@nycdad posted:Just my opinion and what worked for my kids. When initially gaining weight, eating "clean" was not a priority. At 14, just put on the weight, you can dial in your nutrition later, but get the weight on. If you overwhelm a 14yo with nutrition lectures, you will lose.
Also before it's brought up....Lifting weights does not stunt growth. There is 0 evidence supporting otherwise.
TBH, unless a kid is physically mature to put on weight I wouldn’t even worry about it until they are. I’d stick with proper training and hope they start eating more as a result. To your point about the lectures, I 100% agree. That’s why they have to be committed and it has to be their idea. I used to tell my son he needed to gain weight and it didn’t get results. I also don’t think he was physically mature yet to add good weight. Then a college coach told him if he wanted to be taken seriously in recruiting he’d need to add weight. At that point it was his idea and goal and I just provided the food. When it was my idea he was eating primarily junk. When it was his idea it was mostly good food.