Lifestyle tips

I do all the groceries and get to make sure my wife doesn't eat too light.

Recently I've switched her from her favorite bread that has 180 calories per 2 slices, to another brand which delivers 250 calories.

The slices are a little bit thicker but also a little bit larger. They hold a bit more margarine, peanut butter, etc.

Her 300-350 calories breakfast has gone to 590 calories now.

The fun thing is that because it looks like just 2 slices of bread, she still eats it as such, and asks for her snack at the usual time; it doesn't fill her up more.

Indeed they do!

Nice to hear you count calories too.

I know her BMR and her maintenance calories and it's just part of the fun knowing how many calories I can get into her on one day, or how many calories she willingly asks for another.

And yes, except the fruit she asks for, everything that;s edible around her has the highest calories.

I do have my own food too with lower calories. Not only do I not want to gain, but it helps warp her sense of portions. Take yogurt. We both love it and both eat the same amount. But hers is full fat 100 calories; mine is 35 calories

Could you give other examples of your LOW calories and her HIGH calories or fat?

Some other examples:

- spaghetti: I have a bit of pasta, much sauce. Usually 200-300 calories meal. She gets a big amount of pasta, lots of shredded cheese, some sauce. Her portion is about 600 calories.

- mashed potatoes: prepared from dry mix. I split the package and make two portions. One is for me and contains water or skimmed milk, no fat. Hers is made with 1 cup of cream and real butter. Her portion is 1000-1200 calories, mine is 200-300.

My wife is a beer drinker but I started buying her those Bud Light Lime-A-Rita's. Her calories went from 200 a beer to 660. Yes, 660cal a can (24oz).

Anheuser-Busch is now getting sued over that product for misleading/hiding the calorie content. I'm thinking a lot of spring break bellies were made to instigate that lawsuit...

I do the same with our dinner sides. It's typically one of those easy Knorr Selects/Lipton rice/risotto. Sub the heavy cream for milk and double the butter always yields 1,000 cal side dish. They taste so good with the cream she'll often eat a double portion. And there's so many different flavors/kinds - you can keep on mixing it up.

My wife doesn't drink calories at all. I can't even switch her from diet soda to regular soda. She'll be wolfing down a bag of chips but the regular soda -- that is too fattening......

Nice idea on those side dish packages!