Too thin athletes - how do you get weight on them?

[LizzyBee]

Does she like any jerky? Easy protein that stores really well.

 

She likes my husband's deer jerky, but I think commercial jerky will be too spicy for her.  She is really sensitive to strong spices.

 

[InterestingCase]

Am I misreading the height: 5.5 1/4 (5.525)?

 

Maybe I missed an update. 

[LizzyBee]

Thank you to all who responded. I am going to read the thread again with paper and pencil at hand. Lots of good ideas here.  I knew I could count on you all!  :hurray:

[LizzyBee]

Am I misreading the height: 5.5 1/4 (5.525)?

 

Maybe I missed an update. 

 

5 feet, 5 1/4 inches. 

[In The Great White North]

 

 

I tend to view chocolate milk as junk food, but it's been mentioned repeatedly on this thread, so I'm going to stop limiting how much of it she drinks.  

 

Here's an article about it.

 

http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=5349&mid=11545

 

And a research report

 

http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/f7bd79d4-5c14-42d8-88f2-9b72a68da973/Recovery%20Ntrn%20Swimming%20Webinar%20(2).pdf

[jenn-]

I tend to view chocolate milk as junk food, but it's been mentioned repeatedly on this thread, so I'm going to stop limiting how much of it she drinks.  There's a char-grill between my office and the dance studio, so I'll start surprising her with some milkshakes too.  They use real ice cream, not custard.

 

Injuries so far include rolling an ankle (inadequate muscle strength to support the ankle) and jamming her right hip.  We are still waiting for x-ray results to find out whether it's out of alignment.  She's also had tendonitis in one heel, but that's due to inadequate stretching.  We're working on that too.  So it's not like she's had a lot of injuries, but they started right after she moved up a level and increased her hours.

 

She is competitive and wants to be a certified teacher.  It won't happen if she doesn't get stronger.

 

 

Is she hyper mobile (aka flexible in her joints)?  If so, a PT might be a good place for her to start so she learns specific exercises to protect her joints. 

 

How does she do with eating vegetarian sources of protein?  Will she eat a bean and cheese burrito?  How about a crustless quiche cut into squares?  Quinoa is another great source and could be mixed into the burrito if she would eat it.  What does she eat for breakfast?  Is she eating lunch at school (really eating it not just buying/taking it)?  If this is her first time in a school environment, she might not have enough time to eat properly there.  Could you work some easy calories in at lunch like the chocolate milk idea?  You might have to send it in a thermos though as I'm pretty sure even the chocolate milk at school are made with 1 or 2% milk and it sounds like she is in need of the whole milk.

 

[InterestingCase]

5 feet, 5 1/4 inches. 

 

Quite slender, then. 

 

I think you are making good choices and a discussion with a nutritionist would be helpful. I would be nervous if my child was this thin, but then, I am used to the norms resulting from the genetic background of my family. My son is 5.3 and about 97 lbs, and I worry. I have to remind myself that my husband's family tends to be very thin, especially before adulthood.

[LizzyBee]

Is she hyper mobile (aka flexible in her joints)?  If so, a PT might be a good place for her to start so she learns specific exercises to protect her joints. 

 

How does she do with eating vegetarian sources of protein?  Will she eat a bean and cheese burrito?  How about a crustless quiche cut into squares?  Quinoa is another great source and could be mixed into the burrito if she would eat it.  What does she eat for breakfast?  Is she eating lunch at school (really eating it not just buying/taking it)?  If this is her first time in a school environment, she might not have enough time to eat properly there.  Could you work some easy calories in at lunch like the chocolate milk idea?  You might have to send it in a thermos though as I'm pretty sure even the chocolate milk at school are made with 1 or 2% milk and it sounds like she is in need of the whole milk.

 

 

I'll ask her PT if she's hyper mobile.  I'm not sure.

 

She will eat burritos and quesidillas, with or without meat.  Quiche, I'm not sure about. I rarely make them.  She likes quinoa.  She usually eats oatmeal for breakfast but I could try making a breakfast version of quinoa to see if she would eat that instead.  She does eat lunch but I don't think she usually finishes what she takes or buys.  They only have a 20 minute lunch period, but they allow snack during one of the earlier periods. I could start sending choc milk to school.  Her school doesn't have a cafeteria (they bring in lunches from various local restaurants for those who want to buy), so she has to take her own drinks.

[jenn-]

I'll ask her PT if she's hyper mobile.  I'm not sure.

 

She will eat burritos and quesidillas, with or without meat.  Quiche, I'm not sure about. I rarely make them.  She likes quinoa.  She usually eats oatmeal for breakfast but I could try making a breakfast version of quinoa to see if she would eat that instead.  She does eat lunch but I don't think she usually finishes what she takes or buys.  They only have a 20 minute lunch period, but they allow snack during one of the earlier periods. I could start sending choc milk to school.  Her school doesn't have a cafeteria (they bring in lunches from various local restaurants for those who want to buy), so she has to take her own drinks.

 

There are a few at home things you could do to see if she qualifies as hyper mobile if you look it up.  Some are just a can you touch this body part to that body part sort of thing.  My whole family is hyper mobile and it was a rolled ankle that took dd out of her choice of sports.

 

Conveniently timed, this just came across my FB newsfeed. 23 Vegan Meals with tons of protein  Some sound kinda weird, but I can attest for the quinoa and corn salad as good and would probably work well for a carried lunch.  Does she eat her oatmeal plain?  I chop up some walnuts, throw in a handful of raisins, and top it off with fresh blueberries on days that I have taekwondo in the morning.  I have a hard time eating enough breakfast before a morning workout and I HAVE to eat or they are scrapping me off the floor and this is something that settles well and I don't have to think about anymore. 

[mommymonster]

One thing that I'm wondering is if you're concerned from a mother's heart perspective on the protein issue, or from a numbers standpoint? My kids have nutrition issues (understatement of the year), and I've had to get very data/numbers driven to make sure I'm on-target with their nutrition. If you can do a three or four day diary of what she's eating, and then run it through a calorie and nutrient tracker (the USDA's SuperTracker is excellent, and everyone uses their data), you'll have solid data on which to make a plan. 

[Mrs Mungo]

That's a little melodramatic. All of this is why I'm here asking the question!

 

To put it in perspective, she can eat more pizza than I. She sometimes eats 1/2 of a 12" pizza. She can inhale a 12" sub from Subway. She eats meat and we do have meat with nearly every meal, but sometimes she won't eat as much as I would like her to or think she should.

 

When she has a class that runs late in the evening, that's the hardest time to think of something she can eat to replace calories but not take much time to prepare and eat. And overall, I think she needs more calories than she's getting because she burns them off so fast.

 

 

A LOT of us *totally* understand and have been through all of this. At some point, some kids can't get enough calories in the normal manner. The post you responded to isn't at all melodramatic to me because I have a kid who has a feeding tube because we *couldn't* get enough calories into him. The extreme high calorie shakes are an easy way to help problem solve. If she won't do it, then I would absolutely solicit help from a nutritionist. I understand being defensive because I have been through ALL of it, including having a doctor threaten me.

[LizzyBee]

Here's a quick update:

 

She has chocolate milk after every dance class, along with a meal or sandwich both before and after class. She prefers chocolate milk to a milkshake, lol. 

 

She is now 5'6" and still 80 lbs. So her growth spurt hasn't ended yet and she hasn't gained weight.  (If you haven't read the earlier posts, she has her father's build. No health professional has ever been concerned that she or her sisters are underweight. The concern I had when I originally posted was building some muscle mass to prevent dance injuries.)

 

She did her PT exercises very consistently and improved her strength. The second half of the year is going much more smoothly than the first half.  Her improved strength is paying off not only in injury prevention, but also her competition results.

 

We did have a scare last week when another dancer cut her off during a 360 spin at dance class, and she landed on the side of her foot and felt something crack. We had it x-rayed and the radiologist said she had a talus fracture, so she was in a splint and on crutches for 4 days until her orthopedist appt. We thought she was going to miss at least one competition and possibly two.  But the orthopedist disagreed with the diagnosis and thought the line on the x-ray was a shadow where the ankle narrows. So he told dd she could try to dance and just go by her pain level as to how much she could do. It was such a relief that it wasn't broken after all, just a minor sprain.

[StephanieZ]

I'd make an appointment for this issue with her pediatrician and follow it up with either meetings with an endocrinologist, nutritionist, therapist, or whatever other resources the doctor recommends (or get a second opinion if the pediatrician is not helpful.)

 

I'd veto dance participation until she is maintaining a healthy weight -- i.e., healthy enough to not contribute to injuries!! I might start with making a healthy modest goal of say gaining 1 lb per week, with a goal of, say, gaining until maintaining weight within the Healthy BMI category, and then have weekly weigh-ins required to continue dance participation. Another goal/measure would be regular menstrual cycles if she is past menarche. 

 

And, know that I do have one stick-thin child (and two other slender kids). My 12 year old is barely 70lb, but she is still just 4'8" and all muscle and bone. She's very thin, and she's always been very thin. I'd think that your daughter, at 9 more inches and just 10 more lb would be very, very thin. I know my daughter is healthy and strong and eats a wide variety of nutritious foods. I expect she'll stay super thin for a long time (or forever) as she's been tiny her entire life, in addition to being very active and very healthy. So, I'm not an anti-thin person. I just think that once weight (whether under or over) contributes to health problems or injuries, then it is time to treat it as a medical crisis. For my daughter, so long as it is not a medical issue, I just encourage eating healthy fats (avocado, vegetable oils, nuts) and other nutrient and calorie dense foods. 

 

Good luck!

 

ETA: Sorry, I just saw your update. Glad your daughter is doing OK, but I do hope her weight catches up sooner rather than later. A friend had this issue with her teen son as he was in a growth spurt. Most of the family is actually overweight, so one being a bean pole was surprising. Their doctor calculated that he needed to consume 3000-4000 calories a day to maintain weight! I think my teen son has been eating similar as he has been growing rapidly. Good luck! I really do think that I'd reconsider dance participation until the weight issue is in hand.

 

[Mrs Mungo]

Almost forty pounds under weight is malnourished. Really. Something is very not ok.

Underweight is not necessarily malnourished, the two have different definitions.

 

I wouldn't cut off a teen from the pursuit that they loved. I think that could cause more problems than it would solve. Although, I do agree that tying continuing to dance to some basic goals would be a good idea.

 

I am curious whether the OP ever consulted a nutritionist?

 

My son likes chocolate milk, so his nutritionist suggested adding the scandishakes (which I posted a link to earlier in the thread) or carnation instant breakfast (even if you don't mix the whole packet of either one) and doing half whole milk and half cream.

[Guest]

Protein powder accompanied by inositol.

[Deb in NZ]

Ds#2 is an elite athlete (on the national hockey squad.)  Nutrition is extremely important as he is in the middle of a big growth spurt & as he is on the small side naturally he needs all the nutrition he can get to reach his top possible height.  The Talent Hub, who mentor local elite athletes from a variety of sports, recommend having a high protein snack with-in 30 minutes of finishing a training.  If they can eat with-in 5 minutes, it's even better.  Ds#2 has hockey training 6:30-8:30am, before heading off to school.  He eats a banana before leaving home & takes a liquid breakfast UHT drink (like a milkshake, but higher in protein) & a high protein museli bar to eat after training.  I put one of each in a ziplock sandwich bag & keep a supply of these snack bags for him to grab on his way out the door.  Lunches consist of 2 huge wraps (salad veg + meat/fish/or eggs), a single serve yogurt, a V8 fruit/veg drink box, a piece of seasonal fruit, & a piece of homebaking.  If he has training (more hockey or sailing) after school, he'll take another smaller lunch for after school.  When he gets home from school (if he has no training directly after school) he'll make 3 pizzas (on tortillas or pitas) & a smoothie (yogurt, frozen fruit, milk, & possibly a banana or egg).  He'll eat whatever is put on the table for dinner with no complaint.  

 

When he made the national squad we knew we had to take his nutrition more seriously.  I got into the habit of reading labels to choose the highest protein choices. Some carbs can be high in protein as well.  I was surprised at how high wholemeal pasta was when compared with normal pasta.  Full fat foods, high protein, good carbs, real foods (i.e. NO low fat, low sugar, GF, etc.) are the only option we give ds#2.  

 

JMHO

[MarinesWife]

Fats with carbs right before bed.

 

Like peanut butter sandwich with glass of whole milk

[LisaKinVA]

I'm going to revisit the protein powder...only because the taste and texture can vary so much from brand to brand.  Muscle Milk and Jay Robb's (Whey) are my two favorites (I've tried others and they were like drinking chalk).  Now...I tend to only use vanilla and add my flavors, but the strawberry and chocolate aren't bad.  Making them with whole milk makes them even better.  ALSO, you can add vanilla protein powder to things like pancake batter and peanut butter dip (I make a peanut butter/cream cheese/honey dip and add a scoop of protein powder...this is served with apples, bananas, celery...whatever fruit is liked)

 

Preventing injury would be a big one for me...don't eat, don't participate.  As difficult as not participating would be, injuries (especially repeated ones) can have life-long consequences (and they would be particularly hard on my pocketbook!)

 

A lot of it can be genetics -- but I wouldn't chalk it up to being an athlete.  My dh was a high school swimmer and was scrawny throughout high school -- dh's diet was based upon inexpensive carbs, until he went off to the Academy (which still had a very difficult training schedule, but dh gained 20# his freshman year...and it' wasn't fat ;) )  Our family has a vastly different diet than what dh and I were raised upon.  DH and I have five kiddos -- only one has a low BMI.  The others teeter on higher than average BMIs without being fat.  My oldest son (15) weighs 150#, is 5'9" (and still growing), and has a 28" waist.  He swims more than my dh did, plus has dry-land exercises on top of it.  He has very good muscle development, but I don't have him lift weights -- he works with his own body weight for now (until he has sufficient muscle mass where working with his own weight is too easy), and I make sure the exercises he does exercise the opposite muscles (lats and pecs, bicep and tricep, quads and glutes).  Now, he probably won't be able to develop significant muscle until he stops growing -- but he is definitely not a string bean (and he grew 6" in the past year...)  My low-BMI girl has always been low-BMI -- but she is 8, and not a highly-active athlete -- and very strong.  It is possible she will always be built this way, but I won't know for certain for a few more years (she seems to be taking after one of my cousins who -- even with serious exercise -- never gets very "large" -- but definitely has good muscle development.  My 3 cousins are dancers...two are still performing).  

 

The only reason I put all of this out there is to underscore that diet has a real correlation to muscle development.  While some may be genetics, and some may be the amount of activity -- diet has a real role to play.  If your dd is a carb-o-holic (based upon your description), she is not giving her body the fuel it needs to build (protein) and repair (fat) itself.  Carbohydrates are great for instant energy, but the other two groups are just as important for building a healthy-strong body as well.

 

For my kids who are swimmers, they always have a post-swimming snack within 15 minutes of finishing (I'd like it to be within 5 minutes, but getting from the pool to the car usually takes longer than 5 minutes).  Banana, peanut butter, protein shake, cheese stick w/ham or turkey, chocolate milk, CLIFF bar, protein bar...I try to avoid high processed-sugar stuff though

 

Best wishes!

 

 

 

[kroe1]

Sorry, I did not read the other posts.

 

Thin and not having developed muscle mass is two separate problems for a dancer. If the entire family is thin, I would leave that one alone. It might be hereditary. If there is reason to believe that she has an eating disorder, that is another story. But, you said she is carbohydrate loving so probably not, right?

 

Lack of muscle mass and strength is a huge problem for dancers especially as they get older. DD14's studio encourages weight training for all of the teen dancers. The ones who do it rarely have injuries, the one's who do not end up with all kinds of injuries. They have many repeat injuries, also. Strength training is such a big factor that many of the teachers are sneaking in some strength training into the regular classes. I see some planking and other crazy strength moves now part of the choreography at competitions.

[Lolly]

Here's a quick update:

 

She has chocolate milk after every dance class, along with a meal or sandwich both before and after class. She prefers chocolate milk to a milkshake, lol. 

 

She is now 5'6" and still 80 lbs. So her growth spurt hasn't ended yet and she hasn't gained weight.  (If you haven't read the earlier posts, she has her father's build. No health professional has ever been concerned that she or her sisters are underweight. The concern I had when I originally posted was building some muscle mass to prevent dance injuries.)

 

She did her PT exercises very consistently and improved her strength. The second half of the year is going much more smoothly than the first half.  Her improved strength is paying off not only in injury prevention, but also her competition results.

 

We did have a scare last week when another dancer cut her off during a 360 spin at dance class, and she landed on the side of her foot and felt something crack. We had it x-rayed and the radiologist said she had a talus fracture, so she was in a splint and on crutches for 4 days until her orthopedist appt. We thought she was going to miss at least one competition and possibly two.  But the orthopedist disagreed with the diagnosis and thought the line on the x-ray was a shadow where the ankle narrows. So he told dd she could try to dance and just go by her pain level as to how much she could do. It was such a relief that it wasn't broken after all, just a minor sprain.

 

Great update! 

[kiana]

you guys are nuts.  40 lbs underweight is hospitalization not an extra Peanut butter sandwich.

 

She is not 40 lbs underweight, check on a BMI chart that's intended for teens, not adults.

[umsami]

The Jay Robb protein (egg white) is better than others.  You could try a single serve packet.

Rather than Breyers, I'd do Haagan-Dazs…….you can buy large containers of the vanilla.  Add in peanut butter or whatever.

 

I would add butter to the bread on sandwiches I made for her.

 

If she likes fried eggs, add that to her regular breakfast routine.  So oatmeal or whatever plus eggs.

 

It may sound a bit morbid, but some of the chemo cookbooks/websites have good ideas for adding weight.

 

I second the idea about meeting with a professional nutritionist.

 

 

ETA: I see a bunch of people talking about potential eating disorders. You could ask her dentist if s/he sees any sign of bulimia, just to be on the safe side.  

[kiana]

 

She is grossly underweight.  CDC chart for teens recommends seeing a dr.  The weight is in the less than 1%.  This child is ill.  Obviously I made up a birthday.

 

Results

Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 12.9, placing the BMI-for-age below the 1st percentile for girls aged 13 years 9 months. This child is underweight and should be seen by a healthcare provider for further assessment to determine possible causes of underweight.

 

 

Yes. She is 15 lbs underweight (I used a different birthday than you), not 40. That makes a big difference. (ETA: Possibly 20 if she's almost 14. Still not 40 lbs underweight). 

 

Furthermore, OP stated that she has already seen a doctor and the doctor is aware of her low BMI and not concerned. 

[kiana]

Her dr is nuts.

 

 

There is no birthday that makes a 13 yr old ok at 5'6 at this weight.  A BMI of 12.9 is WAY BELOW the underweight threshold.  

 

I didn't say it was an ok weight. I just said that she's not 40 lbs underweight as you kept claiming.

 

Some people just are genetically super skinny. It runs in my family as well (although not through me) and my mother and sister were both in the 1st percentile for BMI until they were in their early 20s, despite eating like crazy. Eventually they put on the weight.

 

If she looks and acts healthy I'd trust the doctors who've actually seen and evaluated her.

[retiredHSmom]

 

 

If she looks and acts healthy I'd trust the doctors who've actually seen and evaluated her.

deleted for privacy

[kiana]

There is no weight height chart that says under 120 at 5'6 that I can find.

 

Because you are looking on weight height charts that are designed for adults. These do NOT FIT TEENS. 

[kiana]

Tania, I'm not going to quote to respect your privacy.

 

One important point about what happened with your dd was that she suddenly fell percentiles in the BMI. This doesn't seem to be what's happening to the OP's dd -- it seems she's been off the bottom of the growth charts all her life from what I can read from the OP. 

 

I'm also not seeing the 'safe foods' and 'fear foods' that you're talking about, and I just went back through the OP's posts to see. She talked about her dd not really liking protein snacks but that she's willingly drinking chocolate milk to increase her calorie consumption. 

 

I definitely do think the OP should keep doing what she's doing to increase consumption and put some weight on her dd. I just don't think she needs to put her in the hospital until she gets that weight on her -- not unless there's more information that hasn't been shared. 

[kiana]

Sorry. You are clearly on some state of denial. Very odd.

This kid is either not eating enough, not absorbing or purging/ over exercising.

 

WTF?

 

Here, let me enter the data into the teen chart for you.

 

http://nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Result.aspx?&dob=1/1/2001&dom=1/1/2014&age=156&ht=66&wt=100&gender=2&method=0&inchtext=0&wttext=0

 

In case the link isn't working:

 

I entered 5 6, 100 lbs, 13 years.

 

Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 16.1, placing the BMI-for-age at the 12th percentile for girls aged 13 years 0 months. This child has a healthy weight.

 

I am SPECIFICALLY responding to your statement that you cannot find a height weight chart that gives a weight under 120 lbs at 5 6. Again, those height weight charts you are looking at are DESIGNED for adults. 

 

She is underweight but not 40 lbs underweight. 

[TwoEdgedSword]

Coconut oil.....heat up a couple of tablespoons until it is liquid then blend it into smoothie. She may need to reshake it, but it's a very healthy fat addition to smoothies.

[kiana]

Anything under18.5 is UNDERWEIGHT not healthy weight.

 

Not according to the CDC, for teenagers, as I keep repeating.

 

Here is the BMI-for-age percentile chart, also available in the link that I pasted earlier. 

 

http://nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/ResultGraph.aspx?age=156&gender=2&ht=66&wt=100&method=0&dob=1/1/2001&dom=1/1/2014&inchtext=0&wttext=0&pagetype=graph

 

18.5 BMI is actually the 52nd percentile for 13 year old girls.

 

The 5th percentile (which is when they are considered medically underweight) is 15.3. 

[kiana]

http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l024.pdf

 

By any measure, this kid's BMI is so far below the curve that its functionally UNBELIEVABLE that you are arguing about this facet of the conversation.

 

Yes, that is essentially the same chart I linked.

 

I am not arguing that this kid is a normal weight. I'm sorry that you're misunderstanding my statements.

 

I am saying that she is 15-20 lbs underweight, not 40. I have said so repeatedly. I am at a loss to where you are getting that I am saying that she is a normal weight. 

 

What I *am* saying is that I don't believe this is rush-them-to-a-hospital weight in a teen who is gaining, not losing, and has always been below the growth curve. It would be very alarming in a teen who had been in the 10th percentile for BMI as a child and had dropped down to the 1st now.  

[Lolly]

you guys are nuts.  40 lbs underweight is hospitalization not an extra Peanut butter sandwich.

 

 

You seem personally vested here? I have a dc who was genetically tall and thin with a super high metabolism. Sometimes, that is all it is. No health issues. No eating disorders. No problems other than people who try to stick their noses in where they don't belong and give her grief because of her natural build. There is NO needed hospitalization for a healthy child. I am sorry that you think that weight alone is a problem. It. is. not. Believe me, parents who have a kid who is this thin do keep an eye on things. Sometimes, a thin kid is just a thin kid. In most cases, age takes care of the issue. My dd has gained weight this last year. She is now 20. She is still underweight according to BMI data. At 13, she was 5'6" and maybe 90lbs. There was nothing wrong with her. Her only problem was people like you who decided they needed to save her from her non-existent eating disorder. Since I am on the other side of this, my dc is now an obviously perfectly healthy adult, I know for certain that kids can be super thin without it being a health problem that needs medical intervention. 

[texasmama]

I have read the entire thread.  If a medical work up has been done and was normal, I would take her to a registered dietician who works specifically with athletes (female athletes).  This action may very well help to tease out whether or not other issues exist, and it should help to educate and empower her regarding her body, food choices and being healthy.  If she is extremely thin due solely to genetics, this is an issue that she will likely deal with well into adulthood so the education aspect of it with the dietician should help her not just now but in the future.

 

I know extremely thin teens and adults who do not have eating disorders (to the best of my ability to evaluate this).  I know an adult who is about five feet tall and 86 pounds at the age of 50 after bearing four kids.  She only broke 100 pounds at the end stages of pregnancy. She has tiny arms and legs and very small bone structure.  Some people are just thin.  But I would take my dd to a registered dietician for help.  (And not just any RD.  Some are great with diabetes education and such but would not be a good fit for your dd's issue.)

[MysteryJen]

I have been reading with interest as well. My dd2 is 12, not quite 5 ft and is 80 pounds. She is very, very skinny, especially when compared to peers. It is, in fact, alarming to consider an older teen 6 inches taller at the same weight. 

 

I would take her to a nutritionist. (the girls I know with eating disorders all started the same way--a "conversion" to vegetarianism and then gradually more and more restrictive-leaving their parents bewildered with what to feed them) And I would insist on an evaluation with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. Being in the dance world, genetically thin, please take no chances with her health and her future reproductive health.

[retiredHSmom]

 

I would take her to a nutritionist. (the girls I know with eating disorders all started the same way--a "conversion" to vegetarianism and then gradually more and more restrictive-leaving their parents bewildered with what to feed them) And I would insist on an evaluation with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. Being in the dance world, genetically thin, please take no chances with her health and her future reproductive health.

yes!

[StephanieZ]

I tend to view chocolate milk as junk food, but it's been mentioned repeatedly on this thread, so I'm going to stop limiting how much of it she drinks.  There's a char-grill between my office and the dance studio, so I'll start surprising her with some milkshakes too.  They use real ice cream, not custard.

 

Injuries so far include rolling an ankle (inadequate muscle strength to support the ankle) and jamming her right hip.  We are still waiting for x-ray results to find out whether it's out of alignment.  She's also had tendonitis in one heel, but that's due to inadequate stretching.  We're working on that too.  So it's not like she's had a lot of injuries, but they started right after she moved up a level and increased her hours.

 

She is competitive and wants to be a certified teacher.  It won't happen if she doesn't get stronger.

 

 

I encourage you NOT to limit her junk food intake, especially since you have considered chocolate milk junk food (which makes me guess that you could benefit from consulting with a nutritionist as well). Chocolate milk is a classic healthy sports recovery nectar. Distance runners use it very commonly as a post-run recovery drink. Both the calories (from the sugar//chocolate as well as in the milk) as well as the proteins and fats are wonderful for athletes muscles to rebuild. Your daughter should definitely be getting full fat dairy as much as she can eat or drink. 

 

My kids are slim but not dangerously underweight, and I encourage them all to get as much milk as they will drink, including keeping chocolate and strawberry sugary flavorings on hand.

 

With my much more slightly underweight kid, I very rarely discourage junk food. It's a parental natural instinct to limit junk, but sometimes you just need CALORIES and so, as long as I know the kid is getting a healthy range of nutritious foods on a daily basis, I don't limit junk if the kid is clearly underweight. If my kid were like yours, I'd keep the car and house and gym bags stocked with whatever caloric foods she'd eat. Indeed, my elderly mom is on the borderline between healthy and underweight, and I keep her fridge and freezer STOCKED with every junky thing she'll eat and I encourage dessert after any meal. (She has a terminal disease, so bad habits are not a concern.)

 

For sure, please consult a nutritionist. 

[Lolly]

There is no weight height chart that says under 120 at 5'6 that I can find.

 

I am not sure why you keep insisting that the kid is "just super skinny" in the face of a BMI of 12.9.  No.  That's not healthy by a long shot.  Its not even possible.  I have a super skinny kid and I know what it looks like and this ain't it by a long shot.

 

You are flat out wrong. It is possible. It is possible to be healthy. It is possible to be at this weight without having a medical problem or an eating disorder. I WAS this kid. I have dc who were this kid. One almost exactly, and one just a little heavier. My three test cases are all grown now with no medical intervention. Personally, I am now over weight. I'm even considered obese. Funny thing, I am STILL healthy. My metabolism has simply changed. One of my girls is now considered to be absolutely perfect by the charts. The other is still considered underweight, though not by a huge amount. Considering she is a college athlete, that isn't all that shocking. She is still the skinniest person on the pool deck. One of the fastest too. She still eats like a horse. The funny thing is that the one who is on the slim side of "normal healthy" is the one with health problems. Lots of them. (Asthma, skin issues related to immunity problems, allergies--nothing weight related.)