Worried about my mom's dieting.

So, my mom is basically a chronic dieter. It was never an issue before, but lately she's become so obsessed with losing weight it's beginning to worry me. She's not overweight to begin with, but if she wants to lose a few pounds that's fine. I just feel like over the past few months her diet has become more restrictive than ever. She hardly even cooks anymore. At the moment her diet basically consists of:
- Coffee/tea
- Diet microwave dinners
- Fake deli meat
- Bread
- Yogurt
- Eggs
- Salad with 10 calorie spray dressing
- Protein bars
- Occasionally chicken or turkey

This can't be normal, can it? She tells me she only tries to eat 1,000 calories per day. That's the kind of diet they prescribe to morbidly obese people who desperately need to lose a lot of weight, not a normal woman who wants to lose 10 pounds. When I told her this she got mad at me. :s-smilie:

I know it's her life but I just don't want her to develop a full-blown eating disorder. (Also, she eats so much processed diet food that it can't possibly be healthy, even if it is low calorie.)

Reply 1

rmhumphries

Unfortunately, I don't know if there is much you can do, other than express concern in a non-confrontation way. Sometimes people need to see things themselves before change can happen.

Reply 2

Ripper-Roo

Why doesn't she do any exercise to help her drop 10 pounds?

Reply 3

may348

Original post by Ripper-Roo

Why doesn't she do any exercise to help her drop 10 pounds?

She does, actually. She goes on the treadmill for 30 minutes, twice a day, everyday.

Reply 4

Ripper-Roo

Original post by may348

She does, actually. She goes on the treadmill for 30 minutes, twice a day, everyday.

That's good, she must be burning a lot of calories. I don't know it's a bit like teaching someone to suck eggs, just say you're worried about her and should eat properly. Does it impact your health as well?

Reply 5

may348

Original post by Ripper-Roo

Not really, other than the fact that she does most of the shopping so there's never any food in the house when I'm home from university, lol. And yeah, she does burn a lot of calories but it she doesn't take in very many calories to begin with which is part of the problem. I've been trying to drop hints like "you shouldn't really go on diets, healthy eating should be a lifestyle." The conversation often goes like:
Her: "I'm so fat, ugh."
Me: "No you're not."
Her: "You don't have to diet because you're young and skinny. When you're my age you'll understand."

Idk. She seems pretty set in her ways.