The Student Room Group

Overweight Sister

My 16 year old sister is overweight- shes not HUGE but basically if she doesn't do anything about it now shes going to be.
Me, my mum and dad have tried so hard with her, but shes not having any of it. She's tried everything from diets/slimming world/general healthy eating and exercise/personal trainer but she just doesn't put any effort into it and gives up. After that my parents realised maybe she needed space and so let her see if she could do it herself. Suffice to say, she couldn't. Shes ended up putting on at least another stone.
My parents do not have unhealthy foods in the house, and encourage exercise. She attends a stage school where she dances every day (although im not sure how much effort she puts into this)
Basically we're at wits end. We don't know what to do- she uses the 'im happy and fat' excuse but its bull. I can tell it gets her down, and im just concerned for her, her health and her happiness. She's such a bubbly girl and really gets by on her outward confidence and personality but i think she uses being funny etc as a front.
Any time anyone mentions the subject of weight loss she gets angry and rude and doesn't want to talk about it.

Has anyone had any experience with this? and can anyone recommend anything we could try with her?
My mum has considered hypnotherapy as shes obviously a binge/secret eater, and also Fat camp (which personally, sounds quite fun!)

Thanks if you've read this far, any help greatly appreciated!

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Reply 1

Haha, I think you should leave her be tbh...

If she says she's happy then believe her.

Maybe at some point she'll decide she's not happy with her weight and do something to change it, but I guarantee pressure from others is going to make her less likely to want to do anything...

Some people are fat, some people are thin, like/love em how they are? Especially if they're family...




unrelated: I really shouldn't come on TSR. I never realised how many stupid/paranoid/selfish/etc people there are about...

Reply 2

If she's happy with her weight who are you to judge her. If she dances in her spare time, it's likely she'll continue to keep on dancing. Let her alone!

Reply 3

jesus... if my family were like this... i'd become fat just to annoy them!

Reply 4

Lots of teenagers go through fat stages which they grow out of.

The will to get thin has to come from her and it doesn't really sound like you're likely to acheive this.

Reply 5

Raindroped
My 16 year old sister is overweight- shes not HUGE but basically if she doesn't do anything about it now shes going to be.
Me, my mum and dad have tried so hard with her, but shes not having any of it. She's tried everything from diets/slimming world/general healthy eating and exercise/personal trainer but she just doesn't put any effort into it and gives up. After that my parents realised maybe she needed space and so let her see if she could do it herself. Suffice to say, she couldn't. Shes ended up putting on at least another stone.
My parents do not have unhealthy foods in the house, and encourage exercise. She attends a stage school where she dances every day (although im not sure how much effort she puts into this)
Basically we're at wits end. We don't know what to do- she uses the 'im happy and fat' excuse but its bull. I can tell it gets her down, and im just concerned for her, her health and her happiness. She's such a bubbly girl and really gets by on her outward confidence and personality but i think she uses being funny etc as a front.
Any time anyone mentions the subject of weight loss she gets angry and rude and doesn't want to talk about it.

Has anyone had any experience with this? and can anyone recommend anything we could try with her?
My mum has considered hypnotherapy as shes obviously a binge/secret eater, and also Fat camp (which personally, sounds quite fun!)

Thanks if you've read this far, any help greatly appreciated!


My little sister is like that and to be honest if they want to do the work and put the effort in well good for them but like you can't force people to be who they feel they cant be.

If you really don't stop doing that to her she could end up with an ED and it's sounds like she's being mentally bullied because of it. You can't honestly say you're concerned for her if you think it would be funny to send her to fat camp - just leave her alone and let her get on with her life.

Stupid media protrayals. Not everyone in the world has to be thin you know

Reply 6

I don't really understand why you think this a stupid?
Its really difficult when you know someone is unhappy but can't accept help for fear of embarressment.
She is not pressured into doing anything she doesn't want to do shes the one that went on the diets- asked for a personal trainer (i can not tell you how much of a stupid idea this was.) Maybe my post came out wrong. Shes clearly not happy, i can see it. And even if she was, thats no excuse to stand by and watch her slowly get worse.
Most people on here are older than 16, and know that at the age you think you know everything and no-one can tell you what to do.
When i say shes overweight, shes whats classed as obese. She may not look obese to some but she is.
I know this appears a little stupid as a post, and a lot of you seem to be taking the mick which is just pathetic. If you've got nothing nice to say please don't say it at all, I just want the best for my sister. I realise that i've got to be there for her and I am. But I just don't know what else to do.

Reply 7

Xx Tomásíona - Mháire xX


If you really don't stop doing that to her she could end up with an ED and it's sounds like she's being mentally bullied because of it. You can't honestly say you're concerned for her if you think it would be funny to send her to fat camp - just leave her alone and let her get on with her life.

Stupid media protrayals. Not everyone in the world has to be thin you know.


She is in no way being mentally bullied. Her family all care for her, shes the only one at home now im at uni so of course a lot of attention is focused on her. I NEVER said it would be 'funny' to send her to fat camp. I said it sounds fun to me, as in going on camp.
Its not that I want her to be thin because of the press at the moment, I want her to be healthy, and I don't want her to be unhappy.

Reply 8

Raindroped
I don't really understand why you think this a stupid?
Its really difficult when you know someone is unhappy but can't accept help for fear of embarressment.
She is not pressured into doing anything she doesn't want to do shes the one that went on the diets- asked for a personal trainer (i can not tell you how much of a stupid idea this was.) Maybe my post came out wrong. Shes clearly not happy, i can see it. And even if she was, thats no excuse to stand by and watch her slowly get worse.
Most people on here are older than 16, and know that at the age you think you know everything and no-one can tell you what to do.
When i say shes overweight, shes whats classed as obese. She may not look obese to some but she is.
I know this appears a little stupid as a post, and a lot of you seem to be taking the mick which is just pathetic. If you've got nothing nice to say please don't say it at all, I just want the best for my sister. I realise that i've got to be there for her and I am. But I just don't know what else to do.


Translates as:
"Blahblahblah...I obviously know best as I'm her sister, please don't post if you disagree with my opinion."
I also wouldn't be surprised if it's actually you who is embarassed by the fact she is overweight...

Nice :smile:

Reply 9

Raindroped
I don't really understand why you think this a stupid?
Its really difficult when you know someone is unhappy but can't accept help for fear of embarressment.
She is not pressured into doing anything she doesn't want to do shes the one that went on the diets- asked for a personal trainer (i can not tell you how much of a stupid idea this was.) Maybe my post came out wrong. Shes clearly not happy, i can see it. And even if she was, thats no excuse to stand by and watch her slowly get worse.
Most people on here are older than 16, and know that at the age you think you know everything and no-one can tell you what to do.
When i say shes overweight, shes whats classed as obese. She may not look obese to some but she is.
I know this appears a little stupid as a post, and a lot of you seem to be taking the mick which is just pathetic. If you've got nothing nice to say please don't say it at all, I just want the best for my sister. I realise that i've got to be there for her and I am. But I just don't know what else to do.


I'm very sorry but yes hmmm fortunately I am one of these people who don't know everything but have had life experiences that are related to this. My little sister is 14 and is a size 16 - obese for her age. My father makes her go on a treadmill for 2 hours a day in the hope that she'll lose weight - doesn't happen.

All you can do is help your sister by maybe joining in, in her dieting regime or going to the gym with her to boose her confidence a little or going swimming together but don't laugh at her situation some people find it extremely hard to cope with the pressures of society.

Reply 10

I'm not embarressed by her- I love her, all I am asking for is advice on how to help her because I care about her.

EDIT: I can see why you think this punkskamonkey as my post has come out all wrong but I assure you that what you said is not true.

Reply 11

Xx Tomásíona - Mháire xX

All you can do is help your sister by maybe joining in, in her dieting regime or going to the gym with her to boose her confidence a little or going swimming together but don't laugh at her situation some people find it extremely hard to cope with the pressures of society.


Thats what I want to do when I'm back from uni. Its just I don't want to seem like im forcing her, because that would just drive her away.
I think it would be fun to gym/swim together, it gets boring alone anyway!

Reply 12

Raindroped
I don't really understand why you think this a stupid?
Its really difficult when you know someone is unhappy but can't accept help for fear of embarressment.
She is not pressured into doing anything she doesn't want to do shes the one that went on the diets- asked for a personal trainer (i can not tell you how much of a stupid idea this was.) Maybe my post came out wrong. Shes clearly not happy, i can see it. And even if she was, thats no excuse to stand by and watch her slowly get worse.
Most people on here are older than 16, and know that at the age you think you know everything and no-one can tell you what to do.
When i say shes overweight, shes whats classed as obese. She may not look obese to some but she is.
I know this appears a little stupid as a post, and a lot of you seem to be taking the mick which is just pathetic. If you've got nothing nice to say please don't say it at all, I just want the best for my sister. I realise that i've got to be there for her and I am. But I just don't know what else to do.


I think some people are ignoring the detrimental effects that this can have on your sister's health and just think you want her to be slimmer to look better but I think I understand?

But equally, lots of people are extremely sensitive about their weight so explicitly bringing it up might not be the best idea

Tennis is a very sociable sport - especially doubles - you could pair up with your sister or maybe get another couple and you could swap!
Then you could all go out for dinner later somewhere - your sister will probably find that with all the water during tennis she won't be so hungry and will be more likely to pick lighter choices on the menu

Just make it fun and look appealing - the right salad dressing etc. You don't need to make her feel that she's depriving herself - just add alternatives

Hope that helps !

Reply 13

Erm ok. Well I think that the first thing you must do is try to make sure she's got lots of self confidence and make sure she knows that you think she's great in terms fo personalituy. That way she may not such such offence when you tell her she's a fatty and should lose weight. Also, with self confidence comes better self-discipline so she should find ti easier to diet.

If she uses food as a comfort thing then the more confident she is the less she may need it too.

But still, you can't force her to want to change. You can only be there for when she decides she does.

And, take it from me, when you have your parents on your back and constantly critisizing you, the last thing you want is your sister being like that too. She will grow to resent you if she gets the impression you think you are superior to her, which you might easily convey if you go on about her being too fat. I'm not saying you are, just that you should be careful not to.

Reply 14

Raindroped
Thats what I want to do when I'm back from uni. Its just I don't want to seem like im forcing her, because that would just drive her away.
I think it would be fun to gym/swim together, it gets boring alone anyway!


Well think of it this way, ask her if she'd be up for that and if she does, during the summer you both can do all those kinds of things together and even get your mammy or a friend of hers involved so that she could have a partner when you go back to university and she can keep up her regime and find things she likes to do - may it be a trek or cycling or swimming, let her find her own pace.

Reply 15

Scheherezade, You've hit the nail on the head, thankyou.

She eats healthy foods so its difficult to control. No-one can understand why she eats secretly, thats why my mum suggested hypnotherapy. To be honest im extremely skeptical because it just takes the whole situation and makes an issue of it.
No-one is asking her to be the perfect size 10 because thats not realistic. But pretty soon the term morbidly obese will be appropriate and no parent wants that for their daughter.

Reply 16

Raindroped
My 16 year old sister is overweight- shes not HUGE but basically if she doesn't do anything about it now shes going to be.
Me, my mum and dad have tried so hard with her, but shes not having any of it. She's tried everything from diets/slimming world/general healthy eating and exercise/personal trainer but she just doesn't put any effort into it and gives up. After that my parents realised maybe she needed space and so let her see if she could do it herself. Suffice to say, she couldn't. Shes ended up putting on at least another stone.
My parents do not have unhealthy foods in the house, and encourage exercise. She attends a stage school where she dances every day (although im not sure how much effort she puts into this)
Basically we're at wits end. We don't know what to do- she uses the 'im happy and fat' excuse but its bull. I can tell it gets her down, and im just concerned for her, her health and her happiness. She's such a bubbly girl and really gets by on her outward confidence and personality but i think she uses being funny etc as a front.
Any time anyone mentions the subject of weight loss she gets angry and rude and doesn't want to talk about it.

Has anyone had any experience with this? and can anyone recommend anything we could try with her?
My mum has considered hypnotherapy as shes obviously a binge/secret eater, and also Fat camp (which personally, sounds quite fun!)

Thanks if you've read this far, any help greatly appreciated!


Hmmmmm.......a very difficult one to offer any advise on. I would repeat what others said,let her live her life although offer encouragement to loose some weight. May be you can support her in doing so by going jogging,powerwalking with her.

The most effective way to loose weight without one knowing/going through the trauma of loosing weight like in Fat camps is probably Clubbing<<<May be a bit of of fun for you both while she will loose some weight on the sidelines,not even counting the ppl you willl meet! But, she is 16......Fake ID's......:biggrin: Sorry coudn't be of much help!

Reply 17

i cant believe people are sayin let her be

i think you really should encourage her to lose weight

10 years down the line she may really have medicial issues which can be life threating

if i was you id tell her in a nice weigh what the future of her life may be like whens shes older!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i dont mean to be rude or nasty btw but overweight people dont tend to have the happiest off medical or even personal lives!! (opinion)

Reply 18

You can't force an adult to do something that they do not want to do. As I said, let her be but encourage at the same time, not force her. well, that encouragement may come from stating how horrible her life will be in 10 yrs,but positive encouragement might help just as much. to the OP,Consider going clubbing though>>>Best way to shred some weight!:biggrin:

Reply 19

Thanks everyone, some really constructive advice there.
I'll definately take what you have said on board. I realise that I may be coming on a little strong with her and this is wrong, its just that i want the best for her, thats all- So i'll take it a little slower and less with less of an 'in your face' approach.
Yeah i agree, she does need to want to change herself so i guess its just a waiting game.. but while we 'wait' i'll encourage her to come out and do exercise with me, for fun.