Wasting Her $$$

Diet and Nutrition
1

I finally looked at the label of the Meal Replacement Shake my housemate is buying at a trendy natural grocery store. Yikes!!! The first three ingredients, in order, are sugar, sucrose, and cocoa.

She’s getting 1g of fat, 17g of sugar, about 7g of protein and a long list of vitamins and minerals (from 2 to 30% of the RDA for each) in one scoop + skim milk. For this, she’s paying $14.00 for 20 servings.

I’m trying to figure out a way to tell her that she’d do better with a glass of chocolate milk and a multivitamin. Wait- she already takes multis.

2

is her “protein drink” made by nestle?

seriously though, give her a sample of Grow! and i bet she’ll come around. sometimes people let their tastebuds make all the decisions when it comes to what they eat. at least with the grow you know she’s getting some quality grub that tastes good.

3

Why is she using? Is it a time saver, tastes good, diet aid? She may just like it. I still think Grow! tastes awesme so a little taste of that may be enough to convince her. If she wants to diet you may want to explain the thermogenic properties of protein.

Starkmann

4

[quote]Ladyjaine wrote:

I’m trying to figure out a way to tell her that she’d do better with a glass of chocolate milk and a multivitamin. Wait- she already takes multis. [/quote]

Um, why don’t you just tell her?

5

starkmann is right. First of all, figure out what is her purpose for drinking it. If she is not dieting or not interested in dieting then there nothing wrong w/ her drinking if she wants to.

6

[quote]starkmann wrote:
Why is she using? Is it a time saver, tastes good, diet aid? She may just like it. I still think Grow! tastes awesme so a little taste of that may be enough to convince her. If she wants to diet you may want to explain the thermogenic properties of protein.

Starkmann[/quote]

I think she uses it because 1. She’s been seduced by the store where she gets it (expensive, health food-like place), and 2. she likes the convenience and taste. Well duh!

Four teaspoons of sugar in a glass of milk and most folks like the taste! I think she’s gotten to the point where just eating ‘less’ and going to Curves isn’t working and she’s going to have to pay attention to what she eats and how much she works out.

The problems are that I share a house with this woman, she’s not an idiot about most things, and she’s successfully lost over 120 pounds(!) in the last year. If I tell her the shake is a waste of $$ and she takes it wrong, there will be hurt feelings, ill words, and upset women. You know how a girl-gaggle can be.

I’m going to put ‘reminders to myself’ on the fridge where she can see them. Messages about carbs, sugar, and grams of protein per day/pound of body weight. She’s sane about fat consumption, it’s her sugar/carbs and protein that are off. They will also help me to eat more protein, too.

7

What about just mixing up some Grow! yourself when she’s around and saying “Hey, I made a little too much, want half a cup of this stuff? It’s really good!”

8

Quite honestly, someone who has dropped over 100 lbs in a year seems to have, at the very least, some competancy regarding her own diet. That doesn’t mean your tweaks can’t help???

Also, information presented positively very rarely leads to confrontations. Choose the correct method, and the message will be taken the right way.

9

[quote]~karma~ wrote:
What about just mixing up some Grow! yourself when she’s around and saying “Hey, I made a little too much, want half a cup of this stuff? It’s really good!”[/quote]

I know who owns and operates this site.
I buy and use Grow!

Don’t you guys get a little sick of answering every supplement question with “just take Grow!” Let’s find out a little bit about the person and their reasons for supplementation before pushing the company line down there throat.

Maybe she uses it to replace an otherwise less healthy snack option? Maybe she replaces a small mid-day meal with it and just really likes it. Believe it or not people are allowed to eat some foods that are not 100% perfect health orientated.

10

i’d let it go.

if she’s lost 120 lbs in a year she’s in the elite having done something that 99% of people can’t do.

if she’s got any pride about her hard work and resulting championship status i think proselytizing, albeit well intentioned, will only create some of those bad feelings you think it will…unless you have also been through what she has. if you haven’t been through what she has, i think the best you can do is be available for advice if she wants it. or not.

11

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
Quite honestly, someone who has dropped over 100 lbs in a year seems to have, at the very least, some competancy regarding her own diet. That doesn’t mean your tweaks can’t help???

Also, information presented positively very rarely leads to confrontations. Choose the correct method, and the message will be taken the right way.[/quote]

Good point about the information. I don’t want to be telling her how to diet, I’m not a nutritionist with lots of ejumacashun. Pointing out a positive replacement might be more effective than pointing out the problems with her current choice. Her $$ waster is expensive, but it’s from a store that she likes/trusts, however misguided that may be.

If you start at well over 300 pounds, losing the first hundred is actually pretty easy. Just getting calories in closer to calories burned and starting a walking program will cause you to drop weight. She’s still got (at least) 100 pounds to go and they aren’t going to go without a fight.

I’ve printed out my first message for the fridge. It’s a protein info sheet with the values listed for foods we frequently have in the house, a target of 1 gram/pound of body weight, and my weight filled in. Obviously, it’s for me, right?

12

Lady: All things considered, it sounds like a good plan. Of course, it’s for you! LOL

As for toeing the company line… Use any goddamn protein/meal replacement you want. Heaven forgive me for using a brand name that most folks here are happy with. Wanna bitch slap me for offering you a “Kleenex” to wipe your snotty nose when I’m really gonna hand you a “MeadowBrook”? Good fucking grief

13

Argh. I need more carbs today. Sorry

14

You know that old saying about the road to hell being paved with good intentions?

Has she actually asked you for help with her diet? Is she just a housemate or is she a close friend with whom you have the kind of intimate relationship that makes it acceptable for you to comment on her diet?

Unless I had asked you specifically for help I would find it offensive to find “helpful” notes and such popping up around the kitchen, especially in light of the fact that I had just lost 120 pounds.

Also, assuming you look anything like your avatar, and that she is not a mental defective, I would also find it somewhat hard to believe that you suddenly need a reminder on the fridge to eat enough protein during the course of the day and would assume it was aimed at me. It would stress me out, fat girls are extremely self-conscious.

And if they are relatively newly former fat girls it takes a while for the head to catch up with the body, i.e equally self conscious. All of which you or may not give a shit about, but you do have to live with her, and like you said it will cause tension, girl-gaggle bullshit, all those tears and hugging etc., (male roomates are really awesome, by the way!), Okay, I digress…

I am, however, a curious sort, and if continued fat-loss/health/fitness were my goals, and I lived with someone who looked like you, it would certainly occur to me to keep an eye on your habits. Therefore, in my opinion, leading by example would be a really good bet.

If your Grow! (really need a lady version, maybe call it Shrink! Far more appealing?) were sitting out on the counter, you can bet I would get around to checking it out in short order, followed my questions, followed by request to taste, and so on…

Sabrina

15

[quote]Ladyjaine wrote:
sasquatch wrote:
Quite honestly, someone who has dropped over 100 lbs in a year seems to have, at the very least, some competancy regarding her own diet. That doesn’t mean your tweaks can’t help???

Also, information presented positively very rarely leads to confrontations. Choose the correct method, and the message will be taken the right way.

Good point about the information. I don’t want to be telling her how to diet, I’m not a nutritionist with lots of ejumacashun. Pointing out a positive replacement might be more effective than pointing out the problems with her current choice. Her $$ waster is expensive, but it’s from a store that she likes/trusts, however misguided that may be.

If you start at well over 300 pounds, losing the first hundred is actually pretty easy. Just getting calories in closer to calories burned and starting a walking program will cause you to drop weight. She’s still got (at least) 100 pounds to go and they aren’t going to go without a fight.

I’ve printed out my first message for the fridge. It’s a protein info sheet with the values listed for foods we frequently have in the house, a target of 1 gram/pound of body weight, and my weight filled in. Obviously, it’s for me, right? [/quote]

While you are somewhat correct in observing that the initial weight-loss of someone obese is ‘easier’ your logic is flawed. It still takes alot of hard work and dedication. It sounds to me like you are selling this person short. No matter where you start from 100 lbs is alot of weight to lose.

Your brutally simplistic calories in calories out and walking certainly tells me you may not be quite ready to offer up advice. This is more mental than physical. I’m no Dr. Phil, but believe me when I tell you there is more here than simply taking in too many cals. Just being positive to her on her progress will mean more to her then you trying to ‘improve’ her further.

It seems to me you’ve appointed yourself as this persons savior when one hasn’t been requested. I like your idea of wanting to help, you have to tread very lightly here to gain trust.

16

I frequently put notes to myself about nutrition up on the fridge. Changing them isn’t going to be a significant hint to her, but because she is a reader and a trivia fiend, she’ll read them and store away the information. BTW, you need to check out the threads where I posted progress pictures to realize why a reminder to eat more protein is not out of order and yes, that’s me in my avatar. Thank you, I think.

She is a close friend. I care deeply about her health and I’m trying to support her through her weight loss in any way that I can. I’ve bought her gifts multiple times for losing, ‘just because.’ She picks what she wants and it is after she make some significant announcement, I’m not holding out carrots for her. I just respond that I want to show her that I think it’s a great thing, what would she like? But we both don’t think it’s a huge deal, requiring anguish and sacrifice to change your diet. You decide and then you do.

We are both geeks into knowledge and I’ve got different sources than she does. What I know might help her, but I don’t want to make her feel like she’s been doing the wrong thing. She’s been quite successful. She’s plateaued and has been trying some different things to break free and start losing again. I only noticed she’d changed her diet because some half empty packages stayed half empty for a month when she stopped eating that stuff.

She’s been drinking this shake for about 6 months and I only just looked at the ingredients this morning. Does that sound like I pry into what she eats? Sheesh. I think I hit your FFB or FFG buttons. Sorry about that, but they are your buttons, not hers.

17

LadyJ

You’re getting defensive about advice given to you that you asked for. Why not tell us how you’d like us to respond and we’ll do so accordingly.

If she is this great friend as you now say, then just tell her your thoughts. Done respectfully, how can there be a problem. From your original question, I would have guessed you were just roommates and maybe casual friends.

My advice was never meant to do any more than advise. If you choose to ignore it fine, but don’t assume any of my advice was made because a ‘button was pushed.’ It was simply from the info you presented.

Your statement–“But we both don’t think it’s a huge deal, reguiring anguish and sacrifice to change you diet.”–tells me quite alot. Then why is anybody who doesn’t want to be overweight, overweight? If it were no big deal and no sacrifice needed, my guess is this question, this thread, this site would have little reason to exist.

Peace–Good luck

18

It was a compliment, whether it quite came across like one or not, you look fantastic.

And, no it didn’t sound like you pry, it didn’t sound like much of anything because as sasquatch stated, you provided very little information hence the request for more, and advice based on very little. I, for one, am not going to go back and read every single post to try and piece together a profile of someone’s personal behavior, whether or not they may or may not leave notes on the fridge, etc., in order to answer a question.

Nothing at all to do with my buttons, which incidentally you are nowhere near. If I had issues with discussing weightloss, I simply wouldn’t discuss it. It is after all the internet, I could be a six foot blonde if I wanted to.

You asked for advice, you can take it or leave it.