Atkins, what has it done to my wife?
 

First off I have to tell you that I’m the one following Atkins and not my wife. So far it’s worked great for me but since I'm the one that does most of the cooking, this diet has really affected my wife.

Prior to my diet she despised coffee, but now she has several cups a day with Hoods chocolate milk and 5 packets of Splenda in each cup. Instead of my small desert dish of frozen berries and she’ll have a huge cereal bowl full covered with granulated Splenda and whipping cream. At least once a day she has a large cereal bowl full of sliced apples and sliced bananas again covered with a lot Splenda. She has me buy her strawberries and will eat a pound a day also covered with Splenda. She buys cookies and will eat the entire box in one or two days. She also buys bags of candy and will polish off the entire bag in one evening. This morning she informed me that she wanted to go to the store tonight to buy bagels which I‘m sure she‘ll cover with Splenda sweetened jelly. I sometimes have a small amount of low carb peanut butter on celery but she’ll take the entire jar to her chair with a spoon and eat a third of the jar. The list goes on and on but I think you get the idea.

For myself, I usually prepare some protein dish with low carb vegetables or salad. She’ll have a serving of meat but always follows that with one of her Splenda dishes. Then fifteen minutes after the meal she’s complaining that she’s starving and is back in the kitchen. She’s also started using laxatives and takes twice the recommended dose everyday.

To her credit, she’s 5ft. 7in., 126 pounds but I’m afraid my Atkins diet is hurting her health.

Sorry for the rant.

Bo

Sounds like your wife has an eating disorder and/or a metabolic problem. I suggest she have here blood chemistry, including thyroid panel and insulin levels, checked. She is not eating what anyone would call 'normal'.

BoBoGuy, it looks as if there's a problem between you and your wife. I wonder what it could be? Her eating disorder(could it be called that?) may possibly be a symptom of some unhappy emtional problem. Could it be that you are spending too much time in the kitchen (and possibly on other domestic matters) and causing her to feel that the partnership is unequal; that in some way she feels redundant. Could it be that she suspects that you might be losing interest in her? It sounds from here as if you are both emotionally out-of-balance with each other. I wonder if the married woman of the Forum could help here?

Well, I am married but this is an odd one. I think that she is having a problem with insulin resistance. Why she is using splenda in some things could be because it is sweeter than sugar.It doesn't seem like she is trying to avoid sugar at all. The fact that she is starving so soon after a meal makes me conclude insulin issues.

I remember a long time ago I lost about 50 lbs and my DH started to drink a lot. I wonder if maybe your losing weight is bringing out some kind of insecurity in your wife. It seems a lot of women tend to eat when something is bothering them. Maybe it's because the more attention is focused on your weight loss and how good you're doing and she's just acting out in a way to try to get some attention back.

I was going to ask the same as JudyAnn -- what size were you when you married? Does your wife associate your new smaller size with another part of your life? Like perhaps if you were, say, this size in college and were perhaps a bit of a ladies man? Or there could always be the idea that she liked you the way you used to look and so she's passive-aggressively trying to change her body to something that displeases you. I dunno it that's any help or not, but were I in your shoes with my own husband, I'd have a serious sit-down with him and find out what his motivation is.
d.

Have you actually tried to talk to your wife about what's going on with her? IMO, asking directly sure beats the heck out of guessing. ;)

OTOH, it could be that she sees what you're doing as extreme and is subsconsciously doing something equally extreme but in the opposite direction?
All I can say, as someone who's been married for going on 20 years now, is that if my DH started eating like that (and hadn't been before), I'd be asking him what was up.

It sounds like some background info on your wife is called for.

What were her eating habits like prior to low carb?
What were your eating habits like prior to low carb?
Do you think she is rebelling subconsciously because she doesn't like your "changing", or do you think the absence of carbs from the meals you prepare is somehow triggering her to have massive sugar cravings?
Does she have any history of dysfunctional eating, eating disorder, negative body image beyond what could be expected from her peer group?

Thanks

Bo, you didn't mention whether your wife used/heavily used Splenda prior to your low carb conversion. Seems like she's using a LOT of Splenda-- I've found that in excess that it can create cravings just like sugar--- seems a bit illogical, but true.

You know, Bo...going back and reading through the list of what/how your wife is eating a thought occurred to me; is there any chance that she might be pregnant?

Just a thought..... ;)

Thats what i thought.... :agree: .......( not a eating disorder!!)

Doesn't sound like pregancy to me...especially first stage.

I agree about the Splenda. Even though it doesn't cause insulin spikes, the sweetness could be triggering something.

How exactly are you relating this to your diet? Is it just that she discovered Splenda then?

Is there anything else wrong like being tired all the time? Mental fogginess? Mood swings? These along with the being hungry right after she eats makes me thing she may have insulin resistance or something of the sort, or even diabetes. Diabetics can be hungry all the time but not gain weight.

Give us some more info...better yet, talk to your wife about your concerns.

I do agree that if this behavior is new, you need to speak to her to find out what is going on. That said, you seem to be eating in healthy portion sizes, and in moderation with the sweet stuff- she does not. If you can make healthy choices, why can't she? She is making the decision to consume all that splenda. You are not eating the same thing (or not in those amounts) so I wouldnt blame it on your LC eating. Talk to her. As others have said, there could be some underlying issue OR maybe she is just unclear on this WOE. Maybe she sees that you've done well and thinks she can have as much Splenda as she likes since it's not sugar. Might just be that she misunderstands your WOE?!

About the Splenda... I don't think it's the fact that it can cause cravings, etc. That might apply to a low-carber. But if she has the mentality that "it's (practically) calorie free, so I can have as much as I want!" well, it's easy to go overboard. I've done this with certain low cal/low fat products.

I agree with what the others have said - it depends on how things were before, and the best thing for you to do is sit down with her and ask what's going on.

Good luck to both of you. :thup:

Why is this in the WarZone? lol I second (errr...third, I suppose) the idea about possibly being pregnant. If not that, than it does have a ring of disordered eating. Confront her about it (nicely, or course) and tell her you're worried about her and ask her if there's anything she wants to talk to you about.