, and tell him you can do something about it. Start going out for a walk after dinner (if the weather is not too horrible). Or start doing 50 crunches, 1 min plank and 20 burpees before dinner. These exercises are ok for children and teens.

Boffin gives you plenty of great ideas. Mine are alternatives if he doesn't feel ready for sports because he is ashamed of the way he looks. Maybe if he gains some confidence and loses a couple of pounds it will be easier for him to join a Taekwondo class.

Wii fit plus is a good tactic as well - if you get hold of one and pretend it's about you wanting to get fitter, and get him to join in with the games, that's another 20 minutes at a time he is not scoffing rubbish.

My Ds had a 29" waist at 12 and it was still a 29" waist at 17. Boys do seem to have mad growth spurts early on in adolescence.