I'm very concerned

[fernykins]

for my ddil. She's trying to loose weight. But its the wrong way. She thinks a 300 calorie diet is the way to go. She eats fruits no proteins. She's already borderline diabetic. I've shown her and talked to her till I'm blue in the face. And on top of all that she goes at the girls about their weight ages 3 & 5. They burn everything off. Then she shoves food and the 10 yo boy. Who refused to move around. Of course her parents pick at her about her weight. I'm just so afraid she is hurting herself. I just wish she would listen
Fern

[Ceashels]

I'm afraid it sounds as though she has some deeper issues than not listening. I wonder if setting her up with a nutritionist may help. It is easier to hear it from non family members (especially if her own parents picked on her growing up).

[fernykins]

Her own dr told her to eat 3 meals plus snacks. My son fights with her about it all the time and its you just want me fat.
Fern

[QM]

I wonder if there is a good book that could help her out. I don't know of any, but eating 300 calories a day isn't healthy. The lowest a person should eat while losing weight is 1,200 calories. Sounds like she may have some kind of eating disorder. Would she be willing to talk to a nutritionist or dietician? I know it might cost money, but it'll not only benefit her but also the children she is raising.

[Imarachne]

Prayer and support are the only ways to do it--if your son can't.

[Dancing Lotus]

How long has this been going on?

[Darlene]

Yep she does have deeper issues going on. I hope for her sake and her dd's she goes and get some help with her self esteem issues and more.
Big hug Fern it's no fun to feel so helpless. Hopefully she finds out sooner rather than later that she has a problem and needs help. Don't want those little girls growing up thinking there is something wrong with them or that they aren't worthy if they aren't skinny, smart, this or that. Your son needs to do whatever he can to enlist the help of her doctor to help get her into treatment.

[annymoll]

I wouldn't worry. She won't last long.She is not in ketosis, so her hunger must be overwhelming. Once she gives in, she will binge and binge and binge. She won't starve, she will just find it harder and harder to lose. It is my personal observation that this diet mentality, and the idea that you must starve, do without, and be hungry is a core belief in the overweight.Also the food game playing. You cannot help her, she must find her own way.If we hospitalized all those with food and weight issues, would would run continuous interventions, as this country is full of obesity.It is so harmful to the children as well, but we often overlook that, then gasp in horror as the pendulum swings the opposite direction. What a mess.So unhealthy on both ends of the spectrum. I would keep an eye on those girls to make sure that they are given enough to eat, but otherwise I would let her make her own mistakes.

[annymoll]

Wanted to add Fern, that I did not see earlier that your DIL was diabetic.She must be aware of the health risks from not following a proper diet, especially if she is Type 1.Was she following a health conscious diabetic diet before? If not, then she is doing the same thing, just in a different fashion.

[SwirlyThing]

I know the conventional wisdom is that the only safe way to lose weight is to do it slowly, 1-2 lbs per week. However, weight loss has a higher recidivism rate than ANYTHING. Junkies have a better chance of staying off drugs than anyone has on losing weight and keeping it off. Regardless of the conventional wisdom, recent studies have shown that the best chance for keeping weight off long-term is to lose it as quickly as possible. According to this, she may actually be increasing her chances of keeping the weight off by doing it with a very low calorie diet.

As far at the kids, that's a big problem that may well cause long-term damage.