Body By Vi for teenage step-daughters?
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"You will lose weight when you decide to make a healthy lifestyle change that can last your whole life." They have not reached that decision point yet, so I would say this and nothing else. Teens will get you going around and around talking. Say nothing else! Pay for nothing but healthy groceries and exercise opportunities. AND GET THEIR DAD ON BOARD SO YOU ARE NOT THE BAD GUY!0
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Save your money and give it to me, I'll gladly chase your stepdaughters around the neighbourhood with a whip and a megaphone.:happy:
They are using their aunt as an example when they should really be looking up to you. 5 pounds on a shake diet... sure, but it will come back. Show them your progress and they will change their minds.0 -
Teens are interested in having fun, making money, looking cool in front of friends.
Stop talking about "Wt. Loss" just do super fun stuff that is active helps build a healthy life
Suggestions:
**Jump on giant trapoline
*Take the whole family to a dieitian for healthier family eating-DAD ALSO!!
*A HUGE gift would be cooking classes- say its to get them ready for college or moving out (but some1 that cooks is so much better off for heatlh)
*Summer Sports Camp
*Backpack thru National Park
*Expect them to cook 1 night per week (new tradition)-invite a mystry guest over for it (one of their friends)
*Take them to a farmers market
*Get X-Box kinect sport and beat them at it- challenge them if they win 2 of 3 games they get $10, ECT. (friendly remember NOT TALKING ABOUT WT. LOSS)
*Water ballon fight them in backyard-make ways to throw ballons in odd ways-straight up, nondominate arm, ECT
*Pay them to wash the car/mow loan/pick up trash/pull weeds/paint house WhatEVER
*Home Dance party -(in the dark) if they are to shy to dance or X-box has game for this
*Flash light tag in the park-if possible bring friends
*Beleive it or not playing in park is still fun just let them go at off times-10 pm ECT
*Laser Tag
*Paint Ball0 -
I have a 16 year old step-daughter that eats like she is being paid for it. Her dad and I have talked about ways to address this with her because she also won't go out into the neighborhood to exercise because she thinks everyone will be looking at her. (That is more to do with being 16 than being overweight I think) We have both changed our eating habits and refuse to buy any kind of junk food. We always have plenty of healthy snacks in the house (fresh cut up veggies, fruit, nuts). I would advise against the shakes because if it was my step-daughter, she would beg me for them and then just end up discarding them shortly after I got them. The money would be wasted. Besides, they are meant to replace a meal, not be the drink with a meal and at that age, they can't seem to follow that thought into action. On top of that, it teaches them nothing about nutrition and portion sizes. I'm playing around with portion sizes, only cooking enough for the three of us with no leftovers and no seconds. I'm also finding substitutes for some of the higher calorie go-to's like switching to sweet potatoes, serving a salad with every dinner and making dips with non-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
We have finally found a sport that our daughter likes and have been doing everything we can to encourage her to participate in it. Every little bit helps. Her father and I are doing our best to be good role models when it comes to eating and I think that is having the biggest impact on her.
Good luck with the girls!0 -
You should not *waste* the money.
First, if the shakes are only 90 calories (yikes!) even if the girls stuck to the plan they would be severely undereating, and they are still growing! Second, they're not likely to stick to the plan. They might drink the shakes, but they're going to be hungry and would then just fill up on other food anyway. And again, even if they did stick to it, once they no longer do they would have learned nothing about healthy eating and would end up gaining the weight back.
It sounds like you need to have a conversation with your husband about the health (and self esteem) of his daughters. Either he needs to change his eating habits a bit (the best solution as this would have him setting an example) or he needs to tell his daughters that they either must eat the healthier option you have provided (not a great option, why can he eat a cheeseburger and they can't) or they can start learning about portion sizes and have the appropriate portion size of x.
(And as an aside, there is absolutely no way that my mother would have spent $100 a month on something like that. School sports, dancing, gymnastics, martial arts, etc, yeah, but not something like that.)
***Additionally, please do have them sign up on sparkteens. Teens have different nutritional needs than adults, *that* is why they shouldn't be on MFP.0 -
I also have teenagers , it does not matter what the issue at hand is. If they are not willing to try the gym or better eating habits, they will try the shakes and still continue to eat unhealthy, it is all about self control. my son is legally blind needs glasses and he will not wear them, he wants contacts. we agreed along with his dr. if he wears the glasses for six months i will payfor the contacts. It has been two yrs and still fighting to wear the glasses and no contacts. As far as their father he may be fit , but we are the parents and they are still childern, it is our responsiablity as parents to teach them right. He should be eating healthy too, to be a good role model. The shakes are good and my whole family is trying it but i decided not to cause this is my last resort. If i can tackle and self discipline my self to do this with no help of pills or shakes i know i will have that self accomplishment. With that feeling alone youcan build your self esteem, which it sounds like they both need.No offense but now days teenagers in general are just lazy. I would make my childern go to the gym and donot buy anything but healthy foods in my house. If they want it bad enough they will follow, they will also be amazed at how much fuller they feel after eat the right foods. They will feel fuller longer and not want to crave all day and all the junk foods that they may have consumed. Decission is yours, just remember your husband and you are the adults, take control over this.0
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Yeah, it has to be a total lifestyle overhaul. I can really see where your daughters are coming from, I was also a fat teenager, and having any adult or someone in authority try to talk to me about losing weight just embarrassed and angered me.
I think to really truly do this, you will have to start indirectly affecting their calorie intake by controlling what is available to them at the house. Total family food makeover. Maybe set up some sort of initiative for them to start paying attention to their intake. Give every step forward a reward, and I don't mean those shakes. Weight loss shakes are not sustainable dieting and cost waaay too much money for what you get.
Maybe have a family conversation about all of this and try not to be 'the concerned parents.' Ask them to write down small rewards they would like to receive for each goal reached, like one week of food logged, one trip to buy a new piece of clothing, etc. No food rewards, obviously. And, if your oldest loves fast food, DON'T get her a car!!!!! That is a slippery slope.0 -
My 17 and 15 year old step-daughters both have a weight problem and were recently at their aunt's house and saw her drinking the Body By Vi shakes. Their aunt lost 5 pounds in her first week so now my step-daughters are nagging me to spend the $100/month each for the shakes. I told them no. I asked both of them to join this website and to track their intake for the month of July and then we will revisit the idea. Here is my reasoning...(please let me know what you think)
1. They have no concept as to their current daily calorie intake or what a true serving size is according to the package label.
2. They refuse to do any form of exercise except for leisurely swimming in our pool once a week. The 17yo refuses to walk around the neighborhood since she thinks that people will see her. I have even told her to just take the dogs for a walk so it appears that she has a "reason" to walk and again, she refuses. She claims that she will wait until she gets her license and a car and then will pay for a gym membership (which is silly since I have offered to take her with me and pay for her membership already).
3. I have heard decent things about the shakes but fear that they will just gain any weight back when we can no longer afford them or when they get sick of drinking them.
4. I don't see them both bringing a shake with them to the high school cafeteria for their lunch when their buddies are eating cheeseburgers and fries...but don't get me wrong, I would prefer that they drink a shake over what the cafeteria has to offer.
5. They both just want the "lose weight fast" tactic and have asked me in the past about diet pills, etc.
6. I just can't afford an additional $200/mo to my grocery budget since I don't see my normal grocery bill going down that drastically by them drinking the shakes.
They both claim that this is the only way that they are willing to consider weight loss since they view it as a lose weight fast tactic. The 15yo hasn't been home yet this week since we have had this conversation but the 17yo has been and she hasn't changed her eating ways at all this week. Two cheeseburgers and a handful of waffle fries for dinner followed by a bowl of ice cream for dessert. Yes I know that it is up to us as her parents to provide healthier food options and I did. I made grilled BBQ chicken breasts as well with veggies but she picked the burgers and fries that her dad was having (who doesn't have a weight problem and is extremely active).
I feel like I am in a hard situation as I want what is best for the girls by them losing weight but they hate when I mention anything that has to do with them losing weight or making better food choices. I guess I would feel more inclined to figure something out so that I could afford the shakes if I knew that they have already been trying to lose weight by normal calorie tracking and exercise. But when they haven't, I don't feel like this would be a good option for them at this point in time.
Is there another way to approach this with them that I am just not seeing in my biased viewpoint?
BTW - The 17yo is 5' tall and probably 180lbs. The 15yo is about 4' 6" tall (they are both short because of genetics...mom is only 4' 8" and also overweight) and I think 135lbs.
Sounds like you are being supportive but responsible with money which is a good lesson for them. How about buying them a bulk container of muscle milk from Costco. Inexpensive and maybe they will loose a few pounds a develop some healthier habits.0 -
tough stuff, i used to feel like them. tell them if they can track themselves for over a month on MFP then they get the shakes. it will be harder for them to drink the shakes than to track on MFP and maybe once they have an understanding of what it really takes to lose weight they will come to the light side haha. i spent most of my teenage years looking for a quick fix, not understanding i really needed to make a lifestyle change. ultimately change will come from them, not you. my parents peppered me relentlessly about eating better and exercising and dieting but it took until i went to college for me to really start trying to live healthy. ask their aunt not to mention it around them anymore maybe?0
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not easy for you or them. However I hear a lot of excuses from them. I would not pay for any of it. If they want to do it, they have to pay for it. Their commitment will have a whole other aspect if it comes from their own pocket.0
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the first 5lbs in the first week? the weight loss there, is food, "leaving the building", these shakes are a quick fix, not a change of lifestyle, and a change of attitudes and lifestyle/relationship with food.......these need to be changed first, and getting fat people to change their viewpoint on food, is a very difficult thing to do, believe me i know, i used to be one ......
good luck with it...
christian0 -
When I was in high school my parents bought us a family gym membership, and at least a couple times a week we all piled in the car and headed to the gym, where we had an hour to spend doing whatever it was we wanted, as long as we were on the equipment, track, or in the pool. There was no "do you want to come?" it was a "you will come with us, or else..."
I secretly got to the point where I enjoyed going to the gym with my family, even though I would never have let them hear that! Back then, I was 5'5" and 180. I didn't lose a lot of weight, but I was strong, toned, and healthy.
"No gym, no cell phone."
"If you want to go to the movies tonight, you have to put in a half hour at the gym with me first."
Don't let teens make all the decisions. Get them there, then let them decide what it is they want to do. Oh, and bring Dad too. Chances are a light workout at the gym won't kill him.0 -
I am very much against pyramid schemes that charge OUTRAGEOUS prices for products that do not cost that much, just so they can pay the sales people 50% and offer them free cars if they just continue to sell more and more. Who runs the home and pays the bills-- YOU or your step daughters? More than likely you. You make the rules. I would tell the 17 year old if she is that lazy about losing weight and refusing to change her eating habits, she can get a part time job and pay for it herself. I promise you if that is presented to her, she more than likely will change her mind.
In reality, I would make an agreement with them. Change their eating habits, and work out X number of times a week. After a month, if they start to see results, than I would reconsider.0 -
and also.... start by telling them that they can get the same effect by just drinking only liquids that are free out of the tap
Take burgers OFF THE MENU!!!!!!!!
if they moan, tell them that when they start eating properly, and eating only whole foods (no secret eating) like ur chicken and veggies, then you wil get them the shakes.........
you wont need to, they will lose weight naturally, then you can tell them that they dont need the shakes, because they lost more weight doing it the right way (chicken and veggies) than their aunt who uses a shake, and is hungry all the time0 -
Weight loss and staying fit is a lifestyle not a month long crash course with a miracle shake that makes all your problems go away.
I have 3 stepdaughters. Stay firm and make them a deal that if they can stick with a workout plan and eating right for a month or whatever you set you will consider the shakes or getting other shakes that are less expensive elsewhere. However you won’t fund something that will not last and you need to be shown they are being serious. Both diet and exercise are needed not just one or the other.
Tell them that if they want to be fit and in better shape bad enough then they need to put in the time that everyone else does at the gym or walking/running and tracking what they eat. When they can do that you will help them further their weight loss.
Good luck!0 -
It sounds like they've figured out how to technically comply with what they think you want, while annoying the hell out of you and not really doing anything. They have to want it for themselves, or it isn't going to happen.
I do like the idea of family gym visits, and you should definitely do what you can to get the crap food choices out of the house. Maybe have them watch some of those documentaries like Food, Inc., etc., that might get them thinking more about the quality of food they're putting into their bodies.0 -
Lots of sound advice here. I hope you read through it all and take it into consideration, but I really believe you have already thought it through. You seem like a very smart Step-Mom to consider what is best for them. I have a 15 year old and she has issues with her weight just like myself. I have begun to set the example by serving what is cooked (much healthier now) to the whole family, including my husband. I usually dish up the plates at our house and I have cut her serving size down. When she comes grocery shopping I open up conversations about nutritional values of certain foods. I love it when she asks me to buy something (food) as we are walking through the store. It is the best opportunity to point out the contents and the serving size and to see if we can find something of better health value. She has been shocked at the nutritional information she reads. I feel like I am opening her up to making good choices for herself. I can't be there at school on her lunch break to dish her up and make her pick the healthiest options but by talking openly about food and health I feel like I am giving her the power to see the truth. Most teenagers have no idea what a true serving size is. My daughter was shocked to find out that the grab bag size of chips was more than 2 servings. But who else would have told her...if I hadn't pointed that out. And we discuss calories per day and how it should be used like a daily spending account that you can't go over drawn.
You should definitely continue discussions with your girls on nutrition and health. Whenever you discover new information, share it with them and open it up for a Q & A, even if you don't know the answers to their questions it will be engaging them to think it through. You can go search for answers together.
I recommend you deny them the false hope in drinking shakes to drop weight. Offer them your full support in being active and more knowledgeable. Ask them what sport or activity they want to sign up for. Look at a class through your local community center or a gym. They often offer a 6-8 week class like Step Aerobics, Hip Hop Dance and Zumba. All really great activities for teenagers. Maybe look at a red-team soccer or tennis. There is usually classes for Life Guard Lessons to become a certified Life Guard, which would get them out and swimming along with something great to put on a resume to show they are ambitious. That would be money better spent than on shakes and probably cost less too.0 -
You are a smart woman.
Congratulations that they are willing to take some steps now, rather than later, but you are correct in the analysis.
If they REALLY want to take control, they should not rely on a get-skinny-quick method, but truly own the method to achieve the outcome, and to make healthy living an achievable lifestyle.0 -
Your profile states you're 18, most likely because you knew you had to lie to get on this site.I'm 17 right now and no way in hell would my mom pay for those shakes!
Not only is Body By Vi NOT a healthy choice for anyone, but there are TOS in joining this site.
Oh please, stop playing police-police - if a 17 year old is making good choices and doing the weight loss thing in a healthy way, WHAT is it to you that she might only be 18 in a month or three or two days?? What would you have her do - rather eat 2 cheeseburgers for dinner out of ignorance????
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Oh please, stop playing police-police - if a 17 year old is making good choices and doing the weight loss thing in a healthy way, WHAT is it to you that she might only be 18 in a month or three or two days?? What would you have her do - rather eat 2 cheeseburgers for dinner out of ignorance????
No, I'd not rather she eat 2 cheeseburgers for dinner. I'd rather her get on a healthy site for teens. I wouldn't want my 15 or 17 year old on this site. There are reasons Mike have TOS in place. Perhaps you should ask him why he cares.0
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