«I'm ashamed because I'm small and thin»

«Why don't you ask Sarah?»

I'm small and quite thin. I play football in the FC. I actually always eat a lot. But I'm still not getting any heavier and I'm only growing a little. I'm ashamed of it, even my colleagues just call me «leek». What can I do to get bigger and more muscular?
Elia, 13 years old

Dear Elia
There are many boys your age who are in the same situation as you. Like you, many are worried that they are too narrow and too small. But in the vast majority of cases, this is completely normal. And it's definitely nothing to be ashamed of.

Unlike girls, boys of the same age as you are usually smaller and lighter. You can probably observe this in your class. The girls are up to a head taller than the boys. And they are also further along in their physical development. This is because girls reach puberty around two years earlier than boys.

But that will soon change: from around the age of 14, boys really start to grow a lot. You can then gain up to ten centimetres in height per year. Boys grow until the age of 19, some even longer. So all I can say to you at the moment is: patience, patience, patience!

Of course, there are differences between all young people. Some are taller or heavier than others. This also has to do with heredity. If you are unsure about how your body will develop over the next few years, you should go to a paediatrician together with your parents. He or she will be able to explain to you exactly where you currently stand in your development and how things will continue.

As you grow, you will also put on weight.

Of course, it's not okay for your mates to call you «leek». People often just say things like that as teasing without giving it much thought. But I understand that it hurts you - especially because appearance is an important issue in adolescence. I would actually like to tell you now that you should explain to the other children that this term hurts you. Unfortunately, I often find that this doesn't really stop the bullying among the boys. But I think it's always worth a try. If this comment is mainly made in football, perhaps you could talk to your coach about it?

You say that you already eat a lot and still hardly gain any weight? At the moment, all your energy is being used for your activities - football, school and other things - and of course in preparation for the growth to come. As you grow, you will also gain weight. By the way: football training consumes around 800 calories per hour - that's quite a lot! Keep it up: The sport is not only good for you, but also trains your muscles constantly - you will benefit from this later on.

More and more boys are starting fitness and strength training during puberty in order to build muscle. In principle, there is nothing wrong with this, but any reputable fitness centre will insist that a young person who is still growing must be professionally supervised when choosing equipment and weights. The entire training programme should be adapted to their age, otherwise there is a risk of negative consequences for the body. Therefore, great caution is required and nothing can be done at the fitness centre without parental consent anyway.

I think that you and all other boys in your situation should simply trust in natural development. You will grow taller and heavier - perhaps faster than you can imagine right now.