Calories...
I'm not obsessed with how many calories we eat...If hungry...we eat, if not, we don't bother.
But with Mum's condition and the booklet sent by the dietitian, I am trying and hoping I can keep Mum's weight constant for as long as possible so she has something to fight with and keep her strength up. And it appears to maintain her weight they say 2,000 calories should be taken in daily and any extra will hopefully add extra weight.
Its been ages since I looked at the back of the carton containing Complan to read the information and for ages I have been saying to Mum..."Every time you have a Complan that's 250 calories!" Yes, if made with water but Mum's having whole milk and its actually nearer 385 calories per drink so if she has four in a day she's almost reached 2,000 target. Then if you work on the approx calorific value of coffee made with whole milk, sugar and brandy each of those is approx 200 calories.
And we haven't even got around to what a meal is worth or food stuffs like porridge, rice, yogurts, soups etc...Remarkably two crackers and a piece of cheese can come in at around 250 calories and once you get around to a meal that contains perhaps vegetables and meat(and that will fill you up)it can soon all add up.
I don't think there are so many publications on sale but years ago I remember in the newsagents there was quite a selection of books which had the calorific values of every day foods to help people work out their calorie intake(usually to try and reduce it)and lose weight whereas we are trying to maintain/increase Mum's weight.
But with Mum's condition and the booklet sent by the dietitian, I am trying and hoping I can keep Mum's weight constant for as long as possible so she has something to fight with and keep her strength up. And it appears to maintain her weight they say 2,000 calories should be taken in daily and any extra will hopefully add extra weight.
Its been ages since I looked at the back of the carton containing Complan to read the information and for ages I have been saying to Mum..."Every time you have a Complan that's 250 calories!" Yes, if made with water but Mum's having whole milk and its actually nearer 385 calories per drink so if she has four in a day she's almost reached 2,000 target. Then if you work on the approx calorific value of coffee made with whole milk, sugar and brandy each of those is approx 200 calories.
And we haven't even got around to what a meal is worth or food stuffs like porridge, rice, yogurts, soups etc...Remarkably two crackers and a piece of cheese can come in at around 250 calories and once you get around to a meal that contains perhaps vegetables and meat(and that will fill you up)it can soon all add up.
I don't think there are so many publications on sale but years ago I remember in the newsagents there was quite a selection of books which had the calorific values of every day foods to help people work out their calorie intake(usually to try and reduce it)and lose weight whereas we are trying to maintain/increase Mum's weight.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 12:26 pm
6 Comments:
Far from being ignorant, your Social Worker is just the opposite. She doesn't talk to you when she sees you outside the home in case someone knows her job, sees her talking to you and begins to speculate on your circumstances.
Your Social Worker is trying to protect YOUR privacy, not her own.
Has this never occurred to you?
Yes it has and I said so in the entry. But I tell you, there was no way I was going to stand and discuss "Our" situation in public so I am not that stupid.
It looked more suspicious switching aisles instead of continuing in your original direction and having briefly making her say "Hello"
I wasn't going to keep doing so everytime we passed. She should've just carried on doing her shopping.
With all the talking and visitors Mum has had to put up with this week...even someone who is very fit would be worn out.
For anyone reading this blog entry and the comments so far...I better make it clear that we are talking about the previous entry(before this one)
An after thought to keep things civil perhaps Social Workers should tell clients that if they see you outside your home or wherever you meet normally...to protect your privacy "Don't expect should our paths cross we'll speak to you!"
Besides as some clients will be less than friendly if they did start to talk about something that is a problem it could turn "Nasty" and could put someone in danger.
Don't worry about it Gildy, you put your thoughts down here and you will sometimes get contrary comments, which is good, don't get me wrong, but it is also good that you see other people's perspective of what you do.
One of the happiest days of my life was discovering that a Big Mac is only about 500 calories :-)
It is Span and I am more open to other ideas than perhaps seems here and I do get ideas from views passed by others who comment.
It nice when you are proven correct especially over how those who supposedly are meant to be helping have caused stress.
You can't judge a whole profession by the few that are bad but I was talking to someoine who's sister is sadly on her way out with cancer and has a nurse that stays overnight to watch over her.
Supplied by a charity that I usually hear good things about(not supplied by the NHS)
And they had to change the nurse because(anecdotal tale here)the nurse sat in a chair reading books, newspapers and wtaching tv/listening to the radio and she let the patient struggle to get out of one of those special chairs(the person cannot lay in bed)and she did not help her get out. Just said that the remote was on the floor sown the side of the chair.
That's not bad...500 calories and if you are only having them now and again they'll do no harm whatsoever and if you need those extra calories or something to give extra strength to get through the day...fantastic!
Or you could say to hell with all that and just enjoy it for what it is... :-)
Wasn't there a film called something like "Super Sized Me!" Where someone went out of their way to eat lots of what is called Junk Food to prove the effect it would have on their health.
That term is so misleading and sometimes gets attached to items it probably should not.
In many cases moderation is what matters and any food if you kept to same few items would probably affect your health.
Its the size of the proportions and whether you burn off the calories. If you do less physical work, you need less.
Also, its whether you eat to fill a hunger or just as a snack(a put off)
As I said two crackers and some cheese will not fill your stomach but will add calories.
Eat perhaps a portion of Shepherd's pie even if it was the same value calorie wise, the volume would fill you more.
You don't really need to be exact at working out the value of food, its commonsense.
But it has become such an industry and money maker for so many.
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