Help me help my Mom!!! Please!!

[healthy525]

My mom went for a physical for the first time in 3 years yesterday! Everything was fine with that, but needless to say she didnt realize how or why she put on weight!

She is so active..gym 3 or 4 days a week, and spins/cycles a lot in the summer. In fact she is going the "ride for the cure" here in Ontario, Canada which is a 200km cycling tour from Toronto to Niagara Falls. So physically she is in good shape esp for her age.

I keep telling her she needs to get her diet in check. She doesnt eat 'bad' food but she i think just doesnt know how/when to eat. She is 52, 5'1 and weighed in yesterday at 160lbs! She was so disappointed. She was in the high 130s when she was looking and feeling good!

The doc said it may be pre-menapause that caused the weight gain cause her blood pressure and all that stuff is excellent and better then most her age.

And I know you ladies will flip about this, he told her she needs to go on a strict diet and only eat 1200 cals a day!!!! I almost lost it.

She really should lost 20-25 lbs, and with the way she works out she should have no problem, but she needs to make sure she is eating properly!'

What should i tell her about diet...what and when to eat?? She has a binge eating problem and when she is at work, sometimes goes all day without eating til 9 pm! minus a couple snacky foods.

Any advice is welcomed and appreciated!

[Amanda76]

What should i tell her about diet...what and when to eat?? She has a binge eating problem and when she is at work, sometimes goes all day without eating til 9 pm! minus a couple snacky foods.

I'm sure menopause is effecting her, but this paragraph probably has the most to do with her issue.

I used to eat and work out the way she does and it didn't do my body composition any favors. I was young(er) when I was doing it, so it just made me skinnyfat (small but little lean mass). Had I kept it up, I'm sure the scale would have turned around eventually because I could eat like a horse during my one meal a day. I was waitressing at the time so appetizer, meal, dessert and drinks were consumed every night. When I started cocktailing the riverboat I worked for offered free buffet-style food (as much as you could fit on your tray) during your shift. My "snacks" during the day would have been starbucks (trying to stay awake).

There is no telling how many calories she consumes when she binges. "Snackish" foods are typically low in protein and full of carbs or fat. So...she needs to eat more often to discourage the need to binge after work. Get her started with 3 actual protein/carb/fat (make sure she understands things like nuts are a source of fat and beans are still a better source of carbs, even though they both contain protein) containing meals. Then try to get her to add a high protein afternoon snack. Tell her to get a fruit or veggie with ever meal.

Something like this would get her to 1,700-1,800 calories and on the road to leaning up.

Breakfast: 1 cup Egg whites scrambled with pico de gullo and 1/2 cup oats mixed with 1T almond butter

Lunch: 6 oz tilapia or chicken breast, 1/2 cup brown rice, 60g avocado, 1 medium tomato and lots of spinach

Snack: 1 cup 2% cottage cheese, 1 cup blueberries, 1 oz walnuts

Dinner: 6 oz salmon or beef, 6 oz sweet potato, 1 cup mixed vegetables

[healthy525]

awesome!

thanks so much amanda...i've been telling her this for months...but her complaint is always "that is so much food" ...like when she sees what i eat she cant believe it!
I'm like it's because you dont eat ENOUGH!

thanks again!

[Amanda76]

awesome!

thanks so much amanda...i've been telling her this for months...but her complaint is always "that is so much food" ...like when she sees what i eat she cant believe it!
I'm like it's because you dont eat ENOUGH!

thanks again!

It seemed like a lot when I first started eating frequent meals, too.

It is a lot of volume, but calorie-wise it'll be less than what her binges and snacks add up to while providing her body with the proper nutrition to lean up.

[terracotta]

It may be constructive to have her keep a food diary for a week and then you can estimate the calories of a typical day for her. Junk foods are so non-filling, that it is easy to think you aren't eating very much, but those high fat, high carb, highly processed foods add up fast in calories.

If you got an estimate of what she is eating now, it would allow you to do two things
1) get an idea of how much you have to lower her calories by (remember that BMR goes DOWN as we age unless she has been maintaining LBM, although cardio based activities could prevent this)
2) demonstrate to her that what SEEMS like a lot of food is actually not.

[rizzdj56]

A food diary is the best way to get your diet in order. It opens your eyes to what you are putting in your body, and it gives you something to build on when developing a nutrition plan. I used to use one of the "old fashioned" calorie books, but there are numerous web sites now that will count your calories, protein, carbs and fats for you, and even let you keep your journal online--for free.

[healthy525]

thanks so much everyone!
i will show her this thread and hopefully it gets her on the right track!!!

you guys are so supportive!

[lilly_julia]

i wish my mom weighed 160 lbs! she is pushing 250 (or perhaps more) currently, and her health is ****.

[OrchidLady]

Oh my god, can I relate to this!!!!
I am also 52 and menopause has played absolute havoc with my metabolism and weight loss goals!

In 2007, I did lose 50 pounds and have managed to keep it off. I am not "fat" by any means, but I do still need to lose more and it has been a struggle. My "old lady" body is just not cooperating!

What worked for me was a lot of what is being said - I went to the gym 4 days a week - combination of strength training and cardio. I ate 6 meals a day - Breakfast, midmorning snack, lunch, mid afternoon snack, dinner, evening snack. I kept calories between 1600-1800 and ate the most nutritious and "cleanest" food possible - no junk food or empty calories.
Example: Breakfast - Oatmeal, tbsp brn sugar, raisins; Snack - lowfat plain yogurt w/fresh blueberries; lunch - Ezekial wrap w/tbsp hummus, spinach leaves, sliced turkey breast and a banana; snack - orange, whole grain crackers, two laughing cow lite wedges; supper - grilled chicken breast, mixed whole grains & brown rice, asparagus, broccoli; snack - apple with tbsp almond butter. Sounds like a lot of food, but it is satisfying to be able to eat a little at a time all day long.

Tell your Mom to hang in there. It will happen - it just takes a little more effort and a little longer than when we were younger!

[robinsteal]

this is almost what i'm trying to do with my dad. he doesnt eat much and travels alot so going to the gym isnt practical. even when he is home he is too exhausted. i have however created him an account on fitday and in the mornings when he is home i make him a really good breakfast before he goes to work. try creating her an account and se how it goes. also when you are with her have her eat what you eat and when you eat it. it's kind of like the buddy system but with eating. he also thinks that i eat a lot too. lol.

[healthy525]

awesome!!!!
great advice guys.

orchidlady: i will def let her know what u said, hopefully that gets her moving!
next step is to get my dad on this bandwagon, he needs it the most!!!

thanks again