Athletic teens = Healthy Weight Adults?

[Jean in Newcastle]

This is something I've been wondering about for some time. Does being an athletic teen (ie. actively doing sports) affect your weight gain as an adult? Sports do not have to be team sports but do have to be more than walking to the store. I also defined overweight as being more than 10 lbs over what a Dr. would tell you is your ideal weight.

 

Poll will pop up in a minute.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Jean in Newcastle

[MaryCatherine]

One of the reasons that weight in childhood matters is because once fat cells are created, they never go away. They can be empty or full, but they are always there. So once you have lots of fat cells, you will be more likely to struggle with weight later on.

 

I didn't vote in your poll. I was not active as a teen, but now, in my 40s, am. I am a healthy weight. My kids are all active in sports. I hope it continues.

 

 

ETA: I went back and voted unathletic teen, now healthy weight. But I work at this healthy weight - I exercise 5 days per week and watch what I eat as well as portion size.

[Jean in Newcastle]

One of the reasons that weight in childhood matters is because once fat cells are created, they never go away. They can be empty or full, but they are always there. So once you have lots of fat cells, you will be more likely to struggle with weight later on.

 

I didn't vote in your poll. I was not active as a teen, but now, in my 40s, am. I am a healthy weight. My kids are all active in sports. I hope it continues.

 

 

ETA: I went back and voted unathletic teen, now healthy weight. But I work at this healthy weight - I exercise 5 days per week and watch what I eat as well as portion size.

 

I'm glad you voted.:) A good spin off would be Overweight teen = Overweight adult? (because of what you said about the fat cells.)

 

I'm actually amazed at how many overweight teens I've seen playing sports lately. I'm glad they are getting the exercise. These are kids that I've seen playing sports for a long time and they've actually gained weight over the course of being involved in sports - and it's not muscle.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Jean in Newcastle

[Snickerdoodle]

It will be interesting to see what kind of correlation you find with this poll. I would be hesitant to make any statements with regard to causation.

[Jean in Newcastle]

It will be interesting to see what kind of correlation you find with this poll. I would be hesitant to make any statements with regard to causation.

 

Good point. I've been thinking about it really in relation to my own kids.

[Crissy]

I wonder if the adult weight of an active teen is somehow related the type of activity a teen was involved with.

A football player, for example, will have very few opportunities as an adult to practice his sport. A cross country runner, on the other hand, could easily continue his sport by slipping on a pair of running shoes before or after work, or even at lunch time.

[Tap]

I wasn't athletic and have always been thin. I have always been an active person, always on the go, but not athletic. If I stop my normal activities like gardening and working, my weight does start to increase, so even though my activity isn't cardio or strength training is does affect my weight.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I think it has more to do with healthy habits in total rather than just athletics. I knew plenty of athletic teens who ate like crap. As adults, even though they still participated in athletics to some degree, they didn't change their eating habits. Just think about a teenage metabolism versus that as an adult. Thus, as their metabolism slowed and their activity level reduced due to job demands, they got heavy.

[kmacnchs]

I wonder if the adult weight of an active teen is somehow related the type of activity a teen was involved with.

A football player, for example, will have very few opportunities as an adult to practice his sport. A cross country runner, on the other hand, could easily continue his sport by slipping on a pair of running shoes before or after work, or even at lunch time.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I was a vb player in hs & college. The only reason I am at a healthy weight is b/c I eat healthily and I have been either pg or breastfeeding (which slims me down completely) ever since I have stopped doing vb.

 

My dh did football & wrestling in hs & college and he is morbidly obese. We HATE exercising - we LOVE sports. When you are an adult, that does not work out generally (not when you'd rather spend time w/your family rather than play a sport w/an adult rec. league) :tongue_smilie:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Very interesting.

[Mejane]

I'm lucky to have good genes 'cause I am now, and have always been, LAY-zee.

[Perry]

One of the reasons that weight in childhood matters is because once fat cells are created, they never go away. They can be empty or full, but they are always there. So once you have lots of fat cells, you will be more likely to struggle with weight later on.

 

This is what I was taught too. But I always wondered when and why they stopped being created. Are numbers of fat cells genetically determined, or is it determined by childhood eating habits? No one could ever answer that.

 

I also wonder how we know we don't create more fat cells. It's quite possibly true, but I always question these pearls of conventional wisdom, because they often turn out not to be true.

 

Just musing.

[Crimson Wife]

I voted for other because I was active but not athletic as a teen. To me, "athletic" implies being talented at sports, which sadly I'm not. But I have always enjoyed participating in recreational fitness activities. I'm at a healthy weight for my height.

 

My DH was a starter on the varsity football team at his prep school until he injured his knee. He's about 20 lbs. overweight but I think it's mostly genetics as he eats okay & works out at the gym. All the men in his family are heavy.

[Mabelen]

I was not athletic as a teen. We had a token PE class in school that was a joke, but I walked and used public transport everywhere, ate healthy home cooked lunches and dinners etc. I started really exercising in my mid 20s, aerobics, swimming, cycling, yoga, etc, and I kept the good eating habits as far as food although I eat when I want what I want. I think I must have very good genes though because I don't have to work at it to keep the weight off, even when I had my second child at 40 I shred the weight right off.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I was always thin as a teen. I was in horrible shape, and that is something that is hard to make up for, even now.

 

But if I did not exercise and watch what I eat now I would be overweight.

 

While there are many benefits to being athletic as a teen, I think the best one is the healthy habit it creates.