I'm scared it's finally happening...

So I've been a pretty skinny dude all my life. Growing up I could eat as much of anything I wanted, never exercise and still stay lanky. Now I'm 20 years old and I think my high metabolism has decided to give me the cold shoulder. I'm 5'10" and was 120 lbs at the end of 2006. Now I'm 150. My mom is overweight and my dad would be considered somewhere between overweight and a healty weight.

Is there any way for me to figure out if I'm showing the beginnings of an overweight adult if I keep living and eating the way I do?

wow, 120?? really? for a guy your height thats a bit interesting. Im 5'5 and my healthy weight is between 110-130. at 5'10 I would think that it was normal to be 160-190. I know guys who are shorter and lean and are much more then that. 150 doesn't sound bad at all... just keep tabs on it. obviously at the rate your going you will eventually become overweight. gaining 15 pounds a year isnt classified as good. Personally, as a girl... who likes tall guys... I don't like the bones... either gain some muscle or fat. lol

Yes you will keep gaining weight with your lifestyle. Cut back on snacks and soda and do some excersize. Get at least 2000 calories a day to maintain your 150 weight or whatever your goal is.

genetics are just one piece of the puzzle.  learn about nutrition, start paying close attention, and stay as active as you can.  but don't start restricting.  there's no reason you can't keep your metabolism high as long as you keep fueling the fire.  i mean - you're only 20.

Boys, when they hit puberty, grow so fast that their weight doesn't have time to catch up. I mean, 120 and 5'10--think about how ridiculously skinny that is! So don't put too much stock into the sudden weight gain.

At 20, you're probably still growing...I believe boys grow until 22 or so. If your doctor says you are, don't worry about the eating. But as pgeorgian said, it's always a good idea to stay active and learn about proper nutrition!

I think its important to worry about the eating. This place revolves around staying and being healthy. I don't recommend eating like a teenager anymore. being healthy is important even for us young people. Maybe not in an extreme way like counting calories but I think when we reach 20 (which I am) we need to grow up and start taking proper care of ourselves.

Well, you could be putting on muscle, which is awesome. If i were u, i would check my bodyfat percentage now (make sure its between 8-18% which is considered fit for a young man), then if u put on more weight, say 10lbs, check it again. If it rises like 4-5 percent, then u know u are putting on fat, and you should try watching what you eat or exercise more. But if it is more or less then same, that means u are putting on muscle, and your body composition is staying the same, which is good.

I was 130lbs two years ago, and now I'm 150lbs. But at both times, my bodyfat was 12%, which is at the fit level, and it shows that I gained muscle, and that I didn't get fatter but just more muscular.

You are still growing.  Get plenty of exercise so the growing you do is all muscle.  Your bones are getting denser too and they weigh a lot.  Your weight will increase as your body matures, but it doesn't have to be fat!

Right now, instead of worrying about your weight, do something to make sure you learn to eat and exercise right for life.  Here are some resources to help you with that

Using a Food Pyramid  Learn the proportions of healthy food you need for a balanced diet

The World's Healthiest Foods  Learn what foods give you the most nutrtional bang for your buck.  This is a non profit website devoted to promoting healthy eating.

CC Advice - just click on the tab and access an amazing library of information. See Ask Mary and blogs by About.com experts and long time CC members.

If you do these things you'll never be overweight and you'll never have to diet.  This is for the rest of your life!

Start eating healthy while you are still this young , i had the same thing happen to me. I was 140 around 20 at 6 foot 1 and at 23 i was hitting 190.

I am now hovering around 160 which is healthy weight for my height, 150 - 160 is perfect for your height. As you grow older your metabolism will slow down if you let it...work out lots and keep the fire stoked with good food and you will be fine =)