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Health & Fitness

How Can I Get My Daughter to Understand the Damaging Effects of Dieting?

Becoming a mentor, coach AND participant in your daughters new healthy habits is the best way to change course for good.

I am fortunate and honored to be a featured expert on Dr. Oz's Website - Sharecare.com.  This is an answer to one of the posed questions from a member.  I thought it could be helpful for many of the parents in our community.

How can I get my daughter to understand the damaging effects of dieting?

I think it is important to note that not all "dieting" is bad or harmful. This truly depends on the methods utilized, the length of time the "diet" lasts and the focus of said "diet".

It may be truly beneficial to have a discussion with your daughter about the benefits of Eating Healthy, such as:

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  • improved energy
  • increased vitality
  • feeling proud of yourself
  • doing good things for your body

Many people use the term "dieting" generically.  If your daughter is following a sensible eating plan that incorporates whole grains, fruits and vegetables with plenty of variety and minimal restrictions then I would say to congratulate her. If, on the other hand, she is focused on dieting as a means for weight loss it would be important to steer her in the direction of the benefits to changing habits for the long-term. Depending on your daughter's age; she may understand the consequences of her actions, but battling marketing and hype that surrounds so many restrictive diets cna be difficult.  I believe that by being supportive and by getting involved in a healthier eating plan together you could lead by example.  

Here a a few more tips for a successful outcome:

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  • schedule family dinner time 2-3 times per week
  • cook healthy, great tasting meals together
  • speak about a few of the unhealthy habits you are focused on changing, why you are changing them and the steps you are taking to change them
  • have plenty of healthy foods and fruits and vegetables available for the entire family
  • purchase less "junk food"
  • create healthier dessert recipes together
  • consistently speak about "process" (ie: savings accounts accumulate, confidence grows slowly etc...) and how there is not a "switch" for change.  Mindset can alter immediately, but actions take their time to catch up.

Speaking to your daughter about the long-term effects of these beneficial habits and how they are better strategies than a restrictive diet plan will go far in aiding her in making better choices for the rest of her life. Being invovled as a coach, a mentor AND a participant can and will be the greatest aid in altering her course for good.

Learn to create better habits here! 

To your health,
Robert DeVito

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