Dear Dish-it,
Recently, my mom has decided that I need to go on a diet. She is always telling me to stop eating so much rubbish and to get more exercise. I'm not overweight, but I've taken a real hit on my self confidence and I can't help comparing myself to my mates who are really skinny. What can I do?
Unhappy
Dear Unhappy,
My mom did the exact same thing to me when I was younger. At the time, I thought she was cruel, but now I see it was all to help me prevent an unhealthy life. The eating habits you develop now will likely carry on into adulthood. So if you can train yourself to turn to healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables rather than sweets or high sodium foods, it’ll be much easier to maintain a healthy weight as you get older.
Benefits of Healthy Living
You’re mom’s also right about getting more exercise. Kids and adolescents need about one hour of physical activity each day to stay healthy. Getting exercise and eating right will help you in more ways than you realize. Not only will it help you to maintain a healthy body weight, but it will also increase your energy, and improve your mood, concentration and memory. The overall effect will boost your self-confidence.
Different Body Types
Try not to compare yourself to your friends. Remember, everyone has a different body type. Some people naturally have a leaner frame than others, and some have a faster metabolism. Just focus on yourself. Don’t try to “get skinny.” Take it from me, that won’t make you any happier in the long run. Instead, focus on being healthy.
Lifestyle Change
Don’t think of this as a diet; that will only hurt your self-esteem and cause your weight to fluctuate. Instead, think of it as a lifestyle change. Changing your eating habits for a little while will only help you for, well, a little while! You have to change them for life. But also don’t deprive yourself. It’s okay to have a treat every once in a while as long as that doesn’t cause you to overeat.
Have Your Say
Do you have any advice for Unhappy? Leave your comment below!
