Help! Teen Boy won't stop eating!

The title says it all.

My son -sigh- I love him, I really do, but...

Let me start off by saying, D was a BIG boy when he was born. I was a petite 110 lbs when I had him, he was 10 lbs 22 in long, and had a 14in head and chest. 0.o ( that's the look on everyone's face when he was born ) He has always eaten like a goat. He will eat just about anything and he likes just about everything, but now that he's hitting puberty ( my gawd he would die if he knew I was writing this ) he is just eating NONSTOP.

I honestly think if I were to butcher a whole cow and put it in front of him, not only would he eat the whole thing, but he would complain there are no potatoes to go with it! Now I know that teen boys eat a lot, and the rumor is they have hollow legs, but holy hell this is like competition sized portions of food.

I can still see his ribs and spine and OMG he is so incredibly scrawny !!

I have been sneaking more fiber into his diet to hopefully fill him up, but I'm worried I may have to start selling body parts on the black market to feed this kid. I've also been told that it's only going to get worse from here.

So my reason for this post is to ask the members here on ATS that have survived teen boys, HOW?! Help me please!

OH and on top of that it's like all common sense has just up and left, and I am seriously beginning to wonder how any male of the human species even survived into adulthood. Everyday I look at my husband and he just shakes his head and says, it's a boy thing, I did it too, and I'm just like HOW!?

I have a daughter too and I have a few more years till she hits puberty (Thank the Gods) and I know how to deal with the disgusting, evil, succubus of a teen girl. But the black hole of a teen boy? I need reinforcements.

Does anyone have any advice, secrets, ideas, is it illegal to put him out to pasture?

I like my kidneys where they are currently, I would really like to not have to resort to selling one just to feed my son I mean I will if I have too, but I would prefer not to.

a reply to: Squirlli

Haha!
(I'm laughing with you NOT at you!)

I truly can relate. When my three boys were still home with me, teens, sports players (two) it really was a struggle to keep them satiated. The oldest was T1D also which threw a new twist into it.
My two girls, no problems (one athletic, one not)

Everyone was a healthy weight, sports helped with that and hurt with the amount of food they needed to consume.

Lots of vegetables seemed to help. As far as portions on a plate, for example. Encouraging water between meals. Offering some sort of cheese with meals also seemed to keep them be fuller, longer.

I'm not so sure this is an answer to get through it. Second job perhaps?

Maybe someone has the answer.

Good luck!

Could be that he's simply growing and like father like son ! .....otherwise, he could be lacking a vitamin , hormone imbalance , tape worm ? , or emotional issue ( subconscious eating to fill void )....and I am no means a doctor, just throwing out other issues my friends kids had.... But since he was a big baby, most likely he follows in his fathers foot steps.... Make him eat more vegetables, apples, salad, filling things . ...Good luck ! I'm sure others with similar problem will be along soon....

He loves to eat. What else does he love to do? Make sure he gets plenty of exercise too. Develop his love of running and playing to balance out his sitting and eating.

Figure out what makes him sweat that he loves to do too.

a reply to: TNMockingbird

3 boys!!!?? How are you not in a straight jacket in a padded room?

Yea more veggies. I would like to use this opportunity to point out how much more expensive it is to eat healthy, than it us to eat horrible.
Maybe I'll start an indoor garden for vegetables this winter .

a reply to: Meldionne1

Oh hes definitely growing. He is going to be so angry when I start sewing ruffles on his jeans to lengthen them. I cant afford to both feed him AND clothe him lol

Tell him to stay off the weed

a reply to: intrptr

Everything. He constantly is going. Running, climbing, fighting invisible zombies and such. Movement is not the issue, its filling him up. Once a week we take him to an all you can eat buffet and just let him loose.

a reply to: Squirlli

I have been a teenage boy.

My advice to you is this:

Feed him till hes full, and give him something to do. Yard work is great when puberty hits, because much of it is just about braun, and little of it is about brains, in the main. Puberty is a frustrating, horrible, and occasionally painful time for a young person of either gender, and although the pain of female puberty is well documented, it is also worth mentioning that males, while they do not generally experience reproductive agony, are often afflicted with bone deep aches, and MASSIVE anxiety, some of which stems from not knowing where their bodies end. To ensure that his muscular development keeps up with his skeletal development (which reduces certain aches associated with growing up), if there is wood in the yard that needs chopped, allow him to chop it. If there is a fire needs setting, let him set it. If the bushes need pruning, if a tree needs cutting down, let him have at it and get his body moving.

Allow him also space. It can be a troubling time for a young lad, and much contemplative and cogitative processing is involved with working out things like where one stands on certain issues, which as a child one might not have needed to consider, but as a young adult will become all the more important.

a reply to: Squirlli

Taking care of a 13 yr old at this time and although he's not likely going to be a tall man, his hunger has increased considerably over this last year. I agree, it's overwhelming at times. The milk and juice he can go through alone!

I guess I don't have advice, just empathy as I'm learning about this too.
Now I'm thinking the buffet is a good idea. Thanks for that!

Do you have a Costco or Sams membership? You can get things in bulk and save a little.

My teen daughter has a pretty good appetite - not nearly like your son, I'm sure. I buy things like potatoes in the huge bags. She eats potatoes pretty much every meal, along with other healthy vegetables. I swear the potatoes really help to fill her up.

The other thing that fills her up is soups. I make crockpots of soup that are loaded with all kinds of stuff - filling, and fairly cheap to make. Soups with garlic bread, and lots of potatoes on the side. Hmmm, now I'm making myself hungry...

a reply to: Squirlli

Don't keep snacks around. No fast food. Cook/make all meals at home, and don't overdo it so you have leftovers. Tell him if he wants more food he will have to work for money to buy it.

Tough but logical love

a reply to: Squirlli

You poor thing , i am 54 and still hit the fridge when i visit the parents . Hope that helps .

originally posted by: Squirlli
a reply to: TNMockingbird
3 boys!!!?? How are you not in a straight jacket in a padded room?
Yea more veggies. I would like to use this opportunity to point out how much more expensive it is to eat healthy, than it us to eat horrible.
Maybe I'll start an indoor garden for vegetables this winter .

I am crazy! Ha!
Yes!
It is expensive. We are fortunate that we have friends who hunt and my children all grew up eating and love venison.
That helps with the proteins.
Our trick (?) was with the oldest boy being diabetic so, it was heavy on the veggies and slight on any carbs. I mean he could eat them, of course but he couldn't make THAT the base of a meal.

Someone mentioned salads. That is fantastic. If he likes veggies keep sacks of raw ones on hand. Hungry between workouts? Raw carrots were great for that.

Kayla mentioned soups. Another fantastic idea. We ate many stews and such, easy for the crock pot in the morning and then ready when everyone got home at night. Different eating schedules so preparation and planning was key so that the kiddos didn't come in starving after school/practice and start grabbing anything out of the fridge.

Tape worm? lol

Slip him some black walnut hull.

Guten Morgen-

Does He get full after Thanksgiving? If "Yes" then just make every meal a Thanksgiving meal. Most people get that "Full" feeling not because they are actually 'full' but they feel that way because they've eaten EXACTLY what they wanted to eat. They've known for 364 days that they'll be dining on a 22lb. Tom and then they'll go and watch the Detroit Lions lose again.

So starting right now> After this evening's dinner have Your son try and think about what He wants for 'breakfast' tomorrow morning. If it is 'waffles and eggs' then it MUST be 'waffle and eggs' and nothing else will SATE Him. When breakfast is over then He is to think about Lunch. When Lunch is done think about Dinner.

You'll also want to have Him chug a mug of Lemon infused water first thing in the morning before His 'waffles and eggs'.

If You want a BigMac and go to McDs and order a Filet-o-fish the eater will NOT be satisfied...

The Psychologists "Eat Anything You Want Diet"...

Bon Appetite

Just wanted to offer my sympathy. I understand. My oldest is 12. He eats. A lot. My issue is my 10 year old daughter. She could hoolahoop through a cheerio, but she is never full. She easily eats more than both my boys combined. I make two meals a day...they also eat twice at school. She is just a bottomless pit.

a reply to: Squirlli

How old is he?

a reply to: Squirlli

Check his stool for worms.

a reply to: chrismarco

He will be 12 on the 22nd of this month.