How I Gained Much Weight As a Young Teenager

How I Gained Weight as a Young Teen

1)  A love of grated Parmesan cheese.  

     Nummy!  I liked to eat it by pouring some into the palm of my hand, and then throwing it into my mouth.   

     As well, when I was around 12, and my parents finally had a microwave, I made the following, and for the record, was very proud of this recipe:

      Step 1:  Assemble Wonder Bread (or whatever bread we had), Miracle Whip,  grated Parmesan cheese and a small plate. Butter knife to spread the mayo product. 

     Step 2: Spread Miracle Whip fairly thickly on one slice of bread.   

     Step 3: Sprinkle copious amounts of grated Parmesan cheese on top of the Miracle Whip.  

     Step 4: Place in microwave on high for 35 seconds.  

     Step 5:  Enjoy - the aroma, the taste - everything! 

2) Asthma that was not under good control.  Several bursts of presnisone.  

     Exercise was an issue.  I was also going through one entire "rescue" inhaler (albuterol, mainly) every three weeks.   It wasn't until I was a senior in college that I got on good asthma meds that really helped me. 

3)  Love of chocolate chips, potato chips, mac & cheese, cookies . . . just one (or one serving) never sufficed.  Definitely some emotional eating, too!  

4) Cheddar cheese.  On anything.  And everything.

5) Eating while reading . . .  holed up in my room with library books. 

6) My body was genetically programmed.

I'm serious. It is from my maternal grandmother.  Despite all of my eating, my weight was not bad at all until all the the womanly hormones hit just before my 13th birthday.  Suddenly I gained a ton of weight overnight. I can prove it with photos I will not post here.