Sigh. Mom's an innocent saboteur...

[SMKelly]

Hi all.

My mom is 83 and lives with hubby and me. She still drives and is very active; shops, goes to visit friends and is taking classes at the senior center. This is just a vent, because I know she'll never change and I just need to deal with it. And it has nothing to do with age, so please don't flame me for picking on a senior citizen.

Today starts my 27th day on Atkins and I've lost 23 pounds. I've told Mom a billion times that I can only eat meat, chicken, fish and veggies. To keep it simple. I've told her that if I can eat anything she's eating, I will ask her for some.

So yesterday all three of us went to the movies. And she's chomping away loudly on her popcorn. "DO YOU WANT SOME POPCORN, HONEY?" And I just wanted to stab my eyeballs out of my head with a Bic pen. We've gone to the movies every week for the last month and I've explained to her that I can't eat popcorn. Sigh.

Sorry, all. I know I have to keep myself focused on the health that this journey will bring and not the speedbumps along the way, but it's like talking to a wall.

That, and I was grumpy because at this theatre, they provide seasoning sprinkles for the popcorn...caramel, garlic, jalapeno, parmesan...and it all smells so good. I had to nurse my diet rite soda while leaning on the chair in front of me to escape the 'corn eating frenzy that Mom and dh were enjoying.

Thanks for listening.

[barrnone]

I would make some 'cauliflower popcorn' and enjoy that during the movie - I think it's great!

[barrnone]

here's the link:
Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes

[Pretty Polly]

awwww, I totally know what you mean.

I love my boyfriend to death, but every time we go food shopping, he knows what I can and can't eat but still EVERY TIME, he'll pick up some bread or some cakes, chocolate etc and say "ooh this will be nice for us tonight" or "hey you should try this".

Bless him! I told him a million times I can't have it but he can (he has his own little treat cupboard, where I put all the carby treats, I just don't dare open it or go anywhere near it).

Be strong and patient. My dad still asks me if I want potatoes with my Sunday Roast....every Sunday!

It's quite cute really, just shows that all those carbs are ruining their memories! xx

[SMKelly]

You guys, thank you so much! I LOL'd about the "carbs ruining memory" statement!

I will indeed try the cauli popcorn. I can put parmesan cheese on top!

Thanks again for all your support!

Shelley

[imagood1]

After all the time I've been on Atkins it doesn't bother me anymore when my husband or my mother offers me something I don't eat. For Valentine's day my husband brought me a box of chocolates -- he ended up giving them to my mother (she didn't know they were originally for me) and bought me a stepping maching (which is what I wanted).

Either my mother or myself (or both of us) fix the meals, she flours all the meat she eats and uses only salt and pepper on everything - she doesn't like "spicy" food (ie. foods without only salt and pepper) - I don't add salt to anything (haven't for years) and don't put flour on anything....we have the same meat each meal, I use a separate pan to cook mine - they have some type of starch and veggie, I fix my own veggie & salad.

My mother is a Type 2 diabetic but because of her age (81) the endocrinologist isn't all over her like mine is, so mom feels she can eat anything and everything she wants (including a few pieces of candy from time to time)....I won't change her and I know it, so I change myself because I want to be healthy and I am the caregiver for her and my husband.

Learn to overlook it when she offers - remember, she fed you for years and believes it's her "place" to still offer what she's cooking or eating. Old habits are hard to break.

This is how I get through the day.

[barrnone]

My mother just called and invited me to a fashion show that she is in. There are drinks before and lunch afterwards. Lunch includes quiche and fresh fruit. She knows that I'm on plan, but continues to invite me. The guilt is there. I will pay $15 for a lunch that I basically can't eat. I'll just write it off to charity and happily eat the inside of the quiche, drink water and make my mother happy!

[Aways2Go]

My mother is trying to do Atkins along with me. I try to stay strict, count everything, and try not to eat anything that is not on my current level. She has done Atkins numerous times over the last, oh, 30 years, and although she is trying, she tends to be mostly interested in her total carb guesstimates than following the plan step by step/OWL levels as I am. It is hard for her to like foods/cook them TOO much differently than she has for the last 6+ decades, and so she tends to want to doctor the recipe just a little to make it more like what she is accustomed to. She couldn't tolerate the thought of the low carb chili not having any beans, so she added one can of kidney beans to a big pot. This was a big restraint for her, as she would have LIKED to add a lot more tomatoes and a ton more beans. It was enough to make it a little better for her and I just tried to pick them out, LOL! I realize it is hard for her to change her eating patterns so drastically at her age.

I think that as I go up to OWL level 4 or so (and go back and pick up level 2), and keep edging her down the OWL ladder to where I am, it will hopefully work for both of us and not just me. Having done Atkins decades ago when it first came out, she has not yet totally bought into the OWL rungs ideas, but will try to go along with where I am and I think may be more successful with it when I have just a tiny bit more variety. Each week she does give up one or two questionable items and has about let go of the "low carb" processed items that she was using daily that have probably stalled her.

Ah parents, you gotta love 'em!

[Aways2Go]

PS, if it makes you feel any better, I'm guessing all those great smelling "popcorn topper" flavor packets are most likely a big conglomeration of fake chemical additives and artificial flavorings and in no way resemble actual food products ;-)

For myself, I can't handle the theatre without regular buttered (fake butter flavored oil) popcorn, so I just haven't gone to the movies in a long time, LOL!