Living with parents makes calorie counting very difficult :/

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  • ashypashy7
    ashypashy7 Posts: 50 Member
    When I lived with my mom for a short time, I either offered to cook most days so I knew what was in everything or I bought and prepped and made my own food.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Sounds like you and your step mum are both adults, you should be able to discuss this with each other.

    My suggestion is stop having your parents cook for you. Prepare your own meals.

    That way you can weigh what you want and not involve your mum at all.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    You don't know ... but you *can* find out, right?
  • lseed87
    lseed87 Posts: 1,105 Member
    So true. I know if I lived alone I'd probably be my goal weight since it would mostly be 90% more healthy foods. Still eat good but like you, dinner can go either way.
  • Unknown
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  • pstegman888
    pstegman888 Posts: 286 Member
    If she knows you are preparing to move out, she may be willing to share her recipes/teach you to cook them so you can have a ready file to pull from once you are on your own...she hopefully will be flattered that you like her cooking so much you want to be able to make the same dishes (you can always adjust the recipes for lower cal once you are on your own or if you are able to prepare them for the family).

    Alternatively, you can simply look up comparable recipes online & plug in those ingredients to your log, estimating your portion size. She may not make her lasagna or broccoli-chicken casserole or whatever exactly the same as AllRecipes or some other online site, but it should get you in the ballpark. Just adjust portions & load up on veggies depending on how your weight loss progresses. Once you're out on your own, you can do it your way.

    Family dynamics can be a strange thing, especially with a "step" situation or a controlling personality, and sometimes for the sake of peace in the household, it's best not to make an issue out of a temporary setback. You have to do what you feel is right for the situation. Good luck!
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
    I moved home for 3 months when I was 19, I wasn't calorie counting, but I was an adult so I did my own grocery shopping and cooked my own meals. Just because I moved home didn't mean I needed to be a dependent again. I changed my schedule so that I ate earlier in the evening so that I was out of the kitchen by the time my aunt wanted to cook.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
    I'm in a slightly different situation in that while I live with family as an adult I have more control over what I eat as I cook 1 night a week (it's the only night I'm home) and bring home dinner twice more. I see no point in eating and cooking for just one and really don't know how to but I know all the recipes my family uses and even created a few so I've got em set aside... so learn how to cook her food. Then you can do the recipes and at least semi accurately guesstimate how much you're eating.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    I'm in a similar situation - I'm living at home while going to school, going away is expensive!!! My mum has a history of disordered eating, and I was EXTREMELY worried about her opinion when I started trying to know what's in things. I've written down a few recipes, but I am mostly guessing a lot of the time.

    I have some strategies so far - I make my own breakfast & lunch (I can't cook, so I have a lot of yogurt, toast, frozen veggies & fruits, etc). I add veggies to dinner and take away starches. I measure my rice or potatoes or pasta, and microwave some frozen veggies to add.

    Meat, etc I really have to guess with. But I did speak with a dietician who showed me plastic models of for example 2oz of chicken, 1oz of cheese, etc which has helped me guesstimate.

    I am also in a situation where my family would be highly uncomfortable if I weighed myself, let alone my food. But measuring cups are less intrusive, and I do this in the kitchen while making up the plate so it's also not in my mum's face. I also weigh myself not at home, like the gym or my doctor's office because scales make my mum anxious.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Sorry if this offends

    But

    Some of your families sound weird. :smiley:

    Uncomfortable about you weighing yourself? Feeling weird about weighing food? Keeping ingredients of foods secret?

    Do you guys weigh yourself naked in the middle of the lounge room while your family is watching TV? I could see that making people uncomfortable :smiley:
  • ajc1309
    ajc1309 Posts: 255 Member
    When I lived with my parents I just made my own food most of the time. If my parents cooked then I would portion control what they put on my plate or just didn't finish the whole meal if it looked too much. I also exercised daily so I have some extra calories to eat back.
  • CristalSCarter
    CristalSCarter Posts: 28 Member
    I'm in your exact same position. I'm 21 and i just graduated from college but the past couple of years I've been in the process of losing weight. It seems like breakfast and lunch are very easy to stay in control of but dinner is difficult. I started offering to cook dinner a lot or to keep track of calories i scan the ingredients someone uses and save the recipe. I'll even have healthier substitutes like quinoa instead of rice.
  • rebeccahunt718
    rebeccahunt718 Posts: 48 Member
    I have that issue with my husband. He is with me for wanting to loose weight and look less "flabby", however, he doesn't think I eat enough. Also, he doesn't monitor what he puts into each meal so dinner can easily become 700-1000 calories before anyone realizes it.
  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
    I am reading some sound suggestions.
    In general, you must respectfully take charge and just communicate this to your folks.
    They will understand in time.
  • jesikalovesyou
    jesikalovesyou Posts: 172 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    Sorry if this offends

    But

    Some of your families sound weird. :smiley:

    Uncomfortable about you weighing yourself? Feeling weird about weighing food? Keeping ingredients of foods secret?

    Do you guys weigh yourself naked in the middle of the lounge room while your family is watching TV? I could see that making people uncomfortable :smiley:

    Right?!

    It just sounds like the OP is making excuses. Does her step-mom throw ingredient boxes away as soon as she adds it to her recipe? Or does the OP just sit in her room until dinner is ready and now she can complain that she doesn't know what is in the dishes?
  • helenbenzie75
    helenbenzie75 Posts: 95 Member
    I lived away from home for four years, only moving back so I could save for a deposit on a house. Anyway, I had the same problem. I tried to show my mum and dad they way, they are both morbidly obese but I just can't seem to change them. So my sister and I do a food shop for ourselves and cook for ourselves, simples. On the rare occasion my mum cooks a family meal say lasagne, then she does weigh things for me but on a day to day basis my sister and I sort ourselves out :smile:
  • RunningRoundParis
    RunningRoundParis Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks for your suggestions :) and especially for those who refrained from insulting me :p I will try to change things to make calorie counting more possible
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