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How can I make my daughter lose weight?

(95 Posts)
worriednan Wed 17-May-17 09:20:54

Before you say anything, this is nothing to do with aesthetics. She's beautiful anyway and will always be beautiful to me whatever she weighs. But she's basically a ticking time bomb. She's always been curvy but over the last decade has piled on the weight to the point that she is now morbidly obese and the strain on her heart is immense. I don't know how I can help her. She is 45, happily married, has a job she enjoys and many good friends so I don't think it's unhappiness that is driving to her to eat but the compulsion is there nonetheless. We are all so worried about her and love her so much and just want to help. She previously had a gastric band removed and so surgery is not an option. It would now also be tremendously risky. She just doesn't seem to care about the problem and we just want her to be in a position where her health is more stable. I would welcome advice from anyone who has found themselves in a similar situation

loopyloo Wed 17-May-17 18:03:03

Worried nan, may I ask what her job is ? I wonder if it's a desk job with a lot of responsibility. And I wonder if she eats for comfort because she doesn't have children and feels she has failed in some way.
Frankly I think it's surprising we aren't all more overweight because there is so much rubbish food around everywhere you go. And calories sneaked into food and drinks. Had a can of fizzy fruit juice this afternoon and it had nearly200 cals in it. Should have stuck to water.

Moneyboss Wed 17-May-17 18:23:32

I feel for you worriednan. My daughter is 44 and grossly overweight. She's struggled with weight issues for many years. 2 years ago she decided to diet and got down to a size 14, she looked fab. Then her husband had a stroke and all the weight went back on. The only reason it worries me is that she has a lot of other health issues herself. She's in Australia so I can only support her from afar.
Sorry to hijack your thread.

jocelyne Wed 17-May-17 18:31:38

www.exeter.ac.uk/foodt/

To anyone wanting to change their diet/lose weight, you might want to try this free app. which helps you "train your brain" to say no. You would also help scientific research at Exeter University. It is easy and quick, once you have done it a few times you might just want to access it when needed. Let me know if you tried it. Thanks.

Lyneve Wed 17-May-17 19:55:27

Nice to hear from Petalmoore. That's how I started to loose weight when I had a swollen knee and the Practice Nurse said the only way it would improve was to loose weight. I read Eat Fat Look Thin. Very useful. I've had a go at 5/2 diet when you keep down the calories to 800 for two days a week (some says less) but this worked for me.

Then as I started to put on some weight. I thought about what I ate most. I came to the conclusion that it was wheat and sugar.

Since then I've learnt to read labels on products. It's amazing how much sugar is in almost every processed food we buy. As a rule I read how much sugar is in a 100g of the product. Under 3g per 100g is good. Don't worry about how much there is in vegetables as there is fibre to balance things.

Worriednan start reading the labels. Your daughter may become aware of what you're doing and may find it interesting. It means she only has to cut down on the sugar. Each 4g of sugar is a tea spoonful of sugar.
Don't worry about the fat we have to have something that gives flavour and makes us feel full. Don't believe what any of the labels say just read the amount of sugar. Sugar fattens us and makes us eat more.

Thinking of you both, Good luck.

SparklyGrandma Wed 17-May-17 20:30:44

worriednan Is your daughter perhaps happy but doing too much so that she has little time for any form of excercise?

Maybe offering to help with things which leave her time perhaps to go for a swim or yoga or something?

Perhaps her husband could help too? Sometimes busy wives and mothers are so busy, working, keeping the home and cooking, any time for any form of self care and excercise goes out the window?

Meant constructively..

Moocow Wed 17-May-17 23:04:07

Have you tried it jocelyn?

Nelliemoser Wed 17-May-17 23:30:34

I now wonder if there are environmental reasons for the obesity crisis.

I know a lot of sweet and fatty foods are said to be psychologically addictive. So many more people seem to overweight than in the 50s and 60s.

Perhaps some chemical compounds we are now adding to food stuffs are causing peoples appetites to change? I wonder if any reasearch has been done on this. It appears that certain hormones regulate appetite.
It's certainly not what food manufacturers would undertake. it might damage the food industries profits.

maddy629 Thu 18-May-17 07:33:09

You can't make someone lose weight unless they want to. If your daughter feels the need to lose weight she will do something about it. She is lucky to have a mum who loves her no matter what she weighs, although that is how it should be. If and when she wants to lose weight she will do it.

jocelyne Fri 19-May-17 08:04:49

Yes I have and it is great and so simple. I have found that I don't need to do the game anymore it just appear in my mind if I am confronted with a choice of healthy/unhealthy food. I have reduced my intake of unhealthy food by changing a few things. Good luck.

jocelyne Fri 19-May-17 08:06:10

My reply was for Moocow above

Lewlew Fri 19-May-17 09:51:20

This was in the Little i, and thus the Independent yesterday. It might have been in several papers, so perhaps if she reads newspapers or online newspapers, she might have seen it? If you can send it to her DH, or print off, it might offer a talking point.

www.independent.co.uk/voices/fat-but-fit-myth-diet-fitness-obesity-complications-inclusive-a7741126.html

Whilst attention grabbing headlines expose the “fat but fit” hypothesis as a big fat lie, it’s imperative we stop linking the idea that you can, or cannot, be “fat and fit”. The real issue is whether you can be “fat and healthy” – and the simple answer is no.

PamQS Fri 19-May-17 10:49:59

I have put on a lot of weight over the last 30 years despite frequent dieting and no amount of comments or gifts of dieting books from friends helps. Nobody enjoys being fat, but she is more likely to lose weight if she feels happy and accepted for who she is than if people nag her. I've been on the receiving end of this kind of thing, and it encourages me to see less of the person concerned rather than to start yet another diet.

I'm sure your daughter is intelligent enough to know the risks that come with obesity, and honestly, there is really nothing anyone else can do.

Lewlew Fri 19-May-17 11:14:02

PamQS Fri 19-May-17 10:49:59 Knowing the risks and ignoring them to keep peace is not loving a family member. My brother's children wished they could have lived closer (one was in the process of doing so) as when they were there visiting, he minded his food intake. His wife now wishes she'd tried harder to get him to watch his intake.

Once dead... there's no second chance. sad

I will have to leave this thread alone as I feel so strongly about it, but understand others don't want to accept that they may have it within their power to help someone turn their lifestyle around. sad

seacliff Fri 19-May-17 11:22:52

I agree with Pam. Sadly, much as YOU may want them to change, they have to want it for themselves.

You cannot force someone to lose weight. Unless they are in the right mindset, then of course encourage and support.

FarNorth Fri 19-May-17 14:36:28

There is nothing at all that can be done if the person's weight is a taboo subject which would upset or annoy them. It's just the same as anything else we might do that is not all that desirable e.g. smoking, overworking, getting drunk.

If the person brings up the subject themselves, then you can be encouraging about any steps they are taking and can make suggestions, Only If Asked.

Menopaws Fri 19-May-17 20:17:52

I have spent years of my mum grabbing bits of me saying things like ...you were so much prettier when you were thin..., how's your weight dear... good lord your love handles are coming on well...
All this from a lady who has always been size 20 plus and I've only been a size 16 max
Very hurtful, completely unnecessary and I'm always been well aware of how I am a bit wobbly
She sounds like a happy girl, leave her alone, it's her life and choice and old enough to know what to do and when

Starlady Sat 20-May-17 17:09:51

You can't "make her." As much as you may worry, it's up to her.

newnanny Mon 22-May-17 22:52:16

Hypnotherapy is supposed to work but it is not cheap. Would she try it do you think?

vikaspaul Mon 19-Jun-17 07:52:19

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