From Stacy, Child's Age 16 - 05/27/12 - IP#: 86.95.11.xxx  Click here to reply  
Hello all, my daughter Ellen was always a bit chubby since she hit puberty, but she was still active, so we didn't talk to her about her weight and her food choices. She has always been a girl that likes to eat a lot, but her swimming has kept the weight off i guess.
But now that she is 16 she obviously hangs around with friends a lot more and is a lot more independant. It seems to me she is not handling the responsablity well. We went to the doctors 3 months ago and i was told that she is bordering the overweight category, weighing 155 pounds. She promised to watch what she eats and exercise more.
I didn't think of this a big problem, because she has always been a bit chubby, but now that the weather is getting warmer i noticed she looked even heavier then 3 months ago! So i asked how much she weighed and she didn't want to tell me. So after a huge fight she finally stepped on the scale and it read 169. I've said that she needed to lose weight, but i don't think she is listening, as she still eats junkfood with her friends, 2 of which are also very overweight.
What can i do so she realises how important her health is?
Reply from Ashlie - 06/21/12  - IP#: 75.165.85.xxx
As you know, teenagers often have an attitude of "I'll be young forever" and don't think about the consequences of what they do today affecting their tomorrow. It was a good first step on your part to go to the physician. Hopefully, the doctor spoke to her as well about the consequences of not losing weight and the problems with overweight in later life. In the school area of this website is information about the benefits of a healthy weight and the problems associated with being overweight that you might like your daughter to read. http://www.blubberbuster.com/school/benefits.htm
She might feel overwhelmed and not know how to start. Explore some of the tips and visit the teen boards on the site. If she sees that she is not alone, she might feel more like trying. Be supportive and encourage her, keep healthy foods in the house, don't buy junk food and do activities together. Leading by example works!