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Safe Weight Management:
Maintaining a normal weight is certainly important for good health, for teens and people of all ages. However, an excessive concern with weight is not always a good thing, especially among young people who are still growing. Female athletes in particular, may have unrealistic ideas and goals, and may resort to extreme and unhealthy eating practices to achieve these goals.
Restricting food intake in order to lose weight can lead to inadequate intake of essential nutrients. These nutrients are needed not only to support teens’ ongoing growth and development, but also for optimal athletic performance. Think about your body as a high performance machine, and remember that foods provide energy. Teen machines need high quality fuel to perform at maximum levels.
If you really think you need to lose weight, talk with your parents and trainer and get connected with a registered dietitian. Any weight-loss plan must be carefully designed. And remember, weight management is all about calories in vs. calories out. As an athlete engaging in physical activity, you’re already affecting one side of the equation, while not jeopardizing the quality of your diet.
A few other things to keep in mind:
-Everyone has a distinct body type, which can only be modified so much by “dieting.” Keep in mind that genetics plays a big role and appreciate your individuality.
- Focus on being fit and healthy, not on weight per se.
- Muscle weighs more than fat. As an athlete becomes more fit, his or her weight may go up slightly while body fat is actually decreasing.
- Weighing in before and after strenuous activity is only measuring water lost in the form of sweat. While this may be useful for some athletes in order to help determine fluid needs, it is not a reliable indication of actual weight loss.
To sum up a healthy approach to weight management: Follow the Food Guide Pyramid, limit foods with empty calories (excessive fats and sugars), and keep being active!
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