Help! what can you do about a 12 year old who is constantly worried about her weight?

Question

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Answer 1

well you should have gave more info but if shes not overweight tell her about weight problems if she is overweight I would help her get to a normal size and explain to her thats how she is suppose to be.

if that doesnt work

get a shrink

Answer 2

Teach her how to exercise regularly and eat right. If her weight concerns her, offer her healthy options to be at a healthy weight. Don't tell her that her weight doesn't matter. It does. Unhealthy habits/lifestyles start young and carry over into adulthood.

Answer 3

are you ever worried about your weight or looks?

A pre-teen or teenage girl will pick up insecurities from her mother before she will get them from her friends.

If you are secure in your body and self-image then your daughter will be most likely to be OK. Even if you might not be displaying any insecurities to your daughter, little things like saying your but looks big in a certain dress or saying your cheeks look to chubby, or maybe constant dieting instead of eating healthy can tell your daughter that if her mom looks bad then maybe she does also. Especially if she looks like you.

I am not saying that any of this is true. Just a thought.

If it's not are you making a point to tell her everyday she is beautiful, even if she blows it off, keep on doing it. Another thing is my mom would never let me bring teen-age magazines into the house, or what any of those celebrity shows It doesn't mean I didn't look at them, but not having those magazines made me less aware of what celebrities looked like and I don't ever remember comparing myself to skinny people. And I was actually quite thin my self.  But I never thought of dieting or being fat i actually ate all the time. I hated my mom at the time for it, but I can see now at 24 and having two daughters myself what she was doing.

I hope this made sense, i did to me.  :)

God luck!!

Answer 4

I guess just tell her that she is beautiful no matter what size she is, and if people are picking on her just build up her confidence and tell her to ignore them because they don't know what they are talking about.

Answer 5

The three girls I babysit are all athletic and worried about their weight...and they're 10, 12 and 14.

Let her know that there is nothing wrong with her weight and that you love her just the way she is.

If she's really worried about it, help her develop some better habits. I'm not talking about diets, counting calories and all that stuff...I'm talking about better eating and fitness habits. Drink more water, eat fruits and vegetables, cut down on sugary foods...that sort of thing. Encourage her to play outside during the summer, take up a sport, ride her bike. These sorts of things can help boost her self-confidence and help her make good lifestyle choices...in a healthy way.

Answer 6

when i was 12 talked about my weight a lot and always asked how many calories where in everything.  finally my dad said "do i need to be worried about you?"  and i realized that i didn't want my parents to have to worry and that i was just being dramatic, so i stopped.

maybe her problem is more serious, but she might just be trying to get attention.  also- you should encourage her to exercise if she feels fat, not starve herself, thats the  healthiest way to lose weight.

Answer 7

Hey, I have one of these!

Unfortunately, young girls are bombarded by images and messages that promote unhealthy weights and unrealistic standards.  Unless you keep your daughter in a plastic bubble, you can't keep her from getting those messages.

The best counteraction is to promote healthy eating habits, exercise and education on what is a healthy weight for a girl of her age and height.  

Best of luck!

Answer 8

I would take her to a therapist who deals with girls who have this concern. I'm not clear on HOW worried she is and HOW constantly she is worried but, eating disorders are common and can be very difficult to deal with and should be taken seriously and chances of coping with them effectively are much higher if you intervene sooner rather than waiting for symptoms to get worse. Look for someone who specializes in eating issues with teen aged girls. Look for someone who you and your daughter both like and feel you can work with. Good luck.

Answer 9

if she really is overweight, help her lose weight in a healthy way.

if she isn't... well, just make sure that she doesn't loose a lot of weight really fast, because that means that she's starting to turn anorexic or bulimic. also, baggy clothing and binge eating are signs.