Player Weight !

[chinamigarden]

China - There is a gluten free restaurant in Flagstaff, AZ called Picazzos. It is wonderful. My heart goes out to your DD. And - I am aware of eating disorders. Man, it is a viscous circle. My friend obviously had a food addiction, which in itself is a struggle.

There are more and more places with gluten free menus. The real problem is cross contamination. If you go to a place and order a steak but the cook has flour on his hand when he handles the steak, or cooks something breaded in the fryer next to the french fries. Its a problem.

 

[Eric F]

One of the things I like about having my DD playing softball is that the sport isn't heavily driven by body image. Having my DD in an environment that is based on who you are and what you do, rather than what you look like, is important to me and the messages I want my DD to learn from. The best softball players in the world come in lots of different shapes and sizes, and I like that my DD has that to look up to. Eating healthy and staying fit are steps towards becoming a better player, not fitting into a certain body image.

 

[CoogansBluff]

The parents should be ashamed of themselves.

Good post except for this statement, IMO. I'm not going to judge parents based on the size of their kids.

 

[slingnit]

I believe it is the players health that is most important and it is surely not a fat or skinny answer. Weight may or may not be a factor. There are plenty of thin and average size kids that are very unhealthy(eating McD's, nachos, Twinkies, etc...) and larger kids that are for the most part very healthy(play sports, eat healthy,...). Size is ultimately not the deciding factor of health with MOST kids. There are many kids that start off on the heavy side when they were young and "grow into their bodies" as they get older. If your kid is involved in sports or performing some type of physical activity on a regular basis and maintaining a good diet chances are they are reasonably healthy. Personally I think the responsibilty is on the parents. If health and/or weight(too thin, too heavy, gets winded easily, whatever) is a problem then it will show on the field. At that point a coach SHOULD be able to approach the parents and inform them of the situation. But that usually doesn't happen. Either the coach is reluctant to approach parents or kids quit. The fact weight and health can not be discussed without someone being offended is just plain stupid. You see it every weekend, kids chowing down on NOTHING BUT CRAP, hotdogs, nachos, sodas. Health is more than how much you weigh! My daughter would be considered overweight(closing in on obese) according to our gov't and the CDC. I would be very hesitant to call here anything but healthy and definitly not fat. I'm sure many of you can relate that with your kids. Sorry, my thoughts were all over the place and most of the post jumped around.


Height: 5 feet, 9 inches
Weight: 180 pounds

Your BMI is 26.6, indicating your weight is in the Overweight category for adults of your height.

For your height, a normal weight range would be from 125 to 169 pounds.


People1 who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

BMI
Weight Status
Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5—24.9 Normal
25.0—29.9 Overweight
30.0 and Above Obese

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I just saw a gluten free restaurant, with a sign that said "No outside soda, etc. to prevent cross contamination.

 

[SCDad]

I think he deleted his post, which was directly above mine. It makes mine look like I have had a crazy rant moment, lol.
He talked about how he watches his physically fit DD sit the bench because she didnt "hustle" enough and a bigger girl took her spot at 1st base even though his daughter can jog faster than the other can run. He mentioned that the coaches have no problem telling his DD (who works hard and is fit) her short comings, but no one ever tells the bigger girls they are fat, actually it was FAT. Of course I am paraphasing. But I am sure you can get the gist of it.

A side note, how did they diagnose your DD? Is she given digestive enzymes to aide the digestive process? I hope you don't mind me asking.

Yeah, I deleted my post. You were right, it sounded bitter.

My only point remains is that my DD gets criticized (coached) for everything you can imagine , not hustling (fixed), does not work hard enough (getting better), lets bad past play affect the future (work in progress), can't throw always (work in progress), bad attitude (fixed). Every single one of her ball playing weaknesses have been pointed out to her, and hurt her feelings. But took a coach to tell her (not dad) for her to understand, and work on it.

And if telling her did not work, they sat her on the bench. Now ... I am glad they did!! If this simple technique worked with mine, why could it not .... ?

She has a big body, constantly works to keep her weight down. Skips meals, weighs herself constantly, works out with weights, one of the few who keeps with the high school workout program. Chips of any kind do not exist in the house, nor are ever bought at a convenience store. No McDonald's ever. No frappie's, no milkshakes, no ice cream (ok, thats a lie), no fat. Chick Fillet is her treat.

Yet, she is considered "lucky" by some parents to have a terrific build. If I was not polite, I would give the parents who consider mine lucky, a piece of my mind. But don't and sometimes it shows up on a message board.

 

[softball_mom#7]

Yeah, I deleted my post. You were right, it sounded bitter.

My only point remains is that my DD gets criticized (coached) for verything you can imagine , not hustling (fixed), does not work hard enough (getting better), lets bad past play affect the future (work in progress), can't throw always (work in progress), bad attitude (fixed). Every single one of her ball playing weaknesses have been pointed out to her, and hurt her feelings. But took a coach to tell her (not dad) for her to understand, and work on it.

And if telling her did not work, they sat her on the bench. Now ... I am glad they did!! If this simple technique worked with mine, why could it not .... ?

She has a big body, constantly works to keep her weight down. Skips meals, weighs herself constantly, works out with weights, one of the few who keeps with the high school workout program. Chips of any kind do not exist in the house, nor are ever bought at a convenience store. No McDonald's ever. No frappie's, no milkshakes, no ice cream (ok, thats a lie), no fat. Chick Fillet is her treat.

Yet, she is considered "lucky" by some parents to have a terrific build. If I was not polite, I would give the parents who consider mine lucky, a piece of my mind. But don't and sometimes it shows up on a message board.

It's ok better to vent here than elsewhere. After being so involved in the thread about "weight" I had a lightbulb moment when I read your last post; it clicked. You hurt for your DD, any good parent does. I have been there and I am sure I will be there again.

Here is my advice to you and your DD:

1) Don't skip meals. The body needs to be fueled. If she feels famished she has gone too long without eating. When you skip meals, the body goes into starvation yet it still needs nutrition and It will pull it from where it can, muscle. It is better to eat on a schedule.

2)ALWAYS eat breakfast as it kickstarts the metabolism. Eat healthy. Fruit without too much natural sugar, whole grain oats. Quinoa is good, a bit bland in taste but good for the body. 6 small healthy meals a day if she can. With school back in session that hard for my DD to do. Try to choose foods with limited ingredients. Low fat foods are not always the best.

3) Help her educate herself on how to eat in a healthy manner (nutitionist, books, whatever you think is best). The body is a lot if checks and balances.

4) Remind her she is beautiful the way she is but you are proud if her for choosing to live a healthy lifestyle. Let her know that what she is doing (working out, eating right..) isn't just for softball, it is for HERSELF; to help improve all aspects of her life. Please don't let her get obsessed with the numbers on the scale.

 

[CoogansBluff]

1) Don't skip meals. The body needs to be fueled. If she feels famished she has gone too long without eating. When you skip meals, the body goes into starvation yet it still needs nutrition and It will pull it from where it can, muscle. It is better to eat on a schedule.



4) ... Please don't let her get obsessed with the numbers on the scale.

Excellent post. These two nuggets particularly, IMO.

 

[MandM]

Excellent post. These two nuggets particularly, IMO.

The truth of the #1 statement just so your DD knows is not only will the body draw its calories from muscle (not good), the metabolic rate (the calorie burning engine in other words) will slow, in effect making the caloric requirements to gain weight less.

2000 calorie deficit to lose 1lb.
Lower food intake by 100 calories (bag of chips) (hopefully healthy choices) if weight is stable
Expend 100 extra calories/day (15 minutes extra of activity, give or take, walking etc)
200 calories X 10 days = 2000 calories = one pound every two weeks, by spring softball - down 10 lbs.

With regard to photo posted- that woman looks healthy to me, weight varies by muscle mass, more muscle mass more weight (e.g. I rowed crew in college, weighed 165 lbs on my 5'8" frame- later in life, at 20 pounds lighter - same clothes fit, when muscle mass (sadly) was gone. Now (again sadly) back up to 160- I am not that size anymore! So, there is no set equation to the "right weight" but it is important to know that for KIDS, a BMI that puts them in the overweight range is a significant predictor (i.e.red flag) for them being obese later in life- and Obesity (by medical terms indicated earlier) - is truly a MEDICAL issue as it shortens life expectancy just like heart disease. Currently 35% of the adult population in the US is considered obese and obesity in children is at epidemic proportions.

If your child had heart disease - would you not try to get them the best medical care? We (as parents) need to have a better understanding of the LONG TERM impact that obesity has on our children's future lives- and address the issue head on. all that being said-

Kids and girls in particular, are BOMBARDED with images in the media that give them UNREALISTIC expectations as to the ideal body image- it is totally crazy and particularly hard on girls. Dads, just try taking your DD to Justice or any of those Tween shops, if you have an athletic sized daughter- pickings can be slim. If a player raises the issue with you as the coach and says "this is my goal, I want the best chance to play softball at the highest level"= and you see evidence that her weight is affecting her ability to get achieve her goal"- it is a topic to raise with the parents- The parent is the person who knows the girl best, and can bring the topic up in a way that is sensitive and supportive. Parents seek advice from batting coaches, pitching coaches etc, why not a nutritionist? Refer them to someone who has the knowledge necessary to help with the issue in a way that is healthy.

Also- if a girl who is 5'7" 170 lbs feels her weight is affecting her performance, that does not mean she needs to be 140 lbs!- Losing 5 or 10 lbs would make an impact and is a realistic goal for an active athlete.

PS At the college world series, commentators noted that Keilani Ricketts- who BTW looks healthy and athletic to me- HAD lost weight (5-10 lbs) through a fitness program since the 2012 CWS, and that her pitching endurance had improved as a result)

 

[softball_mom#7]

The truth of the #1 statement just so your DD knows is not only will the body draw its calories from muscle (not good), the metabolic rate (the calorie burning engine in other words) will slow, in effect making the caloric requirements to gain weight*less.

Thank you for finishing my late night thoughts!

weight varies by muscle mass, more muscle mass more weight

Another reason not to get obessed with a number on the scale.