Your daughter constantly complains about her figure: her thighs are too big, her buttocks too round, her hips too wide. Nothing abnormal! At puberty, the body changes and it takes time to accept its new forms. She therefore needs to be reassured, so as not to be tempted to embark on useless and dangerous diets.
Explain to her that in adolescence, the hormonal upheaval fleshes out the silhouette: at 15-16 years old, weight gain is maximum… and normal for becoming a woman. A few years later, if she has a balanced diet, she will refine. Your daughter will be reassured to learn that these changes are temporary.
Give him benchmarks: consult the health record to check if his weight is normal. If your daughter is over 17, you can calculate her body mass index (BMI) by dividing her weight in kilograms by her height in meters squared. If it is between 18.5 and 25, your daughter has a normal weight. If your daughter weighs 50kg for 1.67m, her BMI is: 50/(1.67 x 1.67) = 18. Her weight is therefore slightly lower than normal. Check that she is eating normally.
Prepare him balanced meals and do not demonize certain foods by calling them “calorie”, “fattening”. A teenager needs to eat everything, even foods that are supposed to make you fat. A balanced meal is: 1/3 vegetables, 1/3 starch, 1/3 protein, 1 fruit and 1 dairy.
To fight against snacking, make sure she takes her meals at fixed times, with you, at the table and not in front of the television.
Don’t talk to her about dieting, but encourage her to lead a healthy family life. Offer him, for example, walks or gym sessions (why not in pairs?). Try to set an example by moving, eating everything, and accepting yourself for who you are.
Avoid phrases like: “You’ve lost two kilos, it shows”, “You should get more”… They risk reinforcing your daughter’s complexes. Instead, help her to appreciate herself as she is, by highlighting her assets (she has pretty legs, a nice chest, a very successful haircut, etc.).
