HELP! What wrong with my body!!
Has this ever happened to you? You're dressing for an outing and when you pull on your favorite jeans, you can no longer button them. Or you're running down the school field when you notice that your legs rub together in a way they never did before. Maybe when you look in the mirror it seems like your pores are taking over your face.
If you've ever felt such with your body, you're not alone.
Growing Up and Out (or Not)
Most of us are prepared to deal with the obvious physical changes of growing up. Girls expect their breasts to grow and guys expect to become more muscular. But the body often goes through other changes before, during, and after puberty — and sometimes these changes can be very different from the ones we expect to happen. For example, both girls and guys may notice themselves growing in unfamiliar places, such as the butt or belly. Or they may grow taller and skinnier.
Some people get a temporary layer of fat to prepare the body for a growth spurt. Others fill out permanently. Some people eat healthy foods and work out but still gain weight. Others chow down on everything in sight and still stay skinny.
Eventually it all balances out and most people adjust to how their "new" body moves and works. But it can take some getting used to. What happens to people physically during puberty can influence how they feel about their bodies and themselves for a long time to come.
Take Nikki, for example. She was an accomplished dancer with her heart set on following her mother's career in ballet. But at 13, Nikki grew several inches taller and developed the kind of figure most girls long for — unless they're dancers. Nikki's friends envied her curves, but Nikki felt heavy and awkward. Now 19, Nikki says it took her longer to get over the false perception of herself as a fat girl than it did to let go of her dreams of being a dancer.
