does your child eat all the time?

[mayestra12]

Ok, my dd (age 7) is in the gym 5-7 hours a week and it seems like she is hungry all the time. She will finish a big meal and ask for a snack minutes later. I've never been one to deny her food as long as she is making healthy choices but sometimes I have to wonder if she is really hungry.

I guess I'm just wondering how many extra calories she needs due to her high level of activity. Even when she's not in the gym she never stops! Do your gymnasts seem to be hungry all the time? I'm not worried about her weight as she's very slender.

 

[10.0]

I think that is normal, of course you should talk to her doc about it to rule out any health issues that could cause it. I did the same thing as a teen, a lot of it from just growing, your body needs a lot to grow plus gymnastics does burn a lot of calories.

Whatever you to be careful not to mention it to her. My Mom's exact words were "Keep eating like that and you are going to blow up like a blimp." I struggled with eating disorders for the next 10 years thereafter, not saying it was the only reason but it didn't help.

 

[GetaGrip]

Seems pretty normal to me, gymnastics burns a lot of calories, and growing doesn't help much either. I wouldn't worry too much so long as what she's eating is healthy.


10.0: That's terrible! My mom has said similar things to me, but in a more "toned down" way. I'm not sure why, but I've always felt that if my own mom is telling me to change, then I really need to.

 

[Danica76]

My DD is also 7 and spends an average of 7 - 8.5 hrs a week in the gym. She is also eating constantly! I think it is definitely a combination of growing, gymnastics and her non-stop personality (which is why we got her into gym in the first place).

I also wondered if it is normal, but have talked to her pediatrician and she assured me that DD's eating is fine. DD tends to go for fruit, cheese or other healthy snacks, so I also don't mind so much. She also has gym class at school twice a week (on the same days as gymnastics, no less), so I am sure she needs enough fuel to keep that little body going.

And 10.0 - I am SO sorry to hear about your struggles with eating disorders. I was a dancer and my Dad always said that I was "too tubby" to be a ballerina. Unfortunately, I quit around 14 after 2 years en pointe. I eventually told my Dad that if he wasn't going to support me positively, then he could not say anything to me at all. Keep your head up & know that you are beautiful!

 

[NGL780309]

I can't say I've noticed my gymnast DD being hungry all the time. She's always been a really light eater. I think working out actually makes her not hungry. She leaves gym very late and doesn't want to eat, but I'm having to force her to eat something before bed. My little one is the one who is always hungry even if she just ate. They are the exact opposite of each other. The youngest wakes up and the first words out of her mouth are, "I'm hungry." The older one will wake-up and not eat anything for several hours and will often still not even want to eat by lunch. It's funny because I often wonder how much of your eating personality is genetic. My big eater is like me, I couldn't skip breakfast if you offered me a million dollars. My light eater is like her dad, barely eats anything.

 

[gymgurl]

well, i don't have a child but am just commenting saying that im not a huge eater, in fact i often forget to eat because food doesn't interest me, my sister on the other hand loves to eat and when ever she is bored she simply visits the fridge. I eat enough to get by and be healthy though

10.0 im sorry to hear about your struggles with eating disorders

 

[MdGymMom01]

My dd would go through stages of where she would be hungry all the time and then seem like she wasn't eating much at all. I learned that her appetite was directly related to her growth spurts. Her pediatrician told me that it is natural for kids to be very hungry when they are growing and as long as they are eating healthy foods and an occasional treat it is fine. My dd who is now 12 seems to be eating everything in sight--she is very active with both gymnastics and ballet and I am suspecting a growth spurt is very eminent! I think it is also very important to teach kids to listen to their hunger cues and to stop eating when they feel full. If kids can learn to pay attention to their body's natural satiety cues, then they will not overeat as adults which can become a big problem as they get older.

 

[lilgymmie7]

Goodness! This post must have had my 7yo DD, the gymmie, in mind! My husband and I have always been in awe of how much she can eat!! But fortunately, she also goes for the healthy choices. Kid can live on salad, fruits, and veggies. She also loves peanuts. Like another poster mentioned, she too will eat a full dinner and then ask for a snack. Where she puts all of that food is anyone's guess! She is built like a rock!
Now I just wish I could get her older brother to eat so well! He has always been a pickier eater. DD said just the other day, "I weigh 49.4! I guess I haven't eaten yet!" She is really trying to get to that 50 mark! She is in the gym 16hrs./week so the constant working out makes her quite ravenous! She has never been too skinny, so I don't worry much about weight like I do with DS.

 

[mayestra12]

Thanks.

I don't mention it to her but I will say things like, "Are you sure you're really hungry?" I know I eat when I'm bored and I don't want her to do the same thing.

My biggest struggle with her is that I don't think she drinks enough. She will eat a meal without touching her drink. I'm always asking her to drink something before she gets a snack. My guess is that if she did she wouldn't be hungry so quickly after eating a meal.

I really feel it's important for her to stay hydrated as an athlete. Her gym is HOT in the summer and she'll be working out from 1-4 pm twice a week. I've tried lots of tricks but her water bottles come home from gym pretty full.

I'm not concerned that she has a problem. Just curious if other gym parents always hear, "Mom, can I have a snack?"

 

[bogwoppit]

I have three kids and they all have very different appetites, so to keep it sane meeals were organised one way. Breakfast, lunch and dinner with a snakc at 10am and at 3pm. Snacks were always healthy.

My oldest is now 18 and a boy, never ate a lot and still doesn't, he rarely wanted the snacks. MIddle child would often leave the table without finishing meals and enjoys snacks, but can live without them. My youngest could eat the doors off the fridge, meals and snacks cannot come soon enough for her and she "is starving" 24 hours a day.

I stick to the same plan and see that the one who is hungry constantly has the highest BMI, we do not talk about it, we just offer the same foods and work on physical excercise. Not every kid has the same appetite or metabolism. Your doctor is a good guide, but I am sure you can see whether your dd needs more food or not.

 

[mayestra12]

My dd hasn't hit the 50 pound mark either! I think she's 48.5 but she hasn't been weighed in awhile. She really has no idea what she weighs and that's fine with me. My youngest had some feeding issues but now that he's 3 they are mostly resolved and he will eat a lot the same stuff that my daughter will eat. Life is so much easier now! I'm glad my dd will eat many healthy things and is not picky. Again, I'm not worried. Just curious.

 

[gymnastbeth]

I eat CONSTANTLY. I'm pretty sure it has to do with how much energy gymnastics takes. When I stopped going so much because of an injury, even my brother noticed how much less I ate. I am the person who's always hungry, no matter what I eat, and it seems to have something to do with the gymnastics!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

normal.....................

 

[Azgymmiemom]

My dd always is hungry, yet I find when I feed her, it doesn't take much to fill her up. She, too, needs to drink more and suffers from headaches if she doesn't stay hydraded enough. My boys are all terribly picky...drives me nuts! They will absolutely go hungry before they will eat something they don't like. My oldest, though, has loosened up a bit. And he is that typical teenager...eats us out of house and home! And he's thin and active, so I don't mind so much.

 

[clrmom]

Thanks.

I don't mention it to her but I will say things like, "Are you sure you're really hungry?" I know I eat when I'm bored and I don't want her to do the same thing.

My biggest struggle with her is that I don't think she drinks enough. She will eat a meal without touching her drink. I'm always asking her to drink something before she gets a snack. My guess is that if she did she wouldn't be hungry so quickly after eating a meal.

I really feel it's important for her to stay hydrated as an athlete. Her gym is HOT in the summer and she'll be working out from 1-4 pm twice a week. I've tried lots of tricks but her water bottles come home from gym pretty full.

I'm not concerned that she has a problem. Just curious if other gym parents always hear, "Mom, can I have a snack?"

This is how I was when I was younger. I was a dancer and was always very thin but always felt hungry. When I went to college, I spoke to a nutritionist (part of a program offered at our school). When I told her I was always hungry, she asked how much I drank. I told her I was hardly ever thirsty. She said that I wasn't drinking enough. She said when my body told me "I'm hungry" to drink a glass of water first and see if that helps. She said eventually, I would start to feel thirsty, not hungry and she was right. I started drinking a lot of water (at first I had to force myself to do this) and then I began feeling thirsty more often and I wasn't always so hungry immediately after eating.

 

[cher062]

she spends enough hours at the gym to burn up alot of what she eats you really don't have to worry how much she eats. But someone posted about drinking more liquids. It is very common for people in general to mistake thirst for hunger give a big glass of water and see if they are still hungry. If they just ate a big meal they are probably in need of liquids and water is really the best.

My dd has always eaten like a bird with to me what seems like only one meals worth in the entire day. She is just a busy girl and hates to stop what she is doing just to eat. I'm always trying to get more food into her and more liquids.

 

[momocay]

Her eating is fine, and eating larger amounts does usually coincide with a growth spurt. The not drinking is dangerous. I have a healthy friend who had a seizure, due to dehydration. A teammate of my daughters ended up in the ER with vertigo and headaches, also diagnosed dehydration. You dont want a dizzy kid in a gym. You need to discuss with her the importance of drinking. It is scary what the consequences can be.

 

[mayestra12]

Yes, I'm nervous about the fluids. I've had lots of "chats" with her about but the talks are not sinking in with her. I'm considering asking her coach at the beginning of summer practice to talk about it with her training group.

Do you let your kids drink gatorade or some other type of sports drink? I may have to consider it for summer. Her gym is one of those warehouse types with open garage style doors. HOT! What about watered down juice?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

water is the best. boring...but the best.

 

[gymgurl]

our gym is very similar to your gym in terms of warehouse with garage style doors and i agree its hot. What i will do sometimes in summer is bring a bottle of water and then gatorade just to get some electrolytes and sugar back into me (i feel dizzy and faint very easily) but i always have to have water after it because one of the coaches told us if you don't have water after your teeth will rot and ever since i've always rinsed my mouth with water. I found i had loads more energy and as soon as it cooled down a bit i went back to just water as you obviously don't sweat as much.