Sibling Rivalry

Look, I deal with the same issue, but I'm a guy.

I started forcing myself to have a mandatory breakfast with milk.

Then I'll snack on some fruit before lunch.

I eat a full meal for lunch and take my vitamins.

Around 4 or 5 PM, I'll grab another snack.

After that, I hit the gym every other day and knock back some protein shakes after my workouts.

On the days I don't hit the weights, I go out for a run.

I whip up something quick for dinner, then maybe some cocoa right before bed.

I've put on 6 pounds in just a month.

But honestly? I feel way healthier and I am totally locked into this routine.

Get away from those cigarettes!!!

Hi, I'm a new 🙂
I’m 15, turning 16 next month. I’ve always been on the heavier side, but things really spiraled when I moved from middle school to high school. At one point, I was 136 pounds at about 5'2". I tried every fad diet under the sun, but nothing actually worked. Once I started high school, my weight became a massive issue for me. I've always struggled with low self-esteem, and carrying that extra weight just made everything worse. During the second semester of freshman year, I finally decided to get serious about my diet and lose weight. I didn't follow a specific strict regimen; I just started being mindful of what I was eating. Over time, I found myself eating less and less, and the weight started dropping fast. It really kicked into gear halfway through the first month, and now, seven months later, I’ve lost about 37 pounds. I’m currently 99 pounds. Everyone tells me I look too thin now, but honestly, I still don't feel skinny. My biggest problem right now is food anxiety. I'm terrified of eating certain things—especially sweets, bread, or anything else people call "junk food." I'm worried I might have crossed a line into being underweight since my BMI is below 18.5. I have no idea how to go back to a normal way of eating without gaining all the weight back. I need some advice. Does anyone know how to fix this?

I find myself somewhat perplexed by the core objective of your post; are you actually seeking to gain weight, or is that not the intention? Furthermore, I must ask how you are feeling physically—do you suffer from chronic fatigue, or perhaps a heightened susceptibility to common seasonal illnesses? One must consider whether a low body weight is truly an issue, as it heavily depends on the ratio of body fat to muscle mass and, fundamentally, upon one's skeletal structure.

Perhaps my own experience might offer some clarity. Being significantly taller than you, I found myself weighing nearly the same as you do at your current age. Due to persistent exhaustion and irregularities in my menstrual cycle—both direct consequences of being underweight—I eventually permitted myself a modest increase of two or three pounds. I adjusted my caloric intake to somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 calories, making sure to strictly separate carbohydrates from proteins, and committed to weight training three times a week. The results were, quite frankly, beyond my expectations, despite the inevitable unsolicited commentary from those around me, whose opinions were driven solely by their own narrow perceptions of aesthetics.