what is a healthy weight for 5'6" 16 yr old girl?

I'm asking because Im 123 and my doctor said I was perfect but i still dont have my period back, my hair is still thin, and my hands and feet are still cold. I dont understand i have not gone under my maintenance at all. Should I wait longer?

A healthy weight for a girl your height is anything up to 152lbs... http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/bmiz2.html 

However, there's a big difference between being a healthy weight and being healthy..... Bodies are not light-switches.  You don't reach a certain weight and 'click' everything is OK again.  Not that simple.  Damage your body badly enough over a period of time and it will take months of care and attention for it to fully recover. 

Your hair, for example, reflects your state of health about three months ago... so there's a time-lag.  If your circulation is poor and you're cold all the time then it could be because you haven't got enough fat on your body.  And lack of body-fat would be just one of the many reasons why periods stay absent.

I read in this post  http://caloriecount.about.com/confused-ft1409 04 that you're only on 1700 cals a day.  If you looked at the chart I posted earlier and entered your stats you'll see that you need more like 2100 cals a day to maintain and I think you'd feel better much more quickly if you did.

But these are just educated guesses.   Keep listening to whoever is supervising you medically.  Follow their advice.  Look after yourself. 

thanks gi_jane, I'll add more fats. But I am confused I was informed that body fat is different than the fat you eat. I hear that you need to gain weight for you period to come back and then I hear like you are telling me that you are supposed to eat more fats?

Body fat is one of the places where the body stores excess energy.  Doesn't matter where that energy comes from or what kind of food ... 

The fat you eat is very energy-dense so it's a good choice for someone like you who is trying to create excess energy and gain body-weight including body-fat.  Fats are also essential for good body and brain function.... they act as a lubricant in the digestion, they improve the condition of hair and nails, they contain certain nutrients that aren't available in other foods.  So if you include more fats in your diet, you're more likely to get better nourishment together with more energy.... both of which you need.

Good foods for you to get more of would be olive oils, nuts and nut butters, full-fat dairy products, oily fish, red meats, whole eggs, avocados.

aw i can't have dairy products cause Im lactose intolerant but I'll definetly be adding nuts! Im not a fan of peanut butter.. I spread it on my bagel this morning and finished it only cause I forced myself to eat it (which I won't due again because i shouldnt FORCE myself to eat anything) due to its fat content. It wasn't bad but id rather have some veggie cheese on that bagel =].

Have you tried other nut butters? Some people prefer almond butter.

Also, there's a big difference between natural PB and skippy or jiff - eat the real thing (ingredients should be limited to "peanuts"), for taste and for health.

hmm no i havn't tried any other butters. i love almonds! didnt kno there was an almond butter..

If you can't tolerate butter eat full-fat margarine and spread it on thickly... there are some nice ones made with olive oil.   Nuts make a very good snack... trail mix is a nice way to get some variety.  Ever tried mashed avocado spread on toast with lots of black pepper?  Lovely. 

If you don't eat a lot of meat (veggie cheese?) then you need to find other foods that have a rich iron content.  Low iron stores (you don't have to be clinically anaemic) can affect menstruation and a lot of other things besides.   Iron-rich foods would include red meats, dark green vegetables, beans, lentils, chickpeas, dried apricots, wholemeal bread, other wholegrain foods, fortified breakfast cereals.  Do you take a daily multivitamin with iron, for example?

Spinach also has a lot of iron. I was once anaemic but that was when I was 14. And I do eat meat. I love seafood. I like jerkey too. Isn't that red meat? Just too much sodium hehe. I also eat chicken. As for the multivitamin, i take one daily along with oscal(calcium and vitamin D supplement).

Funnily enough spinach isn't all that good a source of iron... Things like kale, broccoli &  watercress are better.   Have a good-sized portion (3 or 4oz) with your evening meal.

I saw the menu you listed on another thread...   Turkey deli slices and a tiny Wendy's chicken salad are OK as meat sources but you probably need a few juicy home-cooked steaks in the mix... beef & lamb.  Rather than egg whites at breakfast try eating plenty of whole eggs... the iron's in the yolk together with lots of other good nutrients.  Try wholemeal bread rather than potato bread... it contains B vitamins and iron.  And try to avoid diet foods like WW products... they're too low-cal and tend to be full of 'extras' to make up for the lack of fat and flavour. As well as all those veggie protein shakes how about some real veggie proteins?.... beans, lentils, tofu?  Yes, you do seem to eat a lot of salt!!!  But one step at a time, I suppose.

If you like seafood try to get oily fish on your plate at least twice a week.  Salmon, herring or mackerel are all full of Omega 3 oils... excellent for health and a good way to get up to that 2100-2500 cals a day you really need.

the ww stood for whole wheat.. lol. I don't like egg yolks =/ I have tried tofu and like it a lot. I would take the soft tofu and mix it with cinnamon. I know that sounds wierd but it tasted good, it was like a rice pudding to me. I got the vegan protein powder(pea protein and cranberry protein along with another but i forgot) in case I had a milkshake craving.

It takes your body roughly 6 to 8 months to regain it's strength and in your case meaning making your hair stronger and maybe even getting your period back depending on how much you exercise. It's weird how the body works but the first 6 to 8 months of not eating very much and pretty much starving - the results of it really don't show (other than weight loss) but then after those first months your hair starts to thing, nails become brittle etc... but as you put weight on or stay at a healthy weight - your body will repair itself but it certainly does take time - as with everything!

Original Post by giasbash6260:

It takes your body roughly 6 to 8 months to regain it's strength and in your case meaning making your hair stronger and maybe even getting your period back depending on how much you exercise. It's weird how the body works but the first 6 to 8 months of not eating very much and pretty much starving - the results of it really don't show (other than weight loss) but then after those first months your hair starts to thing, nails become brittle etc... but as you put weight on or stay at a healthy weight - your body will repair itself but it certainly does take time - as with everything!

i guess ill just have to wait then..thanks =]