is my 15yo dd now eating the right amount to lose weight?

[trampsypantsy]

She had been snacking on the way to school and out with friends a lot in the past year and had become overweight
She was extremely self conscious about it and even refused to leave the house on many occasions. It all came to a head a week ago when in toyshop changing rooms she realised that she couldn't find into the size 12 jeans that are meant to be baggy. So I've told her we'll both start eating way healthier together so we feel better. She went to the gym for an hour today and this is what she's eaten for the day, is it enough? She's vegetarian btw
Breakfast(never normally eats it) banana and glass of orange juice
Lunch: scrambled egg with different cooked vegetables in it
Dinner: a bowl of salad with tomato,lettuce cucumber along with about half of cup of couscous

Tophop *

Fit into *

That's a starvation diet! And completely inadequate for health.

She needs to cut out crap and eat normal meals. At that age her weight will readjust to normal.

She is not an adult and dieting is not appropriate.

If you're not confident at managing this then go to the docs and she will make you an appointment with a nutritionist

No. Not enough. She doesn't want an eating disorder.

I'd agree, that isn't enough food. She needs to cut out the snacking, a bit of extra exercise wouldn't harm.

Okay so what kind of foods should we add in?

No, you don't add anything.

You just eat normally and drop the crisps/biscuits.

Protein, veg cheese, how about eggs for breakfast - I do accept that some find breakfast hard to stomach though? Don't go heavy on the carbs, do not get "low fat" versions of food, they are usually loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners. The dinner of salad - could have a grilled halummi (sp???) cheese, tofu, quorn fillets.

apart from the snacking is what she usually eats healthy? If it is along with the cutting out the snacking maybe reduce portions a tad.

Are you wondering what eating normally is at that age ?

If no breakfast then as soon as she wants food then a roll with cheese/ peanut butter to get her metabolism going. A proper lunch of sandwiches/fruit/salad/soup. A proper dinner of vegetable burgers/piles of veg/baked potato

No restrictions on the above if she doesn't currently have emotional issues or an eating disorder. At this age you eat normally and normally means 'good food til you've had enough'

Would it not be okay if she ate the same kind of food as today but just increased the portion sizes? She said she hasn't felt hungry between meals today like she usually does and just feels more clean and healthy, massive contrast to her crying last weak about how gross and disgusting she felt!

I reckon that's about the same amount of calories I have and I'm on a major weight loss regime and not a growing 14yo.

Definitely what others have said, tell her to stop snacking on crap (dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts etc if she gets hungry and needs a snack) then just normal sized portions of good, healthy meals. Her weight will even out, especially if she's exercising as well.

The more 'clean and healthy' is the problem - that 'light' feeling is the start of disordered eating as it's addictive.

The bottom line is that is not enough calories - by generous estimates that's about 1000 calories - she needs more than double that for health.

I cannot emphasise this enough - the 'light ' feeling, that feeling of control is the start of disordered eating.

She needs to eat healthily and you may need to visit your GP to have them on side with this.

Just cut out all cakes, biscuits, fizzy drinks except as rare threats - 2 or 3 times a week. Don't let her stuff on carbs, give her fruit or nuts or cheese and crackers instead. She will lose weight slowly. Has she reached her adult height, do you think?

I'm pretty sure she is adult height, she's 5ft4 but I'm that height and her father is small too, as is her adult sister. She hasn't grown in a while so I doubt she will very much now, possibly an inch

Also she really needs to drink plenty of water/squash as it's really easy to confuse thirst with hunger

No, that is not enough. That is the way to an ED. She should start eating as she means to go on for the rest of her life. It may take a while to shift the weight (but it doesn't sound like she has more than a stone to lose). Basically, she should eat proper meals with protein and veg (eg lentil curry and rice or eggs and beans on toast or, if she eats fish, then fish and chips and peas, not have seconds, not snack between meals and not drink sweetened drinks or too much alcohol (presume at 15 this is not an issue). She will soon be lovely and healthy. A starvation diet will either lead to yoyo weight gain or else to anorexia. Don't go there.

She needs more protein - nuts, seeds, hummus, cheese, eggs.

Dried fruit is full of sugar; not a good snack. A small handful of nuts - 6 or 7 - is better but still very dense calorie wise.

She should eat a filling breakfast -- either muesli or porridge is best, maybe with natural yoghurt and fresh fruit (bananas, berries).

Between meals she should eat nothing, or if really hungry a piece of fruit or natural yoghurt.

Lunch and dinner should be high fibre, a good amount of protein, low fat, very low sugar.

Drinks should be water, semi skimmed milk, tea or coffee. Definitely not juice or smoothies which are packed full of sugar.

I don't know, we can up the protein but this is the happiest I've ever seen her, I don't want this newfound confidence when we've only just managed to achieve it

Newfound confidence from one day of extreme dieting....? You really don't want get confusing self esteem and dieting. Sure way to an eating disorder.

Do u have an ok relationship with food yourself?

Then you turn the confidence into eating healthy. That isn't enough calories and it is very obviously not sustainable.

It's so low in calories she will fail at it and get down again. You need to make sure she is eating much more - your menu said lettuce for dinner.

Not enough

Breakfast(never normally eats it) banana and glass of orange juice. Ideally add some yogurt/ berries/ granola/ nuts

Lunch: scrambled egg with different cooked vegetables in it. Depends on size but prob needs to add cheese ad extra side veg

Dinner: a bowl of salad with tomato,lettuce cucumber along with about half of cup of couscous. If she wants a salad fine, but that's not a salad for a meal. Needs avocado, beetroot, carrot, mushrooms, spinach, walnuts, tomatoes, cucumber, goats cheese.

Every meal needs to ideally have carbs and protein in. Protein esp important if she's veggie.

My friend ate more than that and she had an eating disorder you want heath, not starvation!