How much does income effect food/eating habits?

[diabeticman]

Okay I have been lucky. My Dad made good money. We never had to feel a wallet pinch growing up.

My wife on the other hand had a upbringing in which family didn't starve but sometime money was tight and food for my wife was them living on sandwiches.


for the past 11 years in our marriage. My wife and I struggled at times. We would sometimes rob paul to pay peter--as wife says--and sometimes we would half to live on sandwiches and cereal at times.

Now we are lucky and with my grandmother's inheritance. We moved, bought a place and are basically in a better place however I am seeing some interesting things from my wife.

Now it is just our own fault these past two weeks. Both she and I where too busy with work and well we didn't buy a lot from the store so we ended up eating badly and well, wife got sick with bronchitis and got stuck at home for the last few days. so I would have to bring food home after work ( sometimes 1 am)

Anyways we did go grocery shopping today and we loaded up with A LOT of stuff. Now I happened to watch my wife today and she started the one thing she always seems to do if we had bare kitchen and then loaded it up. She goes into the kitchen several times a day picking on food and tasting and well she always seems to eat MORE than she normally does on any other day.

Now my wife is fat. She has struggled with her weight all her life. Aside from sometimes eating the wrong foods even when she is eating (Healthy) she has trouble losing weight. It is like her body is a huge storage container.

Can these little habits I see my wife doing ( that I don't think she is fully aware she is doing) be something she can unteach herself or should I not bring this up to her. I mean normally when we eat she eats less than I do but she gains and I am a Beanpole.

Does anyone else know a person or are a person who seems to have this habit?

[elleng]

1. History/habits/culture more important than just income, imo.

If you shop together, you should have some influence of what you buy and eat. Try to minimize carbs, like bread + pasta, increase fruits, vegetables, and protein (chicken, fish, lean meats.)

[diabeticman]

2. I don't have to tell my wife how to shop or eat. She does--when we have the money eat healthy and

yes we have CARBS in our house but what I am saying it is the first day after shopping and stocking up it is like she goes on a binge. and I don't know if her she is aware that she is doing it or if she is just so happy to have varity in the house or something other than sandwiches that she is indulging.

[DesertFlower]

3. i grew up in a home where we had to watch money,

especially after my parents divorced. nothing ever got thrown out. one night a week my mom would take all the leftovers out of the refrigerator and heat them up. she could make on chicken go a long way.

i eat carbs and have no problem controlling my weight. i look at asians who eat very little meat and fish but lots veggies and rice. you rarely see an overweight asian unless they adopt the american diet.

BTW. i have a good income. went vegetarian back in the 80s but it didn't work for me. i don't eat cheese except for mozzarella and that's rare. i keep pizza in the freezer and at least once a week i have a slice.

i've found that mcdonalds has a grilled chicken sandwich on a multi grain bun. it's got lettuce and tomato (the good lettuce). i tell them to hold the mayo.

[840high]

4. When I eat there that's

what I get.

[pnwmom]

5. I suggest you don't talk about her eating habits unless she brings it up. Instead,

see if you can get her to spend time with you doing active things you both might like, even if it's just taking a walk together every day.

Your differing activity levels could be part of why she can eat less than you and still be overweight.

And if you aren't already active, then just tell her that you need to get more exercise and ask if she'll help you get in better shape.

[daredtowork]

6. I think food relates to health

Many people harp on the poor "eating choices" of poor people, and then pundits swoop in to point out what is available and the relative costs of food. But as a poor person, I think the hidden issue is that poor people tend to have more health issues that will make them crave unhealthy food: fatigue, stress, and debility from untreated medical issues make people reach for satisfying, energy-packed foods. Once these foods are driving large blood sugar spikes and hormone surges, these people are in a trap. You can lecture, demean, and implement behavior modification strategies all you want. As long as a person's body tells them they are hungry for certain foods, they will believe what their body is telling them: diets will only be temporary struggles that will eventually abandoned.

IMHO, the only way to break that cycle is through medical intervention to rapidly turn that blood sugar cycle. In other words, it won't work to tell people to stop eating stuff that makes their blood sugar spike. They need to suddenly *not be hungry* for the things that spike their blood sugar. After they don't eat the offending foods for a while, the blood sugar spike cycle resolves naturally, and people will eat healthier on their own because their body will prefer healthier foods.

I discovered this through a unique combination of medical circumstances which suddenly turned me into an anorexic for a few weeks. This left me with a whole new appreciation and respect for how hormones and blood sugar really do control how hungry you are and what you are hungry for. Because of the way it happened to me I also know it's possible to achieve through medical intervention.

This is a smarter way to do things than "stomach stapling" or otherwise mutilating your body.

Ps. If you are going around thinking of your wife as "fat", and that it's her fault she's fat, she's probably picking up that vibe...