Worried about teen boy's diet plan to bulk up
Hello, my almost 18 year old son got into working out, and I'm happy about that, but am concerned that he's obsessing about it and may undermine his health, especially now that he's starting some kind of diet. Does anyone know of a coach who could work with him on building muscle while eating right?
So far, he said he's been "bulking up", so he's been eating even when he's not really hungry. He's lean and muscular, so it doesn't seem like he's overeating though. But, now he asked to get a food scale, and is planning to use it to figure out how much he eats and how much he needs to eat, with the goal to lose the fat. I can't quite understand what he's going to do, but he says he's going to cut down on calories and lose weight, while still consuming the same amount of protein, with the goal of building muscle.
He and his friend exercise together and are going to do the diet together, but I don't think either one of them has good common sense about it. I am hoping for advice from a profession whom a teen would listen to, since he's definitely not listening to me.
Parent Replies
Please visit aroundthedinnertable.org. Your son could have an eating/body image disorder. Boys do get these, and they display precisely the symptoms you are describing. You say he is lean and muscular, and wants to become more lean and more muscular. You need to get him to a physician who is knowledgeable about eating disorders (many are not) and he should especially have his orthostatic blood pressure checked. Don't ignore this. It is a dangerous path.
I am a mom in my 50's who has been working out and watching what I eat for 30 years; I feel great and have lots of energy, however at the beginning I definitely went a little overboard (and recovered!). My recommendation is that he sign up for a personal training session at the gym, adding nutrition counseling to the session. Also, both of you should read https://www.menshealth.com/, this is a repudiable magazine that can help you and he separate fact from fad.
I agree with the above post that your son may have an eating disorder or may be seriously at risk for one. It definitely happens to young men, and this is one of the scenarios. I am unfortunately far too familiar with this world now. Young men and women can have what's called body dysmorphia, where they think that they are overweight when they're not and then continue to diet. It's a societal problem but much more extreme for some individuals. Unfortunately, eating disorders often start with a diet-- that can be one of the triggering events that precipitates a serious of physical changes. If your son does work with a nutrition person at the gym, please don't assume that this is enough to protect him. You probably need to have him evaluated by an eating-disorder savvy physician and then monitor him. I'm sorry to sound so serious but once this starts happening, it can takes years to get out of and have serious health effects. I know he's only doing what a long of young men are doing with regard to gyms right now, but many people are not aware of the risks. Diagnosed eating disorders are somewhat rare, but many people have disordered eating. Thanks for reaching out for advice!