A mother has taken to Reddit for some much-needed advice after making a tough decision about her twin daughters’ diets.
The 14-year-old girls, Megan and Alana, both stand at five feet tall, but there’s a significant difference in their weights.
Megan weighs over 150 pounds, while Alana is around 95 pounds.
Despite only Megan needing to lose weight, the mother has decided to put the entire family on a diet.
In her Reddit post, the mother detailed her decision to include the whole family in a diet plan.
She explained that while Megan’s weight issues prompted the diet change, she didn’t want Alana to feel left out or unfairly targeted.
“I emphasized the importance of staying healthy rather than just focusing on losing weight,” she said.
However, Alana quickly suspected that the real reason behind the diet was Megan’s weight, leading to complaints about the unfairness of the situation.
The twins were once of equal weight until around the age of seven, when Megan began to gain weight.
By the time they were 11, Megan was classified as overweight.
A doctor’s visit offered some reassurance, suggesting that weight gain before puberty is common and often balances out. However, after a growth spurt last year, Megan’s weight continued to increase, prompting the mother to take more drastic measures by implementing a family-wide diet.
The mother gradually began reducing sugar, junk food, and unhealthy snacks from their diet.
She started preparing meals that were high in volume but low in calories, filled with vegetables and protein to ensure everyone felt satisfied.
Additionally, she encouraged the twins to partake in physical activities like swimming, bike riding, and trampolining, as neither of them are particularly athletic.
The Reaction
Alana’s frustration over the family’s new diet has led the mother to question her approach. The Reddit community did not hold back, with many criticizing her decision.
Some argued that the mother’s strategy seemed more about hiding the real reason behind the diet rather than genuinely promoting health.
“It seems like you’re trying to cover up the fact that you want Megan to lose weight by pretending it’s a health issue for everyone,” one commenter remarked.
Another pointed out the emotional impact, stating, “Nobody should feel punished for their weight, especially by a parent who should offer unconditional love.”
They also criticized the mother for making Alana part of the diet plan, suggesting that she should address the weight issue directly with Megan instead.
In conclusion, the mother is grappling with whether her approach was fair and effective, or if it might have created more issues than it solved.