how do i help my 13 year old daughter loose 5 pounds the doctor said she will be healthier if she lost it?HELP

Question

okay my daugter is a little overweight and i dont want to make her feel bad because she is the biggest in the class! She would look really nice if she lost 5 pounds.! Im only asking this question so she wont feel bad and cry all night! PLease Help and no im not judging my daughter i love her the way she is!

Answer 1

She cries "all night", because she NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING!

This is a VERY sensitive subject for ANY adolescent female!

You could end up doing a LOT more HARM than good, here.

Body image issues are a very significant source of a LOT of the problems young American women deal with everyday.

Please, PLEASE be very SENSITIVE to the feelings and wishes of your daughter IF you decide to address this issue with her.

Regular exercise (aerobic in nature: jogging, hiking, bicycling, aerobics classes, etc.) is quite effective (not more than 40 minutes each day, NOT MORE than four days per week).

Add more fresh vegetables to her diet (ADD, don't substitute).

And ALWAYS show her that you love her and care about her (this means NO NAGGING).

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year.

Answer 2

I think you really need to take an inventory of what she is eating through out the day. Which may be hard because you're not there at school were the vending machines are.

Why would a doctor want a 13 year old to lose 5lbs? That's not a lot. I'm assuming she actually needs to lose a lot more than that or why even plant that in her/your head.

Are you overweight? If so maybe you want to look into how you can begin to eat healthier so that it becomes something your family does together.

Get her into a sport that she likes. If she doesn't want to participate in one at school (because of peers and all) look for something in your area outside of school.

I just hate the idea that a doctor would bring about weight issues with a young girl if it's only about 5lbs.

Best wishes.

Answer 3

Don't put her on a diet, that will just cause problems farther down the road. Make sure she eats good all three meals a day. And try to get her to get a little more exercise. Don't try and do it too fast or it will make it worse, she'll loose some weight but just gain more back. Even when you go places like the store. Park a little bit farther away and walk more. Try and do things like "hey let's go for a walk" or even take her to the mall and look around that's walking. Maybe she wouldn't really notice that's what you're doing. Junk food it is ok to eat but only in molderation mixed with other things. If you completely take it away then when she gets older and starts to eat more, she'll gain more weight back. The chances are she just needs to be up and around a little bit more. But don't try and do too much too fast. I'm not really sure that a doctor would make a big dea; about 5 lbs. Are you sure that you just don't think your daughter is the "correct" weight for you?

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Get rid of the junk food in your house. Both of you could join Weight Watchers, so you can "learn together" about proper nutrition.

If your daughter is overweight, the onus is on you to correct this! While she is the one who puts the food in her mouth, you must be prepared to 1/provide the healthy food she really needs, and 2/teach and discipline her about eating properly.

She needs your support and love, which it sounds like she has both of. Be sure you tell her always how beautiful she is, and that the weight isn't about beauty. It is about health.

If she cries at night about being overweight, she already feels bad. Be realistic and talk with your daughter about her weight... tell her about losing weight, tell her that junk food is going to be off limits (for everyone, or at least for the two of you)!

Helping your daughter to learn better nutrition habits and going for a 45 - 60 minute walk WITH her every evening will be a gift that she will treasure all her life.

This isn't about 5 pounds. It is about being honest with each other, and helping her avoid those 5 pounds becoming 15, then 25, then 50. If she is offended, then too bad. She is overweight and apparently needs to lose those pounds.

Another resource is your doctor, who is the one that said she should lose the weight. Your clinic or local hospital should have a public library available to help you learn about healthy foods for teens.

Also, you can check out the local health department for healthy teen foods and calorie requirements.

If your daughter isn't done growing tall yet, if she just maintains her current weight, she will "grow into it."

Your daughter is lucky to have a caring parent who is not only interested in helping, but is honest about seeking information!

Good luck and best wishes!

Answer 6

Five pounds is a relatively easy target. The problem is that you would have to monitor her diet constantly and she's a teenager, which makes this task almost impossible. Give her a lot more salad and vegetables, absolutely no candy or any other sweets, no sodas, to drink as much water as possible, and reduce the portions of meals if you think she helps herself a tidy bit too much. the evening dinner should be as light as possible. Exercise would be a big help, too. Set a simple target, like one pound a week, something reachable. This way you won't make her uncomfortable or frustrated. Good luck.

Answer 7

1. Cook healthy, low-fat meals. You can also pack nutritious snacks for her to take to school so she won't be hungry and eat too much of the junk they feed kids there.

2. Exercise, and have fun with it! It's amazing how much playing tag in the yard or running around with a kite will help.

3. Reassure her that you love her no matter what. Remember that she's not on a "diet" per se. You are just making some healthy changes that will benefit the whole family.

Good luck!

Answer 8

I kind of agree that it is your fault, but it's not to late to turn it around.

Make sure there are never any fattening snacks in the house. If she's hungry, keep fruit around for snacking.

Pack her lunch for school everyday. School lunches are AWFUL! Give her things like tossed salads and sandwiches with lean meat and whole grain bread - no sweets!

Take a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood with her every night. Maybe join a gym so the whole family can get exercise - maybe go swimming or play basketball...

I'm sure the weight will come off in no time and it's important that she learns to lead a healthy life style.

Answer 9

I agree that cutting sodas and sodium intake will probably do the trick... Also try having her drink a large glass of cold water before every meal...
That being said, I find it hard to believe that her health is hinging on 5 pounds. Most doctors call 5 pounds "vanity pounds". If her weight is becoming an issue with her health, you may need to take her to a nutritionist and have her diet evaluated.

Answer 10

You are the one feeding the family and buying groceries so the responsibility lays with you. Stop buying pop, candy, sweets, cake, greesy chips, etc. Instead buy and make:

-Lean Meats (grill, bake, or broil w/herbs & seasonings)
-Veggies (sauted, grilled, steamed, boiled)
-Fruit
-Whole grain breads, bagels, pitas, pastas
-Snacks such as 10 almonds, air pop popped corn, part skim string cheese, jello, etc
-Choose skim milk, part skim mozzarella cheese, low fat or fat free cheeses, etc.

The recipies in the Sonoma Diet or the South Beach diet can be used as a healthy lifestyle...not only a diet. The recipies are tasty and healthy.

You need to be a responsible mother and feed your family healthy. Get one of those books and educate yourself in facts about nutrition and being healthy.

I am married and have four children and I cook healthy for all of us. We cheat every once in a while but 90% of the time we eat healthy. Get all the unhealthy food out of the house and don't buy it anymore because it is not good for you or your family.