My mom's lost her mind - she thinks I'm anorexic?

Question

I'm 5'10, and around 135-140 lbs. My diet is horrible, I live off of fast food, candy, chips, and probably up to 3000 calories a day. I'm 17, but as soon as I started trying to eat healthier (eat all-natural foods only, even if I still eat about over 2000 calories), I lost weight. I just lose weight much easier than I gain it, and my mom won't get off my back about it. She sees that I eat the fruits/veggies/soymilk/beans/fish/chicken/dark chocolate she buys, but she thinks I look like a heroin addict because I'm "too skinny". What can I do to prove to her that I'm not anorexic (or on drugs). She's trying to make me eat red meat and milk, but I swore those off since they're not good for you (of course, I still eat all the fish, chicken, eggs, and fortified dairy-replacements I want).

I've eaten all-natural foods (I don't give a damn about calories or fat grams) for about a month straight when I was 16, and I got all the way down to 119, but that just happens. Why can't my mom accept that I refuse to be another fat American statistic?

Oh and I don't exercise at all , so that's not why I lose weight so easily.

Oh and I don't exercise at all , so that's not why I lose weight so easily.

I always feel great and energetic when I eat only all-natural foods. (sorry for double-post)

Answer 1

show her this post....

Answer 2

Do you have a doctor? If you like and trust your pediatrician/doctor, you might think about asking your mom to schedule a "well check" appointment. The doctor can do a physical. If you are healthy and you have a hig metabolsim or naturally lean body, the doctor will be able to verify that you are not doing anything dangerous.

Also, they will ba able to evaluate the food that you are eatting, and figure out if there is something else you need to be healthy. (Or at least refer you to a nutritionist if they don't feel comfortable addressing those types of questions.) Often people who don't eat red meats have lower levels of iron and b vitamins. It sounds like you are doing a good job replacing your protiens, but it is always good to have guidance in terms of getting all your vitamins and minerals. Also, if you do need to gain a bit of weight, they can tell you healthy ways to do it. They can also give you good tips on portion size and balancing carbs, vegetables, protiens, etc. When you fix your healthy meals you might need proportionatley more protien and less carbs or something like that.

You say that you eat junk all the time, and that when you try to eat healthy you loose weight. This is not healthy for your body. This is another reason to talk to the doctor. Eating crap to maintain a weight to pacify your mom is not going to do you any good in the long run. But obviously, you know that or you wouldn't be asking the question. But try telling your mom that you have been doing that, and that you are afraid that it is not good for your long term health.

Also, maybe try to find some materials on the type of diet choices that you are trying to make. It may be that your mom was raised in a meat and potatoes kind of family. The information about what is healthy and what is not has changed a great deal in the last 5-10 years. Try hard to have an adult conversation with her about the reasons that you are making the choices that you are, and that you understand where her conserns come from (aka the high rate of teen anorexia and obsession with thiness that is prevelent in our culture.) Tell her about the things you said here (aka you eat well etc), and ask her what her reasons for being concerned are. It make take some time and will power to not argue about it, but more will come of acting like an adult and showing her that you are trying to make responsible decisions than fighting.

Finally, you might want to think about trying to do some exercise that will build muscle mass. Lifting weights etc, and some cardio that has muscle building like dance or kickboxing. Putting on muscle mass can make you look less skinny, and more filled out. It is also just important to start building the exercise habits now. Cardio is good for your heart and lungs.

Good luck. Sorry, I know that was really long. Hope it helps.

Answer 3

You said that you dropped from 135-145 to about 119 lbs. At your height, 119 lbs is about being a bit too thin.
At a height of 70 inches your ideal body weight should be about 135 lbs. This would give you a body mass index (BMI) of 19.4 which would be in the low end of normal range.
I am glad you are eating healthier, but as a young woman you need to recognize two things.
1) you need calcium now. You are laying down the bone density now that you will have for the rest of your life. If you don't eat enough calcium rich foods, then you risk developing osteoporosis earlier in life.
2) Fertility is directly tied to body fat composition. If your BMI drops too low, and you lose too much body fat, you will no longer make enough estrogen to be fertile. Low levels of estrogen also affect your bone density.

Rather than avoiding all dairy, try adding low-fat or fat-free yogurt and skim milk to your diet. You also need protein, so meat is okay, as long at it's in monderation.
As for your mom, perhaps you should go to the library and get some books on nutrition and diet (not about dieting, but about nutrition in general) or show her the Mayo Clinic web site. She needs to be educated about what is a good diet for herself. Otherwise, you need to develop the thick skin and ignore her carping. She may have issues about food and body image that you can't deal with.

Check out the following website on nutrition and calculating your BMI and what it means:http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/NU00200

Answer 4

Your weight is just fine for your height, but you do seem to be overly preoccupied about food. It is probably just something that rubbed off from your mom on you. It sounds to me as if your mom has some issues of herself with body image and food intake and that she is kind of projecting them on you. She needs to look those issues, definitely. Maybe it's also a control issue that she has going on with you, with you being 17 and all and making your own decisions (also about food) and so on. Could be that she is having a hard time letting go of you and that she is using the anorexic thing as an excuse to hold on.

Answer 5

you're actually not likely to love this reaction. I easily have/had pals who're anorexic. They talk approximately nutrition and how oftentimes they eat it consistently. Your fact approximately you being huge-boned once you're 5'10 and 137 lbs weighs hollow. i don't comprehend you , whether it seems that such as you have ingesting situation. those that comprehend you extra effective can be sure whether that could be a sickness.

Answer 6

I'm sorry to hear that. This is why we have SO many obese kids/teens. Your height and weight is fine. Show your mother this:

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm

Answer 7

Go to the doctor with your mom and get to the bottom of it. It'll make your mom feel better, and you can rest easy that there's nothing wrong. (I'd kill to be in your shoes!)

Answer 8

me too (but once a was skinny and i got fat too fat so eat gain wait (ever you spell it)food.

Answer 9

Your metabolism is pretty quick for your build - try talking to a nutritionist. She's just worried, but yeah, that would be the next step.

Answer 10

Show her this:
http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/met.htm

Your weight is almost perfect.