Good friend overeats/eats poorly, how can I convince her to stop?!


Question: A few months ago one of my good friends said she wanted to lose weight for summer. She has yet to start exercising more, or adjust her diet noticeably.
She has put on probably 15+ pounds since last summer and while it's sort of amazing that she hasn't gained more, or gained it faster, she will, and I wish I could encourage her otherwise.

She loves to bake, for one, which isn't so good; she refuses to substitute healthier ingredients because they don't taste as good. She also loves to get desserts from local restaurants to get ideas for her own, as well. She gets crazy chocolate cravings pretty much every day. Oftentimes she will end up stopping into a restaurant just to have, say, ice cream and a fudge brownie.
Meanwhile, she eats very little for her actual meals - she regularly skips breakfast or has something tiny, and often won't have a lunch. She also eats out a lot, and I know that can't be good for her wallet or her weight. How can I convince her to stop, for her sake?


Answers: A few months ago one of my good friends said she wanted to lose weight for summer. She has yet to start exercising more, or adjust her diet noticeably.
She has put on probably 15+ pounds since last summer and while it's sort of amazing that she hasn't gained more, or gained it faster, she will, and I wish I could encourage her otherwise.

She loves to bake, for one, which isn't so good; she refuses to substitute healthier ingredients because they don't taste as good. She also loves to get desserts from local restaurants to get ideas for her own, as well. She gets crazy chocolate cravings pretty much every day. Oftentimes she will end up stopping into a restaurant just to have, say, ice cream and a fudge brownie.
Meanwhile, she eats very little for her actual meals - she regularly skips breakfast or has something tiny, and often won't have a lunch. She also eats out a lot, and I know that can't be good for her wallet or her weight. How can I convince her to stop, for her sake?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Be blunt, be honest, you're her good friend so your opinion should matter to her. Women don't like to hear they are overweight or gaining weight, but she must know it for herself.
Try and be tactful, but if she's avoiding talking about it issue an ultimatum, that way she'll know it's something you feel strongly about and she should start to look at it herself.
Introducing her to healthier food will be more of a challenge, but as soon as she starts to realise that she's losing sex appeal or the attention of men she'll be more pliable on the issue. Try and introduce that line of thinking to her, but don't force it on her if you see what I mean. Telling her in the same breath she's overweight and not appealing anymore is suicide!
As for exercise, it's much easier for her if people around her are doing it, if you exercise regularly or have a sport she can participate in try and introduce that to her.

If all of this fails you've tried as a friend to help her, even if it strains the relationship a bit you'll have done the right thing.

Have her write down everything that goes into her mouth for 1 week you will be shocked, IF she aris honest and write everything and I mean even a drink of water. Write it down. This will make her aware of what she really is eating each day. GOOD LUCK and you are a great friend!!!!!!!!

You can't. The only thing you can do is set a good example for her and accept her exactly the way she is.

She obviously hasn't had that light bulb moment...and some people never do.

Believe me...she's very much aware that she has a weight problem even if it appears that she doesn't.

Saying and doing are two very different things and it sounds like she isn't mentally ready to do something about it just yet.

Invite your friend over to your house and let her watch you cook a healthy meal and offer her some dinner. Don't go out for 2 meal.





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