how to get my dad to lose weight

Options
chevyman134
chevyman134 Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
hi everyone,
my dad has been overweight for the past 8 years of his life. He is currently 6'2" and weighs a little over 250lb. He is considered obese and at high risk for a heart attack/heart disease. The reason im writing about this is because for about the past year ive been trying to get him to lose weight but he is so stubborn that he wont do it. i tell him not to eat things like ice cream and pizza but he tells me to worry about myself and he just continues to eat junk. He has a sleep apnea machine and takes all of these pills to keep his blood pressure down. He doesnt get that if he just lost 40lb he could be off the sleep apnea machine and his pills. He plays raquetball every other week and for some reason he thinks that, thats all he needs to do to stay in shape. He sometimes claims he doesnt have enough time to work out but he could have plenty of time if he actually cared. I've signed him up for private training sessions and even have bought him exercise videos but he just wont put effort in to lose weight. Im extremely worried for him and i want to be able to have a dad in the years to come but if he keeps treating himself like he is hes not going to live long. Im running out of ideas and i dont know what more i can do. Pretty soon its going to be to late.

Replies

  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    Options
    There's not a lot you can do, in my experience. I went through the same thing with my dad, and he just didn't care. Died at 50.

    One thing you can try is, if you control the shopping for the household at all (or can coordinate with the person who does), have them simply stop buying his go-to munch foods, and replace them with things that are less calorie dense. You might get him to take in fewer calories just because they aren't around.

    Apart from that, he's an adult and if he just doesn't care to be around, he won't be. :/
  • chevyman134
    chevyman134 Posts: 2
    Options
    i unfortunately think its getting to that point, hes 49 right now. How much overweight was your dad?
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    Options
    i unfortunately think its getting to that point, hes 49 right now. How much overweight was your dad?

    I believe he was something around 220 and had high blood pressure. He had warnings for years from his doctors, as I expect your dad has. I don't get it either.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Options
    Your dad is an adult. You can express your concern about his health, and then accept that he will live his own life.
  • mthurston97
    mthurston97 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    I had concern with one of my parents so I tried to motivate them. You can't get them to change if you aren't willing to do it with them. They don't want to feel attacked. I got my mom to lose weight by doing it with her, and taking it slowly. First we started cutting out all the of bad foods and drinks that we filled with sugar and salt and trying to drink water. From there with the weather getting nicer, try to get them out for a walk and talk to them. They are exercising without realizing. Just little things like getting them out of the house can help.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
    Options
    You can not make your dad do anything. He has to want to do this.

    You do not have control over people, places, or things, unfortunately.

Categories