At 13, Opal is alarmed by how her body is changing. She’s always been bigger than most of her friends, but she seems to have gained a lot of weight around her abdomen in the past year. At her last medical examination, her doctor commented that she should try to lose weight. Her parents both work, so most days she is home alone for a couple of hours after school. Her neighborhood isn’t very safe, so she usually stays indoors and does homework or chats with friends online. She usually snacks on granola bars, pretzels, and soda while she waits for her parents to come home and cook dinner. Opal is thinking she’d like to lose a significant amount of weight before she starts high school in 6 months.

1. What would you tell Opal about her desire to lose weight before starting high school
2. What types of changes would you recommend to Opal?