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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Tips for weight gain

8 replies

Imnoonesfool · 17/03/2025 13:10

My DD (just turned 16) is extremely thin. I think she has a shot metabolism so needs to start eating more, which she wants to do. She struggles as she doesn’t feel hungry so eating is a real chore. I make sure she has breakfast every day and she takes a bag of crisps and biscuit to school (I’ve given up with anything else as we would be disposing of multiple bananas, apples, sandwiches etc at the end of the week. She has money to use at school but will often not get anything. she often comes out of school generally starving and will then eat her crisps and biscuit, then will come in and grab something else like a bagel. Then come dinner she’s not hungry again or she says she has a tummy ache. She does eat dinner but not much.

at the weekend if I’m not in she will go the whole day without eating it’s just not on her radar.
she really hates how slim she is so has asked to join the gym to try and get more of a figure which I have agreed to on the basis she needs to start eating more food, as I’ve explained that there is no point until she eats enough to nourish herself first before she will have anything left for muscle gain.

does anyone have any good recipes or ideas for higher calories meals and snacks that aren’t cakes/crisps etc . I have googled but wondered if anyone had any advice.

any tips massively helpful

ps she was referred to the hospital for low weight a few years ago and there are no underlying health conditions or mental ill health. She has suffered with anxiety on and off so I do think the tummy aches are often related to that but she has had talking therapy for anxiety which has had a massive impact and helped

OP posts:
Jk987 · 17/03/2025 13:20

I'm no expert but I'd say it's best to avoid any pressure or focus on it. She's a teenager and might go the opposite way.

Stock up on full fat butter, milk cheese for the whole family. Flapjacks, Greek
Yoghurt for snacks. She'll lead on this especially as she wants to gain weight.

Pootles34 · 17/03/2025 13:24

As @Jk987 says, full fat dairy - including yoghurt for snacks, is really nutritious and good for her. Nuts are also excellent - does she like peanut butter?

It doesn't sound like she's getting much protein - do you think she would eat something like homemade chicken goujon type things?

Imnoonesfool · 17/03/2025 13:28

Jk987 · 17/03/2025 13:20

I'm no expert but I'd say it's best to avoid any pressure or focus on it. She's a teenager and might go the opposite way.

Stock up on full fat butter, milk cheese for the whole family. Flapjacks, Greek
Yoghurt for snacks. She'll lead on this especially as she wants to gain weight.

Yes totally agree. This is certainly being led by her, she wants to change the way she looks hence the gym.

I do have to make her eat but it isn’t done in a pressured way, just ‘have you eaten today, come and have something’
she was referred by our GP who was concerned that she was very low weight but the specialist was happy that she has a good relationship with food. She does love food it’s just not on her radar

I was very similar at her age, very underweight but similar thought eating was a chore

OP posts:
mumonthehill · 17/03/2025 13:29

Ds was so like this, he ate very little and was thin and under the hospital. As above you have to get calories in wherever you can. So cream in everything, full fat milk, cheese etc. smoothies are great if you add cream. She also is so used to feeling full quickly as she eats so little so she may need to start slowly building up her intake. Nuts are great is she would have those as a snack. Avocado on her bagel with full fat cream cheese. Pasta etc. Ice cream etc as well. Porridge made with cream and chocolate spread. Mini chocolate bars as well. Ds now eats much better but he still hates feeling full and still sees food as a fuel rather than as a treat. That helped us frame putting on weight to him, to fuel him to be able to better do the things he loves as it gave him more energy.

Imnoonesfool · 17/03/2025 13:30

Pootles34 · 17/03/2025 13:24

As @Jk987 says, full fat dairy - including yoghurt for snacks, is really nutritious and good for her. Nuts are also excellent - does she like peanut butter?

It doesn't sound like she's getting much protein - do you think she would eat something like homemade chicken goujon type things?

Brill
yes she actually eats anything, she’s not fussy at all but as with a lot of teenagers she reaches for the easy option like crisps chocolate pot noodles etc

OP posts:
Imnoonesfool · 17/03/2025 13:32

full fat milk, yogurts, peanut butter is good.

everything I have in my fridge is the opposite of that 0% Greek yogurt skimmed milk etc so that’s something I can change immediately

OP posts:
Imnoonesfool · 17/03/2025 13:33

mumonthehill · 17/03/2025 13:29

Ds was so like this, he ate very little and was thin and under the hospital. As above you have to get calories in wherever you can. So cream in everything, full fat milk, cheese etc. smoothies are great if you add cream. She also is so used to feeling full quickly as she eats so little so she may need to start slowly building up her intake. Nuts are great is she would have those as a snack. Avocado on her bagel with full fat cream cheese. Pasta etc. Ice cream etc as well. Porridge made with cream and chocolate spread. Mini chocolate bars as well. Ds now eats much better but he still hates feeling full and still sees food as a fuel rather than as a treat. That helped us frame putting on weight to him, to fuel him to be able to better do the things he loves as it gave him more energy.

This is really helpful thank you.

this is exactly the same she is full very quickly and hates the feeling

OP posts:
Girliefriendlikespuppies · 17/03/2025 18:57

You can add butter and double cream to everything which is a good way to get extra calories in. I wouldn’t encourage the gym at all unless she is eating a lot more food. When my dd needed to gain weight she needed at least 3000 calories a day which is a lot of food.
Dd used to have porridge with double cream for breakfast!

ideally your dd needs 3 meals and 3 snacks a day.

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