Unsupportive Family

I can't have treats in the house either. If it's here, I have a hard time turning it down. Can you try to workout when a craving hits? I've finally reached a point where the endorphins from exercise make me happier than eating chocolate.

Get some half-sized sandwich bags and set aside single servings of "bad" snacks so you can have one or two a day without being deprived or tempted by the whole package. If you're eating an actual single serving size the calories and stats in junk food is really not going to make that much of an impact on your day.

Hi Jennifer,

I understand your pain and frustration. You have a tough situation. But I hear some great things too. You are a really caring person for yourself and your family. You are aware of the unhealthy lifestyle that surrounds you. You're knowledgeable in the medical reasons to live healthy. So you have a lot going for you. I have a few suggestions, perhaps they could help.

1. How you feel is important. If you can't be around your family when they are eating without losing your peace of mind then leave the room or house if necessary. That action will speak more loudly than any words you can say. Keep eating healthy without saying anything. Be involved whenever the situation is healthy, positive and loving.

2. Forgive them. Accept your family as they are, bad habits and all. Accept that they are not in the same place as you are. Your resistance (frustration/anger) is adding more resistance to the situation.

3. Seek your support elsewhere, like you are here. Your family is not capable to be supportive at the moment. Its not that they won't but more like they can't. Your young, smart and caring, there is plenty of "friends" available- you have to see what you have, not what you don't have.

Be well and healthy.

As hard as it may be, be the example. Maybe your parents will see the positive changes and want to get on board. But if not, you have to take care of you. You deserve to be healthy.

How bad do you want to lose weight? You can say that it's difficult because there are foods in the house and you have trouble resisting, but it's kind of an excuse. No one is going to give you the motivation but yourself. You have to evaluate how badly you want to reach your goal and just do it. Losing weight, getting willpower...no one said it would be easy. You gotta just do it because no one will do it for you. Good luck!

It's VERY IMPORTANT that you log everything you're eating EVERY SINGLE DAY...even if you continue to eat and overeat junk food all day long. To win over this food addiction, you (and all of us) must practice "mindful" eating...that means you eat it--you log it, HONESTLY, and preferably, in the case of junk food, log it BEFORE you eat it (as you see the calories, sugar and fat tote up, you may decide to make a healthier choice or, better yet, don't eat anything at all if it puts you over your calorie intake for the day). Do this for a week or two of eating junk, junk, junk and I guarantee your logical brain will kick in and you will start making some more healthy choices, slowly, but surely.

Second, you should work on your food addiction by exploring what feelings and emotions you're trying to medicate with junk food. Check out the book, "Women, Food and God" by Geneen Roth (it's not as "religious" as the title sounds). Google her and check out some of the videos and book excerpts and see if it hits home for you on any level. Believe it or not, healthy eating and exercise will remove the pounds...but to keep the weight off and not suffer throughout your life gaining and losing over and over again, you MUST do what it takes to break the food addiction. Reading the book I mentioned above will give you a good place to start.

A couple of the posters above gave some great advice about your parents--it's not about THEM, it's about YOU. Know that they are doing the best they know how and be grateful for all they are doing for you. As you read books about "mindfulness" and work through the issues you have that make you overeat, you will also learn compassion that will help you cope with whatever issues you have with your parents' lifestyle.

Good luck...if you work the program and work through your food issues, by the time you move to your own place, you will have a much easier time living a healthy lifestyle.

My parents buy junk and all the time but over time I've learnt to resist it all. I just look at how many calories are in them and how eating it will put me out of my goals, etc and realise it's not worth it. However that doesn't mean I don't have any treats, when I still have calories left at the end of the day I'll have something sometimes. I think those occasional treats keep you sane.

Maybe if your parents start seeing you get healthy and have results it'll encourage them to do the same.

I definitely get the frustration and concern you have for your family!
I was also raised in a family that used food as comfort and celebration and rewards. I've had to learn new habits and set my priorities ahead of what is in front of me now. I've also started using BeachBody workout programs to focus my fitness, and Shakeology to help with my nutrition. Its made a huge difference for me ... and slowly - I've been able to share with my family and have them start making healthier options.

It's a struggle for sure ... I'm sorry you don't have support from your family ... but you have support from us!!!

Eat your protein and veggies first, log everything, and then portion control the snacks. Fill up on good food first and you probably won't want much junk anyway.

I keep dark chocolate and nuts around for snacks-- very satisfying and it doesn't take much to feel decadent and full.