overeating ?

Question
I just turned 16 2 months ago and im about 5ft 2in maybe in between 5.2-5.3

i weight 108 pounds

i am a gymnast and im petite but gymnastics season is over now

so right now i swim like 3-5 times a week but its just recreational swimming

i eat SO much and like i never get full

for example yesterday i had

2 blueberry bagels
12 mini blueberry muffins
2 mini bags of popcorn with added butter and cheese
a full box of macaroni
2 ice cream sandwiches
3 cups of pink lemonade
2 toaster strudels
a toasted cheese sandwich
half of a full bag of potato chips

and prob more that i dont remember

but basically i never get full

my mom is always like "it will catch up to you" is that true?

she was thinking of getting me hunger reducer pills but i cant swallow pills

what do you think about that?

also i have never weighted 108 before and like a month ago i was 104 so thats like 4 pounds in a month

i want to loose 5 pounds what should i do?


and people say to divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water a day

so 54 for me

does that really help?

thanks

Answer
Ashley,

Now that gymnastics season is over, it's okay to eat more food than you were before.

What you want to do is make sure your calorie intake is in balance with your level of activity.  So even the rec swimming that you do requires you to keep your body properly fueled.

Since you are a gymnast, you are used to weighing a tiny amount.  However, the less competitive you get, and the older you get, the more weight you gain.

The weight gain is not bad.  It is just a signal that you have taken your body off of a very restrictive diet.

I think one of the reasons you are not getting full is because the foods you have listed have a ton of sugar in them (including the macaroni).

The combination of sugar and simple carbs keeps you from feeling full and makes you want to eat more.

I do not think it would be healthy for you to lose 5 pounds.  I think that number is too low for your age and height, despite the gymnastics.  108 is fine.

You don't need hunger reducer pills, you just need to tweak your meals a little bit.

Eat every 3-4 hours and make sure you have a lean protein, complex carbohydrate, and fiber source at every meal.  These nutrients help you stay full longer.  So, a good example would be a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with romaine lettuce.  Or, one of my favorites, black beans, corn, and brown rice.

In terms of water, you are right about the general rule for water.  However, you are highly active, so you need more water than just half of your body weight.  The plus side of it is that the water will also help keep you full.

I hope this helps, but trust me in that you do not need to lose weight.  Keep yourself healthy and cut back on the sugary foods.

You'll be fine, but don't be a slave to the scale.  Good health is most important.

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