Healthy Ways Of Losing And Gaining Weight / Question
Published: May 31, 2007
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I was fat a few years ago but then I lost a lot of weight. But now I'm starting to gain it back but I haven't been doing anything different. I have actually gained a little more than I use to weigh. I've tried so many diets each for a while but none of them seem to work. I really need your expert opinion because I'm really scared of being too overweight or obese. A lot of my family is overweight could that have something to do with it? Please please answer back!!!!!!!!
Signed: Gaining My Weight Back
Dear Gaining My Weight Back,
TeenHealthFX recommends that you meet with your primary care physician or with a nutritionist to discuss your weight gain. Your metabolism may be changing as you are getting older or there may be ways in which your calorie intake has changed that you are not even aware of – in which case you may need to look at the content of the food you eat (i.e., amount of fat and sugar content in your diet), as well as ways to increase your level of physical activity.
The idea of losing weight and keeping the weight off often means more of a lifestyle change. For example, someone may need a change in hobbies – less of a focus on television and video games and more of a focus on hiking clubs, biking, or town and school sports teams. One of the problems with diets is that they are often geared for short-term weight loss, but don’t stress the lifestyle changes that are needed in order to keep the weight off. That is why it is so important to meet with a physician and/or nutritionist to come up with a workable plan for you – and hopefully one that emphasizes some lifestyle changes, if needed.
Sometimes weight gain can be connected to underlying medical issues, such as an under active thyroid, or can be a side effect of certain medications. It would be very helpful for your physician to do a complete medical workup to rule out any underlying medical causes. If there is a medical issue involved, it is important for your doctor to be aware of it so that it can be treated.
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Crash risk is particularly high during the first year that teenagers are eligible to drive.
