Will I Get Skinnier After Puberty? What Does a Dietitian Say?

Puberty is a time of raging appetites, increased hormones, and a ever-changing body. Puberty is also a time of change and transformation. With growth spurts and weight shifts, teenagers can feel that their bodies are unfamiliar territory. Weight can change from month to month and height sometimes takes a while to catch up. With all the changes happening in puberty, it can be common for adolescents to wonder, “Will I get skinnier after puberty?”

Teenagers will seem to slim out and appear skinnier after puberty because of the major height growth spurts that occur, however, gaining weight is just as important for a healthy body. Developing healthy habits is crucial at this age for lifelong weight maintenance. Gaining too much weight during puberty is also common. Healthy growth and weight trends can be charted with a trusted healthcare team that includes a dietitian and doctor. Most teens will discover that with healthy habits their bodies will find balance moving into late adolescence and young adulthood.

Read on for more information from a registered dietitian nutritionist on understanding weight gain and loss during the puberty process.

Why Does Weight Gain Occur During Puberty?

Gaining weight during puberty can actually be a sign of health, believe it or not. Weight during the teen years can seem unstable because, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teens have “a tendency to grow in spurts…they may grow faster at times and slower at others.”

Some teens can grow as much as three times faster in a “fast” season of growth than a “slow” season of growth. Teens will vary in the timing of their growth, even among adolescents of comparable ages.

A teen won’t always gain weight and grow taller at the same time. Many teenagers get heavier before they grow taller. This isn’t an issue and shouldn’t be concerning unless long-term weight trends are charting overweight or obese. Bring up any concerns you have with your child’s doctor.

See also:

The Stages of Puberty

Teens may feel confusion or find puberty chaotic, but the maturation process really does contain a clear sequence of stages. The feeling of being off balance and not familiar with your body is due to the changes happening to multiple systems in the body at once.

Major Body Systems Affected During Puberty:

Skeletal
Muscular
Reproductive

If you are worried about all the changes, especially weight changes, take a deep breath, puberty with pass and you’ll grow into your weight.

Body Changes During Puberty

Teenage girls especially experience stark changes in bone, muscle, and fat as they transition into women. Despite media or social media messages, “skinny” does not equal “healthy”. A normal part of puberty is gaining fat, for females that means fuller thighs, stomach and breasts, and wider hips. And for males puberty equals an increase of both fat and lean muscle mass.

Lean body mass in girls diminishes from approximately 80 percent to 75 percent by the end of puberty, while the amount of body fat increases, according to the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. In comparison, the percentage of lean muscle mass in boys increases from about 80 percent to 90 percent by the time they reach adulthood.

Weight gain during puberty is normal and healthy for most teenagers. Failing to gain weight can actually be a signal of disordered eating or unhealthy adolescent growth. Weight gain is important during puberty for lifelong health. Most teenagers gain anywhere from 15-30 pounds (7-14 kilograms) during puberty.

Overweight or obese teenagers may want to limit the amount of weight gained during puberty. For more tips check out my post:

What is the Best Diet Plan for a 16 Year-Old? From a Dietitian

If you are interested in weight loss as a teenager, it’s important to learn what advice is real and legitimate, and what just comes from fad diets and harmful sources. I’ve written an e-Book guide and month-long meal plan to help teens establish habits that will help them get to a healthy weight and maintain it. It will help teens develop attitudes and behaviors that will lead to a positive relationship with food and nutrition throughout their lives.

The book is available in the Downloads section of my website here – Downloadable Content.

Puberty Weight Precautions

Some teen boys or girls may feel awkward if they become heavier or curvier before other friends and classmates, but it’s unhealthy and unwise to attempt to prevent normal weight gain during puberty.

Should Teenagers Get Skinnier After Puberty?

Due to the slim appearance children often have during childhood, as well as the balancing the body experiences following puberty, teenagers can experience an awareness of body fat during puberty. The amount of body fat in relation to growth actually remains relatively stable. However, body fat differs during puberty in location and accumulation.

How Much Weight Should I Gain During Puberty?

The average weight gain during puberty is 6.5 pounds a year, with the appropriate weight gain range being approximately 4-7 pounds per year. That being said, each individual is different. More or less weight than the average can still be healthy.

To establish whether or not you or your teen are at an appropriate weight, you can always ask your healthcare team. Dietitians can help determine if a teen is being properly nourished. Doctors can also help in recording and analyzing regular measurements of growth and development.

What Affects Weight After Puberty?

A variety of environmental, medical, physical, and psychological influences can affect weight during puberty. Doctors and dietitians can help diagnose and treat possible triggers and alleviate symptoms. They can also help establish a plan for maintaining healthy weight based on a teen’s unique weight struggles.

Here are some common reasons a teen’s weight will change after puberty:

Genes

Genetics can play a role in growth patterns. Understanding the family history of a teen can not only help in knowing what weight trends preceded them — it can also help teens be aware of risk factors for disease.

This can better prepare a teen for the future and remind them that health is largely impacted by lifestyle choices and healthy habits. It’s better to start healthy habits now than to try to change bad habits later on. If you develop healthy habits in your teenage years to maintain a healthy weight, then you’ll likely never have to diet for the rest of your life.

Environmental Factors

What environmental factors affect weight? Environmental influences, such as dietary patterns, behaviors and habits, too much screen time, food environments, physical activity environments, and too little sleep affect weight for teenagers. Nutrition is an important aspect of normal growth, so much so that not consuming a well-balanced diet can cause weight problems.

Gender

Males and female bodies change as puberty affects the skeletal, muscular, and reproductive systems.The changes happening to teenage girls prepare their bodies for the potential of pregnancy. Bodies experience significant changes to support this shift, and hormones can cause growth in both body size and shape. Lean body mass can decrease by about 5% during puberty while body fat increases. This is good and healthy and normal.

Boys, on the other hand, increase in percentage of lean muscle mass from around 80% to 90% by the time they reach adulthood. For boys and girls, exercise can help to maintain a healthy body fat percentage while supporting the normal stages of growth and development.

Other

Medications and medical conditions can also affect growth and development. Weight may be gained or lost abnormally, especially if a teen’s health condition affects hormone production or regulation.

What Should I Do If I’m Concerned About Weight?

If you are concerned about your weight (or your teen’s weight), the best course of action is to take your concerns to your dietitian and doctor. Healthcare professionals can help diagnose nutritional deficiencies, hormone or growth disorders, and other conditions that can impact weight management.

Healthy Tips for Managing Post-Puberty Weight

Stay at a healthy weight by incorporating these nutrition and wellness tips:

Attend Regular Appointments

At yearly check-ups, a doctor or dietitian will check your weight to make sure you are growing properly. They can evaluate your weight trends and suggest positive shifts to make in your health and lifestyle. Generally, they will advise that you maintain a regular exercise regimen and be mindful of portion sizes.

Spot Symptoms

Recognize that not all weight changes are normal. Abnormal weight loss can cause a variety of symptoms, including (but not limited to) the following:

Constipation
Dehydration

Fatigue
Low blood pressure
Stunted growth or development

Change in or absence of menstruation (period)
Dizziness or fainting (syncope)
Inability to regulate body temperature

Malnutrition (especially protein energy malnutrition or PEM)
Weakness

See a doctor if you (or your teen) has experienced any of the above.

See A Specialist

Certain medical conditions can cause abnormal growth trends. Whether as a result of the condition, medications, or symptoms, seeing a healthcare specialist regularly can help you establish if you are at a healthy weight.

Teens and young adults with the following conditions should seek specialist care for individualized weight recommendations:

Addison’s disease

Cancer
Celiac disease
Crohn’s disease

Cystic Fibrosis
Depression
Diabetes

Eating disorders
HIV/AIDS
Hypercalcemia

Hyperthyroidism
Parasites
Sensory processing disorders

Ulcerative colitis
and more

When in doubt, check in with your doctor. Your doctor can refer you to the right dietitian or other specialist.

Get to Know Your Medicine Cabinet

Medications can interfere with hormones, your metabolism, and other growth agents. Be sure to examine the medications you take and understand the side effects.

The following medications are common culprits of weight changes:

Anti-anxiety drugs

Antibiotics
Anti-cancer
Bi-polar drugs

Cardiovascular drugs
Stimulants

Loving Language

Terms like “baby fat” or “skinny” can often cause negative feelings for teens. It’s important to understand that everyone is different and that each teen will go through the stages of growth differently. Whether talking about your own experience or with someone else, try and promote positive body image by focusing the conversation on healthy ways to manage weight.

Grow “Good” Gut Bacteria

The human body thrives best when there is a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. Encourage a good intestinal environment by eating nutrient-rich foods. You can also talk to your dietitian about taking probiotics or eating probiotic and prebiotic foods.

Establish Effective Boundaries

In a time of increasing independence, substance abuse can be tempting. However, abusing stimulants, narcotics, depressants, and other dangerous chemicals can cause significant weight loss. Depriving the body of much needed nutrients in place of poor habits is a terrible way to start off adulthood.

Instead, focus on knowing healthy limits and what is off-limits. Understand how to drink responsibly and in moderation when the time comes, and have an answer prepared for if you are offered toxic substances.

Consider the consequences of ingesting harmful chemicals. Smoking cigarettes and marijuana may trigger a stress response that lowers growth hormones and ultimately stunts growth. Studies are continually looking into the link between smoking, weight gain, and disease risk.

Allow Expectations to Evolve

The changes that happen before, during, and after puberty can often be different that the ones that we expect. It’s important to allow for evolving expectations to account for seasons of growth. Keep in mind that the teenage and young adult body is relatively resilient and that most changes in weight are temporary.

Beware of Comparison

Each teen will have a different experience with weight. It is important not to compare yourself or your teen with other teens — no matter how similar they may seem from the outside. Remember, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” body!

Treat Your Body & Mind Well

Make choices with the goal of wellness. Weight can fluctuate, so focusing on healthy habits can promote positive feelings that prompt long-term benefits. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself to experience the full range of emotions.

Here are some positive ways to cope with your body changes and weight fluctuations:

Learn a new skill, hobby, or sport

Practice your talents and things you are good at
Walk the dog, throw a frisbee, dance
Go for a hike and be physically active

Spend time with friends
Sing karaoke
Try a new food

Establish a Healthy Eating Pattern

Hyper-focusing on specific nutrients can create a limited intake of food. Instead, encourage teens to intake a variety of vitamin and mineral rich foods. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes make delicious and nutritious additions to almost any meal.

Try filling at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables and making half of your grains whole-grain.

Here are some examples of high nutrient picks:

Dark green vegetables
Red fruits and vegetables
Orange fruits and vegetables

Whole fruits and vegetables
Oats, quinoa, brown rice, popcorn

Get Moving (Even if Just for a Moment!)

Walking or biking instead of driving can improve muscle growth and bone development. Engaging in a sport you love can create balance in the body. The best type of movement for you to get to a healthy weight is the kind you enjoy and will commit to doing regularly.

Fun and unconventional activities for teens and young adults include:

Jump rope
Hula hoop

Roller skating
Obstacle courses
Scavenger hunts

Rock climbing
Flag football
Rock wall climbing

Hiking
Dance party
A one-song workout

A TV-show (one-episode) workout

Incorporating short activities into your day can add up and make a big difference!

Make Healthy Habits a Priority

Teens tend to be busy. However, ingraining healthy habits in youth sets adolescents up for a healthier adult life. Healthy lifestyles are achievable, especially with an encouraging support system — no matter what your schedule looks like.

Fast foods and unhealthy choices rope teens in with their convenience factor. What most teens don’t know is that healthy, quick recipes are more nutritious and may even take less time than waiting in the drive-thru line. For example, overnight oats have high levels of fiber and protein that can promote height growth — and most recipes take less than five or ten minutes to mix and prepare. So the the time to make a healthy sandwich, throw together a wrap, or mix a salad. It’s always worth the investment in your health.

The Final Word

Each teen has a unique experience with weight, and “skinnier” doesn’t always equal “healthier” after puberty. Understanding how to establish healthy habits can carry teenagers into a thriving young adult life. Making connections with healthcare providers, finding family history of illness, and promoting positive perspectives can help keep teens afloat when weight changes occur due to the puberty process.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. Physical Changes During Puberty. Healthychildren.org. Published December 19, 2014.

Castle J. Have I hit my growth spurt yet? (13 Signs It’s Happening). Jillcastle.com. Published September 12, 2020.

Children’s Health. Pediatric and Adolescent Abnormal Weight Loss. Childrens.com. Accessed April 2021.

John Hopkins Medicine. Healthy Eating During Adolescence. Hopkinsmedicine.org. Accessed April 6, 2021.

John Muir Health. Nutrition for Teens. Johnmuirhealth.com. Accessed April 6, 2021.

Lyness D. Help! Is This My Body? Kidshealth.org. Published July 2015.

National Institutes of Health. Take Charge of Your Health: A Guide for Teenagers. Niddk.nih.gov. Published December 2016.

United States Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. Dietaryguidelines.gov. Published December 29, 2020.

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