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About Me
- Laura Offutt MD
- BA from Columbia College in NYC. MD from Northwestern University in Chicago. Trained in Internal Medicine. Mom of two kids. Medical experience in research, teaching, and patient care. Interested in public health education and in correcting medical misinformation in the media. So, I am a Real Doctor with Real Talk about Real Health for Real Teens. Real Talk doesn't replace a conversation with your doctor, your parent, or another supportive adult in your life, but Real Talk with Dr. Offutt can be a place to get involved in your own health!
6 comments:
This is a very important topic in an era that is dominated by sports and the desire to win at all costs. The pressure to win can be self-imposed, come from your peers, your parents, or your coach--as you've pointed out.
I don't think people realize-coaches, athletes, parents, myself included-what could happen to your body when someone goes through these very common measures to lose weight. Thanks for opening my eyes!
Could you maybe please talk about how some teens just can't stand disappointing people? Like say, how you lie about homework so you don't disappoint your parents? Also, could you talk about how some teens feel very uncomfortable telling the truth about their lives because they're afraid they may be seen as different or gross or wrong or bad?
Melinda, thanks for your comment. I think what you have suggested is a great topic. We'll definitely put something together around that. What do you think would be the most helpful: How to be yourself even if you worry that disappoints someone else? Or how to interact with parents / others when that happens? There is a lot in that topic we can work with....
Many of my friends are on the crew team, and they are constantly talking about working out and their various food restrictions placed on them by the crew coach. They talked about what they work going to eat that meal, and the meal after that,and the meal after that. What they called 'eating healthy' slowly became their obsession. They would tell anyone who would listen how long they exercised the day before. Not only did they talk about their weight far to often, but they made the people around them start to question their own eating and exercise habits.
You bring up some really important points. One, there can be a nutrition issue and disordered eating problem now for athletes that have to make weight. But then also, that many of these athletes go on to have a lifelong problem with food issues and binge eating disorders. It is so hard to know what to do, but your best resource ( or your friend's best resource) is their doctor, who can afvise on what healthy eating should look like for that individual.
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