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Dianne Scheinberg, MS, RD, LDN Responds:
Dianne Scheinberg MS, RD, LDN, owner of a nutrition counseling and consulting firm, in Newton, Massachusetts, responds:
Set a good example by eating well and exercising. Talk about how good you feel, and ask your loved ones to join you without pressuring them to do so.
Listen carefully and learn where they stand without being judgmental. Being oppositional may cause them to dig in further. See if there are small steps they are willing to take. Even small changes can make a big difference.
Find recipes and cook healthy, delicious foods together.
Share articles and evidence of what is harmful to their health to help educate them gently, but be careful not to let this backfire into nagging.
Create a positive-reinforcement system of reward each time they make a healthy effort. Avoid disappointment or failure-focused attitudes when they don't succeed. Praise and encouragement are always better than punishment.
Seek professional help from a registered dietitian and a personal trainer. It may be easier to accept motivation and instruction from those outside the family.
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Dianne Scheinberg
MS, RD, LDN
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