How to help child lose weight?

[Anonymous]

My daughter is 16 and I'm so worried she is getting too fat. We had a talk about it and she weighed herself and she is 210ibs. What can I do?

[GoodManDave]

She has to want to do it herself. That’s a lot of it. But, providing options will help.


A lot of the grown ups in my life were nasty and went overboard with comments. My mom was heavy for much of her life, but made a lot of snide remarks about my weight (she lost some weight because of health issues, but still looked heavy for a while). That didn’t change things, obviously.


I had fat moments and thin moments. Sometimes rail thin. I was usually the thinnest person in the room (even when I was overweight, shy of obese) for several family weddings for years, and most of our family has struggled with morbid obesity for most of their lives… so she had little room for constant comments when I started gaining (never got heavier than overweight / edge of technically “obese” by the way). Sometimes being snide will work in the short term, but I think it usually creates more long term issues, so I don’t recommend it.


So, you can help, and you can encourage.


Cook the meals (if you don’t) and make them healthier. Have the kids help. Cut back on going out, if you do that a lot.


Spend time with them (if you don’t already) and encourage physical playing. Go for family walks, have them walk the dog, get some physical games, like a Kinect or something. maybe get outside when there’s good weather.


If you can afford a family gym membership without breaking the bank, maybe join a center (if you’d be likely to keep at it). Some don’t just have the regular stuff, but they have yoga and spin classes and some cool stuff to keep interest - expensive, but if you’re likely to get use out of it, it might be worthwhile. Some cities provide fitness centers as part of your taxes (We don’t have that here, but a few neighboring cities offer it if you live in the city.


Sign up for dance classes, try aerial work (like the hoops and ribbons up in the air), or Zumba, or Yoga with goats… try rock climbing… boxing, laser tag, etc… stuff that might be fun and interesting and might get your mind off “ugh, I hate working out…” Stuff that might “fool you” into forgetting it’s getting your heart pumping…


Limit access to soda and junk food. With some people, having it in the house makes it harder to keep that willpower going. Keep salads (Avoid croutons, though) and fruit in that you like.


Hopefully she gets plenty of rest so she’s not exhausted during the day.


I would assume you’re doing some of these as it is, but it’s just a general list of ideas.

[Honesttguy]

If you have weight on yourself then why should she listen to you? She will ask this in her head or directly at you at some point.
So you have to lead by example and change diet. Are you willing to do that?

[Anonymous]

You want try to try mainly buy healthy/lower cal foods (but tasty ones, don't force her to eat bland veggie shit) and only let her eat that at. Don't give her lunch money if you do, so she can't buy junk. If you give her allowance, take that away until she loses weight or only let her buy anything from it with you there. Also lock up all the unhealthy food you have or that you will buy in the future. Try also to get everyone in your house on board with it, you don't want your husband or other kids to fuck it up

Try to maybe motivate her with stuff, like clothes. Like tell her you'll take her shopping/order a shitload of stuff if she loses x amounts of pounds, that might help. Or you could tell her you'll reward her gradually with stuff when she hits milestones. Also maybe tell her that she'd look prettier if she was skinnier, that boys would like her better, she'd look better in clothes, exc but in a nice way

Or you could straight up tell her too that she can't stay like that it's unhealthy, unattractive and it could hurt her future, and that she really needs to get her shit together and pester her about it too (don't be too mean about it though)

You could also send her to a weightloss boarding school next year or fat camp for the summer, make her see a nutritionist or sign her up for a sport she likes

[mermaidcancermoon]

Dont.

Put her in therapy. Whining her into weightloss can make it worse so dont make her go to the gym or any funny diets until she asks for help. If she's an emotional eater, a therapist will have to help first or you'll be wasting your time anyway.

[Sonorous]

If you've already spoken to her about it & don't wanna change her diet by force, then the next best thing you can do is not surround her with things that validate her weight. it may even help to completely change your lifestyle. I say that because people generally want to alter themselves to match the people around them. Plus less unhealthy food around the house will make it easier for her to not eat a surplus. Especially if the food is healthy, dense, satiating, etc.

[XXblack88]

You can't make her lose weight. But you can encourage her to lose weight by putting healthier foods/drinks in the house if you have time off do something as a family go to the park or pool 30 minutes is a start.

[Shehnaz]

Start a salt free and sugar free diet along with more physical movements like walking, running and sports.

[jahaims]

Teach her healthy habits. Make sure to motivate and not shame.

[jennifer_bloom]

Keto works for fat people who are young

[DrHonesty]

5htp