DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a girlfriend who is overweight; she is always trying out fad diets. She has yo-yoed for years with her weight, and it just seems crazy to me. I have to bite my tongue as she goes from one diet to the next, but I grow weary of even hearing her talk about these various exploits. Whenever I invite her to exercise with me or take a cooking class or anything, she shrugs it off and starts raving about whatever fad she is on. How can I remain respectful of her but draw the line about what I'm willing to talk about? I am exhausted by the fads. -- Fad-Free, Denver
DEAR FAD-FREE: People get their minds wrapped around ideas of what will be good for them, and often they cannot see beyond those concepts. You cannot control or influence your friend's behavior. You have witnessed that already. What you can do is to be mindful of your own well-being. If you feel that it is too frustrating for you to listen to tales of your friend's diet exploits, tell her as much. If she reacts as if she is offended, you have every right to say to her -- as kindly as you can muster -- that you love her and want the best for her but do not agree with the choices she makes about her health. Tell her that it's best for you not to engage in conversation about those choices as you do not want to be rude to her, but you just do not co-sign those choices.