She Has to be the Best
Question:
my friend needs help. She's thin - there is no reason that she
should EVER be on a diet. This morning on channel1 - I think you
said that people who strive to be the best at something are most
at risk?? Well - she HAS to be best at everything.
I'm very worried about her. She's doing this rotation diet, with
her mom. BUT neither one of them should be on a diet. She's always
hungry. On a rotation diet - you take turns eating 300, 600, and
900 calories - ONLY A DAY. I don't know if this is healthy.
PLEASE HELP HER - I've known her all my life - it would absolutely
kill me if I found out that this could seriously hurt her if it
continues. Thank you for listening.
Answer:
Unfortunately, dieting is a national pastime, even a national obsession,
particularly for women. There is an incredible variety of diets
and different diet approaches go in an out of style. People diet
on their own, or with various weight loss programs, or with their
friends, or, like your friend, with family members. If only it were
healthy and/or fun, but in general, it isn’t. Though dieting
doesn’t necessarily lead to eating disorders or other health
problems, almost all eating disorders are preceded by dieting.
The truth is, diets don’t work. Over 90% of people who diet
are unable to achieve the sustained weight loss they seek. Many
end up even gaining weight in the long run. You describe your friend
as someone who is already thin and who may be dieting to get below
her body’s natural weight. As someone who needs to be the best
at everything, she may be at particular risk when the demands of
a diet are in conflict with her body’s basic needs.
In addition to feelings of frustration about weight, many dieters
end up feeling disappointed in themselves. If dieting and thinness
are viewed as all important, your friend may be vulnerable to sacrificing
all the other things that she is good at in order to meet these
goals. It is not possible to sustain success in school and other
activities when chronically undernourished. You can support her
by sharing Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention’s Tips
for Kids and by continuing to be a caring friend.
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