Runner trying to gain 5 lbs. Please Help!

Hello everyone, I am pretty new to this site.

I am 14 years old, 5'8, and I weigh 108-110 (never trust my scale). I realize how low of a weight I am at, and NO, it is not a result of an ED. It is simply a result of the fact that I started eating healthier during my cross country season in the fall, and ended up dropping 20 pounds just because I wasn't eating a lot of sweets, I practically was in love with apples, and was running a lot more.

In January, I went to the doctor's for a yearly checkup, and she ordered me to put on some weight. In February, I put on three pounds and got up to 108. Since then, I haven't weighed myself much. I have started running again for track, and also do a lot of 5ks or 4 milers.

Anyways, I am here because I would like some help. I sometimes save my calories for dinner, which is weird, because I really don't need to be counting calories. It's just a weird OCD habit of mine Lol. I don't really eat big breakfasts, but I need help with more calorie dense lunches. My breakfast is usually somewhere between 200-300 calories, and lunch is 300-400. Dinner I eat until I am stuffed, and it can sometimes add up to 1000 cals! I always snakc after dinner too.

I am wondering how many calories I should be eating a day to gain 5 pounds. I run pretty much everyday. I can get all the calories I need, but wow I'm rambeling a lot. My question and reasoning for this post is...

1. Can anyone give me some easy ideas I can use for lunch? Things I can throw together with typical stuff a family would have in their house? Such as sandwhiches, smoothies, fro-yo ideas, salads ideas..etcc..?

2. How many calories should I eat on days I run?

Sorry about the length Lol. I would appreciate any answers to my 2 bolded questions! Thanks!

Oh, and I should add that I DONT AND NEVER HAVE ran to lose weight. I simply do it because I realllllly love it and can not cut it out of  my life. :)

edit: i am not very large-boned, so my doctor and mom both said 115 would be a good weight for me to get up to now. So don't like flip out and say it's too low, please & thank you!

you shouldn't really be counting your calories at 14 years old, you should tune in to your hunger cues and eat like all of your friends, naturally. this is really a bad habit for someone of your age to get into. i won't say that you should stick to a certain number because it will encourage calorie counting, but i have a feeling it's too late for that since you've already said it's an OCD habit. So, according to this site

http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/energy/energ yneeds_calculator.htm

you should be eating around 3000 calories because you are very active, and it looks like you're only eating half of that right now. In your pantry at home you most likely have peanut butter, bread, and jam, so eat a sandwich with 3 tbsp peanut butter and some jam and you have a 500 calories snack. also, a glass of milk with a handful of trail mix, granola, crackers and cheese, or even a couple oatmeal cookies, cereal bar, or something like that would be good to boost your calories. have more fruit juices, dried fruit, crackers and peanut butter, string cheese, just eat!! you are definitely not eating enough though and are pretty underweight with a bmi of 16.8, calculated using the children's recommendations. honestly, it is important for you to eat more because running at this weight is quite dangerous for you!! i hope these suggestions helped! :)

Original Post by chrissy1988:

you should tune in to your hunger cues and eat like all of your friends, naturally.

 True about the hunger thing, but even when I need my snacks calorie-wise, I'm not always "hungry" for them, so hunger can be extremely misleading, especially when you're not used to eating as much.

Heh, if I ate like my friends I'd be eating a ton of junk food and virtually nothing with any nutritional value whatsoever.

my point was simply that at 14 years old, weight, calories, and all that jazz should not be on the forefront of her mind, but it appears that it might be a bit too late for that. which is why i made the food and calorie recommendations that i did, but i completely understand what you're saying ZEBULAN...it makes a lot of sense that sometimes you're not hungry but HAVE TO EAT when you've been consistently undereating for a long time.

chrissy, its not like i hide my calorie counting from my family or that its like a guilty habbit or anything. my whole family counts calories, its just something i'm used to so its no big deal. i do eat when im hungry and just like my friends, i'll end up eating  a whole bag of chips while we watch tv or whatever. i just have problems getting all the calories i need throughout the day because i really enjoy snacking on popsciles and apples. i just have to add in higher calorie things. but thanks though for your concern.

theres really no need for us to post on this anymore, lol.

hi, yeah just to add to that. i used do triathlon for a while and i disagree that its a good idea to go on hunger cues - often when the body temp is increased (like during training) hunger can be supressed for quite a while. so i think put the food into you whether you feel you want it or dont.

its refreshing to see a young girl hoping to put on some weight for her overall health benefits and not getting caught up in ED's

i'm absolutely SO sick of ED's on this site. good for you.

thanks fidget :)

On a side note I think you need to train your body to feel hungry sometimes. I know before my ed there was a time at your age I never ate breakfast. My family was not breakfast eaters anyways I never felt hungry for it. Then I started to eat breakfast and my body when I missed it for one reason or another was super hungry. My point is if you start eating bigger breakfasts and lunch your body will adapt and I bet you will have more energy. Try to think of the food as part of your training for running. You don't want an injury and I read how people who underfuel ed or not are more prone and it makes sense. Do you get your period?That is another concern with osteoporsis. You are going to need a lot of caloried between growing,your height,activity and to gain.

abbi, I have increased my calorie intake A TON this week after joining this site. I am eating pretty much every second of the day, just in smaller amounts and try to hit somewhere around 2700 a day. As for TTOM, I had started it about two years ago, but then it stopped this past fall. I know how bad this is and my doctor said once I put some weight back on, it will start up eventually again. However, she said if it's not back by mid-summer, she's going to put me on some kinda pill (not sure what its called). But my doctor and mom are both awarre that it has stopped so I have GREATLY increased my calories.

I also know that sprinting/intervals revs up metabolism a lot, and since I already have a fast metabolism, I try to push 3000+ calories on days I have track practice.