Advice for healthy gym/diet regime for DS (15) ?

[Pebbles574]

DS has always been quite self-consious as is tall and skinny.
He recently started hanging out with friends who all work out a lot, and there is a lot of talk about body shape/ muscles/ protein etc.

He tends to believe too much of the advertising hype around e.g. protein shakes etc and rubbish his friends spout.
I'd like to help him by directing him to more reliable sources for realistic gym programmes and eating plans for a lad of his age.

Any advice?

An instructor at the gym.

Yeah, he's talked to the gym instructor, but to be honest, he's a youngish lad himself and he's not very clued up and the information he gave him was very basic.

I was wondering about a healthy role model, I guess like a Joe Wicks.. or similar

I find all the low carb gurus to be a bit nutty, although otherwise Joe Wicks is alright. Problem with gym folk is that some of them are into using steroids to build muscle. :(

This guy wrote a funny anti-low-carb rant, so maybe he's a good guru your lad could look to.

I find Mens Health to be quite a sensible mag on the whole- lots of advice about diet and exercise depending on if you want to bulk up/slim down.

I’d stay clear of protein shakes as most (there are a few exceptions) are full of sweeteners/cheap fillers) - he’d be better off with just a more protein rich diet, or making his own protein rich smoothies.

Disclaimer - I’m not a professional, but my DH and 14YO are both quite into these things!

OH yes, I'd forgotten about men's health - DH used to get it and it was quite sensible if you ignored the ads!

This is a brilliant resource from the Caroline Walker Trust. If he’s anything like my teen, he probably won’t read all of it but I’ve shown mine bits of it and I’ve found it makes a good starting point

My DS was a little rounded at 15 and as soon as he got to 16 he joined a gym. His aim, he told me, was not to lose weight but to build muscle.

And that's what he has done. He has shot up to 6ft2 and is in great shape. He actually only weighs 2kg less than he did but is slim, super fit, and healthy. He works out 4 times a week and its all very well planned.

He also wanted protein drinks and, after much research, I bought him some. It's disgusting and he rarely drinks it now, preferring a high protein diet instead or making his own protein rich smoothies. I also bought him a book for Christmas which was written by a team GB coach who trains locally.

He's happy that he has low body fat, good arm muscles and the beginnings of a six pack. I'm happy because being focussed on his health and going to the gym keeps him busy enough not to be hanging around in the park with a bottle of cider and a packet of fags

This is the book that he takes information and recipes from

Thanks Nokidshere - I'll have a look. My DS is also 6ft2 and is beginning to have a great (healthy) physique, however he is a definite tall, skinny ectomorph and I'm just keen for him to have realistic body goals and not aspire to a really muscular shape or a different type of body.
The problem at the moment is that he is too reliant on random bits of information that he picks up from friends and the web e.g.

• I should only eat egg whites (and lots of them)
• press ups are more effective half an hour before bed

I was actually an aerobics teacher many many years ago, so I do know a bit about all this stuff, but of course he won't listen to me!

Ds (16) has a set of weights in his room and goes to the gym 3 times a week. He does weights at home every day.

He's tall and skinny with a six pack but exercises so that he can have bulkier arms and shoulders.

He has purchased protein powder (twice!) and come to the conclusion that he's not training hard enough to need it. He doesn't take any multivitamins but is drawn to supermarket packaging that mentions protein. (For example he's noticed an Innocent Smoothie Protein range.) I'm not made of money so realistically speaking he has a high carb diet. He eats a lot of pasta, bread etc as it's cheap and filling.