Before you look into anything else, i just want to recommend making sure that SHE wants to lose the weight. When i was younger, my mother took me to weight watchers, and tried to create diets for me, and just pushed it and pushed it. Obviously i didn't enjoy being fat, especially having so many thin friends, but when my mother, who i looked up to, constantly ingrained in me that the way i was was wrong, it really messed me up. I gained weight at first just make her angry. Before i knew it i had a binge eating problem, and got up to 220 lbs. When i realized how huge i was, i started dieting to fix the problem, and ended up with an eating disorder in the other direction. I lost 50 lbs in just over two months, and instead of being concerned my mother was elated. She thoguht it would be a good idea to make it a competition-- not something you ever want to suggest with an eating disorder...of course i'd win, i was fasting for four or five days straight. Maybe she isn't losing weight because she isn't ready, and if that is the case i think it's really important to respect that.
If she is ready, and comes to you, I think the most helpful thing is actually teaching her (and learnign yourself, if you don't know) as much as possible about nutrition. Teach her about what fiber actually does, and why it's important. Why carbs are actually necessary, and the difference between complex and simple carbs and which get the bad rep. How much protein is really necessary in a day, and how many calories she should be eating. Get a food scale to learn real portion sizes, since our portions are so overgrown these days. Real education can't be beat, when it comes to weight loss methods. Learning this stuff actually makes it a lifestyle change-- i find it very hard to even consider eating the way that i used to for even a day.
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