how can i motivate my teenage daughter to lose weight?

Question

she has a very pretty face and really smart but she doesnt care about her being overweight! she eats and eats and eats but she is notthat huge but it would be better if she become slimmer.....

Answer 1

Wow ignore the first two answers.

I think you should do a number of things.

1. Tell your daughter that she is beautiful and smart and that you're extremely proud of her.

2. Sit down and talk to her about making healthy food choices and the possible risk of diabetes, cancer, fertility problems, menstruation problems and more if she continues to make unhealthy food choices.

3. Write down on a piece of paper some healthy but tasty meals. I really love pitas for my lunch. I have lettuce, tomato, cucumber, ham or turkey and cheese. They are good for you and taste so good! Then write down some foods that she likes that aren't so good for her, and tell her that these foods are treats only.

4. Go supermarket shopping together. Don't buy the chips, biscuits, junk food etc. Read the labels, see how many grams of fat and sugar there are in 100grams. Then you can say that this packet of chips for example is 35% fat. When you look at it like that it's disgusting. Well I think it is.

5. Make it your daily routine to go for a walk. Go together and make it 'mother-daughter' time. You'll become closer and you can both talk about how your days been etc. Also because you're exercising your body will be releasing endorphins so you'll be feeling really good about yourself and losing weight. You could also start playing a sport together, like tennis or squash.

6. Have home cooked meals and eat 5 servings of fruit and veges a day (servings are the size of your fist). The only liquids you should have in your house is a small amount of juice with a high amount of vitamin C (drink this after eating lean red meat as it helps to absorb the iron in the mean, which is extremely important for woman) and skim milk for healthy bones. Encourage that she drinks at least 6 glasses of water a day. I drink close to 10, I find it a lot easier to drink water when it's cold and in a drink bottle.

7. Take her measurements and her weight and height and her BMI.http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/. If you have a Mac you can download a program that helps to graph weight loss. If not, you can graph it on excel. Keep a record of it because as she starts to lose weight she'll gain more motivation.

8. Make it all about a healthy lifestyle not so much about the weight loss. That's what is most important.

Good luck, she may actually care about it but could be too scared to say something. She may have a problem with over eating, which is quite common. You might like to take her to a doctor to get some tests done.

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Answer 2

You can't "motivate" a teenager to do anything. It has to be their idea or they won't like it.

Your are in charge of what she eats, at least at home. Don't buy sweet snacks, most prepared fruit drinks or soda's. Cut most of the carbs out and buy fruits and veggies. Yogurt, fresh fruit and ice make a terrific smoothie. Good snack or even breakfast. She'll have fun experimenting with different fruit combinations. Make them with her, kind of a Mother Daughter thing.....

Salads can be a world in themselves. Use as many colors, fruits, veggies and textures as you can, even some nuts. Make them a complete meal. Stay away from the creamy or ranch type dressings.

You have to lead her to good eating, she won't think of it on her own. Show her eating right can be fun. But don't call it "eating right", teenagers don't like doing the right thing.

But whatever you do the best thing for your daughter is not to call her fat or make her feel bad for being overweight. The teenage soul is very fragile. Don't crush hers because she will rebel and most likely gain more weight. When she does lose some weight, even a pound or two, let her know you notice it, tell her how great she's looking. Again that fragile teenage soul, you have to build it up.

Answer 3

Overweight Teenage Daughter

Answer 4

It can be hard when you feel that somebody you love is not living up to their full potential but... who can say weather or not they are??
As a mother myself i know that you just want the best for your daughter but in todays climate where bulimia and anorexia are at a high especially among teenage girls i dont think that telling your daughter she needs tolose weight would be the best thing to do.If she is happy with how she looks then telling her that you believe she is overweight will dent her confidence and maybe make her unhappy.Would you rather have a happy daughter or a person who tries to be what you want them to be whilst being unhappy???

I would suggest maybe making healthier meals for the family as a whole to eat together and maybe suggest that You are thinking of joining a gym or taking up running etc.. and asking your daughter if she would like to join you so that you are not alone.At least this way she will feel like shes heping you and not being victimised into losing weight.
Good luck and i hope this helps:)

Answer 5

You say it would be better if your daughter would lose some weight.You also say she is not that huge. Ask yourself these questions but answer them with your eyes closed.Is my daughter a loving and respectful person?Does she do well at school? Does she display the qualities I would expect from her ( honesty, integrity and kindness towards others) Did you answer yes to all of these question? Now open your eyes and remember she is the same person.Did you ever think that she is insecure about herself ?Sometimes people have eatting disorders due to emotional reasons.I'm not only talking about overeatting but also about anorexia and bulimia.The only thing I can suggest is to love your daughter for who she is not for who you want to make her be.If there is no urgent health concern from your family doctor about her weight then I wouldn't be overly concerned.The teen years are hard enough , with really difficult choices to make, and you want your daughter to know you are on her side.We all want our children to be healthy and happy but being slightly overweight is a minor issue compared to all the "evils" facing young people. The media blasts everyone with unrealistic body images and it also encourages people of all ages to try reach unrealistic goals.Don't unwittingly help your child onto this path.I am not trying to offend you ,just trying to give constructive input.Take care.

Answer 6

If your attitude towards her weight is obvious, you'll do nothing but give her a complex. Instead of focusing on your daughter losing weight, you, as a family should work on changing your lifestyle. Teenagers don't just get "fat" by themselves.. as a parent, you're responsible for instilling healthy habits. Do you eat dinner as a family? Do you encourage healthy choices and offer healthy meals and snacks? Is she involved in any extracurricular activities or sports, or would she like to be? Dancing, volleyball, swimming? Do you, yourself, eat healthy snacks at regular intervals? How old is she? Could she be getting ready to go through a growth spurt? Has her doctor said anything about her weight? You can't expect a teenager to go on a diet on her own, unless your entire household is willing to make changes in their diet, she'll just be resentful.

Answer 7

Partly it depends on your attitude about it. One thing you can do is eliminate the junk food and provide alternate snacks that are more healthy. Speaking from a big gal she probably is bothered by it enough without you bringing it up constantly. And I hope she doesnt see what you posted because if it was me that would really hurt my feelings. Unless she is so overweight that she is risking her health I would suggest you focus on all the good qualities she has and just try and encourage a more healthy lifestyle not just for her but for your whole family. there is more to life than a set of scales.

Answer 8

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RE:
how can i motivate my teenage daughter to lose weight?
she has a very pretty face and really smart but she doesnt care about her being overweight! she eats and eats and eats but she is notthat huge but it would be better if she become slimmer.....

Answer 9

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Answer 10

The same way you motivate any teenager to do anything... VERY CAREFULLY! (ha ha ha)

Honestly make it fun- take up a sport or hobby together. Try being more active with her, because nagging will probably just make it worse. Also nagging can lead to bigger eating disorder problems-

Good Luck-