Dealing with different diets

Eat the carbs you need right in front of her, and don't give her any. Your
son will probably follow your lead. Tell him that the carb stuff will make
his mom sick and then she'll die from it.

--
Most people are dumb as bricks; some people are dumber than that. -- MFW

"DocBill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello Again,

I have been having a problem that I'm certain other families have run
into, and I'm wondering how they deal with it. That is, everyone in
the family needs a different diet, but everyone follows my example.

First off some background. My wife needs fairly low carb (less than 25
per day), and an average of about 1400 calories (or less to lose
weight). Mean while, I've lost almost all the weight I need to. So
now I need approximately 2200 calories per day, and more carbs. (I'm
at 50 carbs/day and still losing fairly fast.) My 3 year old son needs
as many healthy carbs and calories as we can convince him to eat.

Now the key problems is it tend to be too difficult to prepare 3
different meals, and everyone follows my example. As an example,
yesterday we were at Costco and feeling hungry. So we got three all
beef dogs. I proceeded to slice my dog down the middle and add the
onions and muster inside. I then sat the bun aside to take home for
the dogs and ate my dog. My wife followed my example and did the same.
(Had I eaten the bun, she probably would have too.) My son also
followed my example, and refused to touch his bun.

The net effect is, I have been finding difficult to get even my current
carb limit. I have to sneak in higher carb snacks with my son, and
then stuff myself at meal times when I'm to full to eat. My son has
been losing weight, even though he really needs to gain weight. My
wife on the other hand is stalled, both because occasionally the
temptation of wanting a snack she finds me eating is to great, and
medication she must take.

I have found I can sneak in a few extra carbs without causing her
temptation. For example: Half a cup of berries, a quarter cup of
whipping cream and Splenda is a nine carb snack. 1/3 cup of berries
and a 1/6 a cup of Nutriwhip is an identical looking and tasting five
carb snack. Meanwhile my son has a small bowl of ice cream. However,
the difference in our dietary needs is great enough, that these types
of substitutions is not sufficient.

Bill

DocBill said:

Now the key problems is it tend to be too difficult to prepare 3
different meals, and everyone follows my example. As an example,
yesterday we were at Costco and feeling hungry. So we got three all
beef dogs. I proceeded to slice my dog down the middle and add the
onions and muster inside. I then sat the bun aside to take home for
the dogs and ate my dog.

That's what I do too!

Quoted message said:

The net effect is, I have been finding difficult to get even my current
carb limit. I have to sneak in higher carb snacks with my son, and
then stuff myself at meal times when I'm to full to eat. My son has
been losing weight, even though he really needs to gain weight.

Whole grain rice and pasta are easy to scale up or down for all diets.
Having whole wheat bread is also an optional component that's easy to
have or not have in a meal.

Quoted message said:

I have found I can sneak in a few extra carbs without causing her
temptation. For example: Half a cup of berries, a quarter cup of
whipping cream and Splenda is a nine carb snack. 1/3 cup of berries
and a 1/6 a cup of Nutriwhip is an identical looking and tasting five
carb snack. Meanwhile my son has a small bowl of ice cream.

The berry snack sounds better and more nutritious than the ice cream.
Why shouldn't he eat it too? I use fresh cream instead of a whip, which
your kid could have too.

Does your wife truely want to lose weight or does she feel presured? It
would bug me to no end having someone watch over every bite that I ate. She
needs to learn how to say no to certain foods and not eat something just
because everyone else is. I fail to understand why the onions where bad
though.. they are allowed. I dont know many people that would be happy with
a lunch of just 1 bunless hotdog and nothing else..

Tori

--
Bonnie 3/02 AKA "Goofy Gooferson"
Xavier 10/04 AKA "Chunky Chunkerson"
"DocBill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello Again,

I have been having a problem that I'm certain other families have run
into, and I'm wondering how they deal with it. That is, everyone in
the family needs a different diet, but everyone follows my example.

First off some background. My wife needs fairly low carb (less than 25
per day), and an average of about 1400 calories (or less to lose
weight). Mean while, I've lost almost all the weight I need to. So
now I need approximately 2200 calories per day, and more carbs. (I'm
at 50 carbs/day and still losing fairly fast.) My 3 year old son needs
as many healthy carbs and calories as we can convince him to eat.

Now the key problems is it tend to be too difficult to prepare 3
different meals, and everyone follows my example. As an example,
yesterday we were at Costco and feeling hungry. So we got three all
beef dogs. I proceeded to slice my dog down the middle and add the
onions and muster inside. I then sat the bun aside to take home for
the dogs and ate my dog. My wife followed my example and did the same.
(Had I eaten the bun, she probably would have too.) My son also
followed my example, and refused to touch his bun.

The net effect is, I have been finding difficult to get even my current
carb limit. I have to sneak in higher carb snacks with my son, and
then stuff myself at meal times when I'm to full to eat. My son has
been losing weight, even though he really needs to gain weight. My
wife on the other hand is stalled, both because occasionally the
temptation of wanting a snack she finds me eating is to great, and
medication she must take.

I have found I can sneak in a few extra carbs without causing her
temptation. For example: Half a cup of berries, a quarter cup of
whipping cream and Splenda is a nine carb snack. 1/3 cup of berries
and a 1/6 a cup of Nutriwhip is an identical looking and tasting five
carb snack. Meanwhile my son has a small bowl of ice cream. However,
the difference in our dietary needs is great enough, that these types
of substitutions is not sufficient.

Bill

Cooking is different when your the only one low carbing. I rely on box mixes
of rice, mac and cheese to feed the rest of the family a "starch" meat and
veggies isn't an issue- they love the big salad bowl that is out every
night. a hot veggie can also be added- just don't ask me to make cookies
these days.

Our refrigerator is always stuffed- 3 different milk containers, tons of
fresh produce where it used to be frozen veggies. plastic bowls of left
overs-where I'd used to clean up what was left over.

On the stove right now is chili- lots of hamburger, peppers, 1 onion, and
soybeans on the side for me and kidney beans on the side for the guys. lots
of toppings to choose from- little kids love to build a dinner- just have
lots of variety.

I used to hide from my kids to eat my slender bars (remember them?). It is
hard when they are asking every other hour what they can eat and you weren't
even thinking of food at the moment. Its easier now that they are grown- My
17 year old son can cook if he isn't pleased with dinner, or fish night (he
hates fish!) I cook our fish and he gets his chicken breast. Skinny as a
rail, I keep goodies around for him-
It is a challenge when a tot is mimicking what your eating-that makes wise
choices even more important.

"Tori M." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does your wife truely want to lose weight or does she feel presured? It
would bug me to no end having someone watch over every bite that I ate.
She needs to learn how to say no to certain foods and not eat something
just because everyone else is. I fail to understand why the onions where
bad though.. they are allowed. I dont know many people that would be
happy with a lunch of just 1 bunless hotdog and nothing else..

Tori

--
Bonnie 3/02 AKA "Goofy Gooferson"
Xavier 10/04 AKA "Chunky Chunkerson"
"DocBill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello Again,

I have been having a problem that I'm certain other families have run
into, and I'm wondering how they deal with it. That is, everyone in
the family needs a different diet, but everyone follows my example.

First off some background. My wife needs fairly low carb (less than 25
per day), and an average of about 1400 calories (or less to lose
weight). Mean while, I've lost almost all the weight I need to. So
now I need approximately 2200 calories per day, and more carbs. (I'm
at 50 carbs/day and still losing fairly fast.) My 3 year old son needs
as many healthy carbs and calories as we can convince him to eat.

Now the key problems is it tend to be too difficult to prepare 3
different meals, and everyone follows my example. As an example,
yesterday we were at Costco and feeling hungry. So we got three all
beef dogs. I proceeded to slice my dog down the middle and add the
onions and muster inside. I then sat the bun aside to take home for
the dogs and ate my dog. My wife followed my example and did the same.
(Had I eaten the bun, she probably would have too.) My son also
followed my example, and refused to touch his bun.

The net effect is, I have been finding difficult to get even my current
carb limit. I have to sneak in higher carb snacks with my son, and
then stuff myself at meal times when I'm to full to eat. My son has
been losing weight, even though he really needs to gain weight. My
wife on the other hand is stalled, both because occasionally the
temptation of wanting a snack she finds me eating is to great, and
medication she must take.

I have found I can sneak in a few extra carbs without causing her
temptation. For example: Half a cup of berries, a quarter cup of
whipping cream and Splenda is a nine carb snack. 1/3 cup of berries
and a 1/6 a cup of Nutriwhip is an identical looking and tasting five
carb snack. Meanwhile my son has a small bowl of ice cream. However,
the difference in our dietary needs is great enough, that these types
of substitutions is not sufficient.

Bill

I would love to convince my son to try the berry snack. But he only
likes fresh berries, not the ones from the freezer. He never likes the
whipped cream. While I do frequently insist he eats things he doesn't
like, I try not to do so with snacks or other menu items that a choisen
mainly for enjoyment.

Grains are my wifes biggest weakness. Everyone has one or two
weaknesses at least. Mine seems to be any type of bread desert
product. I made Atkins Bannana bread one day, and I ate the whole
loaf, minus the few peices I sat aside. Today, my wife tried making
the Atkins Brownies so she could have one to satisfy her chocolate
cravings. I hate six of them... Fortunately, we have found a few
pasta products our son loves that we both don't really care for.
Feeding everyone is always a challenge.

Bill

DocBill said:

First off some background. My wife needs fairly low carb (less than 25
per day), and an average of about 1400 calories (or less to lose
weight).

It's VERY common for women to need fewer calories than men, no matter
what diet they follow. Doesn't seem fair or right, but it's the Way
It Is. Doesn't matter if you're following a low-fat diet, a LC diet,
a See-Food-And-Eat-It-Diet, most women need fewer calories than men to
maintain their plan AND our bodies like to give up the fat less easily
(we need it to sustain that baby that might start growing next week,
you know!) so it's harder for us.

Quoted message said:

Mean while, I've lost almost all the weight I need to. So
now I need approximately 2200 calories per day, and more carbs. (I'm
at 50 carbs/day and still losing fairly fast.)

So, YOU get to have bigger serves of vegetables, perhaps a little
grain product. If you think that it's going to be an issue for your
wife to see you eating more, make sure SOME of your daily food intake
is at a time when she's not around. If she doesn't see it, it
shouldn't tempt her to go beyond her 'daily allotment'.

Quoted message said:

My 3 year old son needs
as many healthy carbs and calories as we can convince him to eat.

There is NOTHING wrong with feeding a 3 year old on a diet that is
light on grains and includes plenty of healthy vegetables (which he's
going to see you eating) and fruits, with appropriate amounts of
protein and fat. You DON'T need to cram him with carbs, healthy or
otherwise, to have him grow up fit and healthy!

How do I know this? My daughters were 2 and 3 years old when I began
to follow a LC plan. I didn't (and don't) push LC at them, but they
tend to pattern their eating around what they see me doing. So it is
that Miss 9 learned before she started at primary school that a plate
full of lightly steamed broccoli, with a little butter on it, is a
delight for the palate. Miss 10 learned early on that she adores a
steak smothered in mushrooms. They do eat SOME carbs, but perhaps a
third of what their classmates go through in a day. They do not want
candy or chocolate most of the time at all. They think a wonderful
treat is a bowl of berries with unsweetened natural yoghurt. Salads
or very lightly cooked greens are staples in our house, not potatoes.

My girls are fit and healthy. They're tall for their ages - kind of
expected with a Daddy who is 6'8" tall - and right at the correct
weights for their heights. Despite being asthmatic (pretty much
unavoidable with both parents having it AND #1 being born 2 months
early) they are active, doing swimming and karate on a regular basis.

If your son sees you and your wife eating a healthy mix of real foods,
the odds are he'll do the same.

Aramanth

DocBill <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> I would love to convince my son to try the berry snack. But he only
:> likes fresh berries, not the ones from the freezer. He never likes
:> the whipped cream. While I do frequently insist he eats things he
:> doesn't like, I try not to do so with snacks or other menu items
:> that a choisen mainly for enjoyment.
:>
:> Grains are my wifes biggest weakness. Everyone has one or two
:> weaknesses at least. Mine seems to be any type of bread desert
:> product. I made Atkins Bannana bread one day, and I ate the whole
:> loaf, minus the few peices I sat aside. Today, my wife tried making
:> the Atkins Brownies so she could have one to satisfy her chocolate
:> cravings. I hate six of them... Fortunately, we have found a few
:> pasta products our son loves that we both don't really care for.
:> Feeding everyone is always a challenge.

Well, while in losing mode, you and your wife will have to deal with your
weaknesses. But at least you have each other there to support one another -
assuming you're not giving into your weaknesses while she's trying to stay
tough...that will be hard for her.

As for the son...just make some extra carby food for him at each meal. You
two can just not eat that. As for you, if you want to slow the weight loss,
just eat more LC food. You don't have to eat carby food fo slow weight
loss. Have a handful of nuts for dessert, for example.

Roger Zoul said:

Aramanth Dawe <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> On 15 May 2005 08:02:52 -0700, "DocBill" <[email hidden]> wrote:
:>
:> >First off some background. My wife needs fairly low carb (less
:> >than 25 per day), and an average of about 1400 calories (or less to
:> >lose weight).
:>
:> It's VERY common for women to need fewer calories than men, no matter
:> what diet they follow. Doesn't seem fair or right, but it's the Way
:> It Is.

? Sure it's fair....women are generally smaller than men...so they need
less food and hence, fewer calories....

A man and a woman of roughly the same weight will still tend to need
different calorie amounts when losing weight - and the woman's calorie
level is usually lower than the man's. It's a distressing fact of
biology, but a pre-menopausal woman's body is geared towards hanging
on to that extra storage just in case you need to grow a baby while
dealing with the next famine.

It's extremely frustrating when you're the hungry woman nibbling on
your 300 calorie meal knowing that having just a hundred or so extra
calories will mean no loss to you this week, watching your husband
happily downing 600 or more and still dumping that weight.

Aramanth

"Aramanth Dawe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It's extremely frustrating when you're the hungry woman nibbling on
your 300 calorie meal knowing that having just a hundred or so extra
calories will mean no loss to you this week, watching your husband
happily downing 600 or more and still dumping that weight.

AMEN! 🙁 And the portions of the exact same foods that men can eat, that
add pounds to us! And now, post-menopausal, is even worse 🙁.
--
Sherry
360/?/195
LC since 4/4/05
My LC Journey - www.livejournal.com/users/ShrinkingSherry

"diane" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Our refrigerator is always stuffed- 3 different milk containers, tons of
fresh produce where it used to be frozen veggies. plastic bowls of left
overs-where I'd used to clean up what was left over.

Both DH and the cat like the Carb Countdown milk as well as the regular
kind.

--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes

DocBill said:

. I then sat the bun aside to take home for
the dogs

Why do you feel the need to give your dogs refined [censored]?

Is thier dog food not good enough for them?

Tori M. said:

I know! If I get fast food I tell um to keep the bun.. Dogs dont need
people food.

A world totally based on need. How exciting.

"Stacey Bender" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tori M. said:

I know! If I get fast food I tell um to keep the bun.. Dogs dont need
people food.

A world totally based on need. How exciting.

By need I mean should not have.... but yes that would be nice. I suppose if
his dog broke out in a fit of diarrhea every time he had bread like mine did
he would stop it though.. just a guess.

Tori

--
Bonnie 3/02 AKA "Goofy Gooferson"
Xavier 10/04 AKA "Chunky Chunkerson"

Tried that. The Costco employee told me, "We don't do that." They
prefere to waste the food. I almost called for her manager, but
decided it wasn't worth it.

Bill

Roger Zoul said:

How many times have you really been in the situation where some guy, who
weighs exactly what you do, can consistently eat more and not gain? I doubt
you've been been in that situation, withstanding the muscle mass issue.

....it's fair, honey

My husband and I weighed within 2 kg (4 1/2 lb) of one another when he
joined me on LC a little over 2 years ago. He doesn't (and didn't)
exercise nearly as much as I do (and did). He carried loads of fat as
evidenced by his DunLap's Syndrome (huge belly, stick-like legs).

He's lost around 50 lb while eating consistently more than twice what
I do on a regular basis. He has cut down on his carbs, but has never
gone below 50 a day - he wasn't willing to attempt Induction levels.
He still eats potatoes and bread several times a week. His belly has
dramatically disappeared while his legs, arms and back show a lot of
muscle development - again without doing anything more than his usual
(walking between buildings at the office, a weekly golf game in
summer). He still has some weight he'd like to lose, but he's within
the bounds of 'normal' without making any significant effort, or ever
going truly hungry once he'd finished his daily 'rations'.

Me, on the other hand ... well, my Issues are well documented. I
don't need to tell you how hard I have to struggle to dump even a
pound or two, or how readily I regain. If effort, if 'sticking to
plan', if body weight ALONE was the 'key' then he'd be the one not
showing much improvement while I'd be the one steadily moving to a
healthy body.

I admit my body chemistry is screwed over, more so than most women
have to deal with. It's still a pain in the rear.

Aramanth

Aramanth Dawe <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> On Mon, 16 May 2005 15:32:35 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
:> <[email hidden]> wrote:
:>
:> >How many times have you really been in the situation where some
:> >guy, who weighs exactly what you do, can consistently eat more and
:> >not gain? I doubt you've been been in that situation, withstanding
:> >the muscle mass issue.
:> >
:> >....it's fair, honey
:>
:> My husband and I weighed within 2 kg (4 1/2 lb) of one another when
:> he joined me on LC a little over 2 years ago. He doesn't (and
:> didn't)
:> exercise nearly as much as I do (and did). He carried loads of fat
:> as evidenced by his DunLap's Syndrome (huge belly, stick-like legs).
:>
:> He's lost around 50 lb while eating consistently more than twice what
:> I do on a regular basis. He has cut down on his carbs, but has never
:> gone below 50 a day - he wasn't willing to attempt Induction levels.
:> He still eats potatoes and bread several times a week. His belly has
:> dramatically disappeared while his legs, arms and back show a lot of
:> muscle development - again without doing anything more than his usual
:> (walking between buildings at the office, a weekly golf game in
:> summer). He still has some weight he'd like to lose, but he's within
:> the bounds of 'normal' without making any significant effort, or ever
:> going truly hungry once he'd finished his daily 'rations'.
:>
:> Me, on the other hand ... well, my Issues are well documented. I
:> don't need to tell you how hard I have to struggle to dump even a
:> pound or two, or how readily I regain. If effort, if 'sticking to
:> plan', if body weight ALONE was the 'key' then he'd be the one not
:> showing much improvement while I'd be the one steadily moving to a
:> healthy body.
:>
:> I admit my body chemistry is screwed over, more so than most women
:> have to deal with. It's still a pain in the rear.

There could be men who have body chemistry as screwed over as yours....I'm
sure it sucks to have to live with that condition, though.

:>
:> Aramanth

Tori M. said:

I know! If I get fast food I tell um to keep the bun.. Dogs dont need
people food.

They certainly don't unless it is leftover meats or eggs. :-)