What should I do about my overweight friend?

Question:

My mate Cathy is morbidly obese, and although she pretends to be doing something about it, she blatantly isn't. On a work night out the other day, she scoffed a large meat-feast pizza, a huge slice of chocolate fudge cake with cream and dranks a load of alcohol too, having told everyone at work that day she was just going to have a salad. I really want to help her but don't want to offend her in any way. What should I do?

Answers:
I can sympathise with Cathy, as I am under the "Obese" category too.

I guess it may be worth finding out why she feels the need to eat quite so much. Occasionally there is a condition when people always feel hungry and just can't stop eating - but this shouldn't be used as an excuse!!

Is there anything active that you do (and will not feel too scarey) for your friend to do? I go walking with a rambling group which I find really good fun and swimming is a fairly good way to keep fit too!

Hope it all works out well for her.

Other Answers:
She has to want to change, and have the knowledge required to achieve it.

Most obese people just arent nutrionally aware and they can't make the right choices.

See if you can nominate her for the next series of 'You are what you eat.' - it certainly educated me.

be a friend and be supportive. talk to her in a loving, caring non-judgmental way. maybe she has other emotional issues going on -- alot of people who over-eat turn to food as a form of CONSOLATION. Let her do what she wants to . She has to want to change. You are a friend not her parent

Overeaters Anonymous will help those who want help. You can maybe mention it to her, but nothing else. Don't force your views onto her.

Take care.

Treat her to wait watchers for a birthday gift or something She should be ready to lose weight herself and until she is you cannot do anything

If she doesnt want to be thin, she doesnt have to be, but if she continues eating that way, she can become unmoveable, or possibly die. Human bodies arent built to carry alot of weight.

BE A FRIEND to your friend. Being a friend includes Not Enabling this behavior, as well as being supportive, and telling her the truth.

Don't ever buy the cake for her, don't ever tell her that what she's doing is alright - and when she's ready to change - be there with and for her.

suggest you go and do some sport together be supportive, stand by her as a friend and dont judge her. but as others have said, she has to do it for herself and no one else. Tell her that your concerned about her and that you want to help her. maybe suggest to her about going to the doctors to talk about her weight and health. Offer to join the gym with her and do a diet together. just help her and be a good friend and support her. If she doesn't want to change her ways, then theres not much you can do.. id just speak to her though..

send her to africa and let the starving people there feast on her.

Like the others said. there isn't much you can do about it. Some people live to eat while the rest of us eat to live. When she's tired of all the detriments that go with being fat and unhealthy, she might like to look into Chet Day's diet and fitness plan:
http://www.chetday.com/

She already knows your concerns and at this point doesn't want to change. When you are that overweight you are often depressed and the more people harp on your weight the more depressed you become. Your best bet is to let her know that if and when she decides to do something about her weight then you will be behind her 100%. She most likely feel out of control right now. Back off a little and help her get that control back.

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What should I do about my overweight friend?

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