Teen Weight Gain Tips

What girl in the world wants to hear "We want you to gain weight" from a doctor? Having CF you hear that a lot more than you'd like and normally we really need to listen.

Being a female and a teen at one point I know how difficult that issue can be. Even the smallest girls weighing in at 90lbs will still have that "skinny girl" complex.

With Cystic Fibrosis it is so tricky to gain weight and even more so to maintain that weight. Especially while watching what you eat to stay healthy. Depending on your particular CF, medications that make you sick or not hungry, and a lifestyle, it is a tricky thing to manage. Sometimes even if you are not hungry, you need to force food down. In worse cases a feeding tube is needed for a lot of Cystics to maintain weight, that is a different blog.

For now, a few tips for weight gain that can be simple and personally I have come acrossed to be successful.

• Always have portable "fatty foods" as ready to eat snacks. Such as;
Trail mix
Granola, protein and snack bars
Fig bars
Cheese and cracker packs
Shakes, canned or bottled
Individual peanut butter packets Muffins
Graham crackers,
Vanilla wafers,
Nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, etc.) Sunflower seeds
Raisin bread
Pretzels
Cereal Single-serving
Juice or milk boxes
Dried fruit
Bottles of frappuccino
Pudding snacks (some brands do not have to be refrigerated)
Hot cocoa mix
Fresh fruit

• Start making meals easier to get ready so you can just grab something quick or in between meals so it doesn't get too hectic. 

• TAKE ALL MEDICATIONS AND VITAIMINS AS DIRECTED! I know it's tough, believe me, I know. However, we do not absorb things as we should which is why you're having issues to begin with.

• Birth Control is a good way to help keep and put on weight. Depending on medications BC pills can counteract your medications, so this is something that NEEDS to be discussed with your CF doctor.

 Most importantly, stay active. The more you advance in muscle the more you weigh and the healthier you are. No, I am not saying join a gym or become a body builder unless you're healthy and what to. Just stay as active as possible, keep eating healthy high calorie, high fat foods, and stay on top of things.

Information and fun ideas to help younger ones with eating please read Food & CF

For more tips on life with Cystic Fibrosis like me on Facebook!

Love & Weight,
   Sandi