I would be careful equating the age where you stop getting taller to the age where you stop growing. Complete physical maturity is reached closer to 18 for girls and 23 for boys. For a girl to be completely physically developed at 12 is certainly an anomally.

Please don't be patronizing, Dan. You're not a doctor and you're not a psychologist. I'm not sure how someone interprets a laugh, "ha!" as being defensive or hostile. I was simply amused at your assumptions. The fact of the matter is that I wear the same size I did when I was twelve - I fit into the dress I wore at my twelfth birthday in almost exactly the same way I did then. My face looks the same as when I was twelve - it would be hard to differentiate me from pictures then with pictures now except for the haircut and the style of clothes (I don't wear Converse hightops and sweater dresses anymore, for example). If anything, I have lost a bit of weight since then. My breasts have grown by a cup size, but my hips are the same width and all else appearance-wise seems pretty much the same. As I know many women who've had the same experience, I don't know if it's an anomaly or not.

My point was only that we can't infer from a tiny bit of information where this person is on his growth chart. That doesn't mean that he's not growing! I never said anything of the kind! But if you'll reread just the OP's posts, you'll see that he never says he isn't gaining weight - he makes no mention of his current weight or its change or lack thereof in the past months or years. So why does everybody automatically assume that he's not gaining weight? That he's growing or not growing? That he's not eating enough or he is eating enough? We don't have the data to do that. And am I really the only one who thinks it's irresponsible to give medical advice to a teenager over the internet instead of telling them that if they think they really have concerns they should see their doctor to see if they're legitimate or not? If he's on an athletic team at school, he's already had to see doctors to be allowed to run, and we're making assumptions we shouldn't.

He did discuss his findings on the number of calories to maintain his weight. Most of the fallout has come from your statement that if he's not losing weight, he's OK. That's more presumptuous about his position on any growth chart than the general statement that a boy his age should consume enough calories to support all of the growth that his body demands.

My statement that someone fully matured at 12 is anomaly was not meant to offend. It was just meant to indicate that your experience is not what the OP should expect.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Ariann:

My point was only that we can't infer from a tiny bit of information where this person is on his growth chart. That doesn't mean that he's not growing! I never said anything of the kind! But if you'll reread just the OP's posts, you'll see that he never says he isn't gaining weight - he makes no mention of his current weight or its change or lack thereof in the past months or years. So why does everybody automatically assume that he's not gaining weight? That he's growing or not growing? That he's not eating enough or he is eating enough? We don't have the data to do that. And am I really the only one who thinks it's irresponsible to give medical advice to a teenager over the internet instead of telling them that if they think they really have concerns they should see their doctor to see if they're legitimate or not? If he's on an athletic team at school, he's already had to see doctors to be allowed to run, and we're making assumptions we shouldn't.<HR>

Seriously, ZZenko - you have the rest of your life to count calories and eat kale. You're a teenager, and there's nothing wrong with fruit and pretzels. It's not like you're eating pizza and soda and McD's and snickers.

Snack more if you're hungry OR if you're feeling tired on your runs. Perhaps swap out the pretzels for a sandwich here and there. Eat some baby carrots, maybe trail mix. But unless you're bonking on your runs or losing weight, you're probably ok.

You were pretty vague about your dinner, except to say that it's often pasta and you eat meat - so you may be taking in more calories than you think. It's really easy to down 800-1000 calories on a big pasta dinner, which is fine for a 8 mi/day teenage guy.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by ZZenko:
wow.. this has really opened my eyes... thanks to all who replied and disagreed with eachother.. even if my diet is working right for me now.. maybe there are better ones.. I'll try out what fits right<HR>

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