more about diet and food

[Son of Clyde]

I think I am teaching my family to eat healthier since I don't eat beef or pork.

My wife cooks chicken or fish with fresh vegetables. She still will eat the salt fish and pig fat several times a week and tends to her "milk mushroom".

They are always snacking on sweets, chewing gum or eating potato chips.

Is there a suttle way to curb this behavior?

[Bruce]

Clyde, education..........reading should help.  I can not remember how well your wife reads and understands English, but a subscription or two to some women's fitness / health magazines should get her in the right direction regarding "healthier" eating habbits. 

[Elen]

Yeah Let she read those American magazines and become the same size and shape like a majority of american women

[dostogirl]

[user=130]Son of Clyde[/user] wrote:

They are always snacking on sweets, chewing gum or eating potato chips.

Is there a suttle way to curb this behavior?

Why don't you buy her healthier snacks that are available in stores, slowly she will changer her eating behaviour. Also subscriptions to food magazines that teach to eat healthy will help.

[vlxv]

I really don't want to write this, but --
Elen, I would expect more substantive remarks from a native educated  Muscovite. Why did you write that post - what do you think you are  contributing that is at all positive? I certainly don't know, and I  tell you honestly - I expect more from you. I often doubt that you are  really an adult, your remarks are more like those of a viscious  teenager.  Maybe if someone here had actually met you in person  they could vouch for you, but then again, I don't think anyone would go  out of their way to meet you, your personality as shown here is  certainly not very attractive. You seem so sour so much of the time. I  wish it were not so.

And since you have never been to the US or England (it seems to me) and  are spouting off only your  stereotypes, that makes your posts even worse.  Please write to  contribute to helping folks on this board. You are an ambassador of  Russia, and you are definitely not making a good impression here.

[Elen]

Some (3 if pricesely) did meet me in reality and had an opportunity to see that I's far from teenager in all meaning

About what I wanted to say you with my useless note

I just wonder when you american husbands of FAR from teenager's ages wives post here your worries about "non right" behaviour of your Russian women
In many cases it sounds like your wives were born just yesterday and can decide nothing by themselves
That how it looks from my side of ocean

 In this particular case with diet - then my point is that many of you do claim that american women are fat ( it's NOT My stereotype it's YOURS one) in comparison with Russian women ( at least with those who you bring to America) And I just wonder do you really think that Russian woman who managed to her ages to stay in a shape needs in  your "education" what to eat?
If she really does need instructions then I wonder what America does to Russian women brains

PSS My contribution to such boards is to show you how awful Russian women can be just to prepare you to "surprises" after marriage to one of them

[Son of Clyde]

I just wonder when you american husbands of FAR from teenager's ages wives post here your worries about "non right" behaviour of your Russian women
In many cases it sounds like your wives were born just yesterday and can decide nothing by themselves
That how it looks from my side of ocean

So when are you coming to our side of the ocean?

There are many "blanket" statements that we Americans tend to make and we learn by our mistakes.

My wife is very capable of surviving on her own but she made a statement that she would be "like a baby" when she arrived and constantly relying on my protection. She is now driving and shopping on her own without my being along. She may hate it here but she sure is adapting well.

[TigerPaws]

[size="4"][color="blue"] As USUAL Elen is full of herself and Bull, you have no idea of what you are talking about, nothing personal Elen but most of the time you are talking like an angry old woman who is unwilling to admit you exist in at best a fair 3rd world country. [/color]
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[Bruno]

Third World was a term first coined by Jawaharlal Nehru (First Prime Minister of India), originally to distinguish nations that aligned with neither the West or with the East during the Cold War, including many members of the Non-Aligned Movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_world

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If you take a look at the map :



First world (blue), Second world (red), Third world (green)

So, Russia is not Third world but Second world :P:P

[TigerPaws]

[color="blue"][size="4"]Bruno,

 You have traveled beyond the big cities in Russia haven't you? Or am I mistaken? Like it or not, for the most part Russia is 3rd world country, you could make an argument that in the large cities things are better (2nd world) but that is about all.
 
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[Bruno]

America's Forgotten Children: Child Poverty in Rural America

There are places where one out of every six children suffers in poverty; where they can't read in school because they have no glasses; where they can't drink the water because it's contaminated; where many don't receive their basic immunizations; and where few have health insurance.

 class=textThere are places where nearly half of population has no access to public transportation; where more than half of families don't have automobiles; where one in five children can't get to a doctor when they are sick because they have no way to get there; and where one in four can't call for medical help because they don't have a telephone.
 class=textThere are places where children's futures are stunted by limited and substandard educational opportunities, and parent's ability to work and provide for their families is limited because they don't have child care or places for their children to go after school; where many youth turn to drugs or gangs; and where others commit suicide.
 class=textIn some of these places, things are getting even worse.You may think these children live in the poorest parts of the developing world. They don't. They live in the backyards of rural America...in the back woods and mountains of Appalachia, on the "other side of the tracks" in the Mississippi River Delta, in shanties along the Mexican border, or in isolated American Indian Reservations of the Southwest. They are locked in remote and heartbreaking rural poverty and are America's forgotten children

 

I agree that the rural situation in Russia is not always good but before judge your neightbour, clean your own backyard !!! I am in sock when i see povrety in our own modern western country, since we generate enough money for correct it... What is the futur for our own poor children who have limited access to education and health ?

[Albert]

Tiger, you are missing the point.  As Bruno points out, and as originally coined, the concept of 'third world' had nothing at all to do with economics, poor areas, etc.  Third world was a political concept meaning non alignment with either free market countries or communist countries.

Perhaps we need some new terms to distinguish between the two very differnt concepts of degrees of economic development and political alignment.

[TigerPaws]

[color="blue"][size="4"]Albert,

 No I am not missing the point but I do agree with the need for another term, if you come up with something worth while post it until then I will maintain for the most part Russia is a backwater country.

 Bruno,

 In very general terms I agree poverty is everywhere, that has nothing to do with the general consensus as to how developed a country is or is not. Russia is an underdeveloped country that can not even feed her own people, the infrastructure is all but nonexistant and what they have is crumbling.

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[Bruno]

Perhaps we need some new terms to distinguish between the two very differnt concepts of degrees of economic development and political alignment.

Maybe the HDI ( Human development index ) is something more realist ( but always enough simple )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Human_Development_Index

USA have the position 10 on 177 country... good result ...

[Bruno]

Russia is an underdeveloped country that can not even feed her own people

Back on topic... food !!!

I don't know when it was the last time that you have good in Russia but now you can find every type of food in Russia... if you have money for pay your food, it is not a problem...

The empty shop, waiting line, etc ... are thing from some decade ago...

[TigerPaws]

[size="4"][color="blue"]Bruno,

 Nice try but not as simple and eloquent as 1st, 2nd and 3rd world.[/color]
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[TigerPaws]

[color="blue"][size="4"]Russia is an underdeveloped country that can not even feed her own people[/size][/color]

Back on topic... food !!!

I don't know when it was the last time that you have good in Russia but now you can find every type of food in Russia... if you have money for pay your food, it is not a problem...

The empty shop, waiting line, etc ... are thing from some decade ago...

[size="4"][color="blue"]On this we can agree Bruno, supermarkets have come to the big cities and so have the very high prices. We help my wife's sister because Moscow is so very expensive, you have to love being able to transfer funds from account to account and the ever loving ATM card.[/color][/size]
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[Elen]

So when are you coming to our side of the ocean?

What for? To be taught how I am supposed to feed myself for to become like all others around ?
 I'm happy to live here in Moscow - the capital of third world country and beside I'm too old to travel anywhere

[Bruce]

The HDI is an excellent over all measure!  Thanks, Bruno. 

The point that Tiger was making is that Russia, whether you call it mid level on the HDI index or second world (yes using the old geopolitical map) - the trend apart from the city centers for the average Russian is orange or red on the HDI index or third world using colloquial terminology.  When one refers to a third world nation look at the map - the overwhelming majority, if not all (I say this because I am sure Bruno will find one or more than one in the old geopolitical "third world" map that actually is decent these days) of Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Southeast Asia are sh$tholes, plain and simple.  Russia still is way better than the majority of third world nations and in many ways is much better, but I like Tiger worry about the trend not towards Western Europe and the USA but towards Africa.

[dostogirl]

If she really does need instructions then I wonder what America does to Russian women brains

I have to somewhat agree with the guys here. Russia (Moscow esp.) has a wide variety of foods, but the choices in the States are enourmous. First of all, RW just do not know what to buy here, cos they do not know what most of the things are and why some things are better then others. Example: have you ever heard of MSG? First time I've heard about it was in the US, where you can buy products that do not contain it. I was simply shocked to find out that MSG is something called in Russia "adinomoto" - white poder that is added to a lot of dishes of Asian origin (like "korean salads" or chinese food) and (surprize, surprize!) my mom used all the time cooking at home My husband had to tell me about it and I've read some articles about dangers of it, as a result he helped me educating.
Also, everyone knows that changes in a country of living and climate may cause problems with weight and health. Imagine you are moving from Moscow (with 4 seasons) to say Texas (summer all year long). No matter how hard you gonna stick to the same diet that worked for you in Russia, it won't really work in the US in the different environment.
Plus all the temptations of different cuisines here..
I remeber my first year in the States, my first visit to a store by myself. It was a disaster. I didn't know brands, I didn't know what kind of milk to buy (there were more than 10 different kinds), I didn't know any difference between organic and non-roganic food...

[TigerPaws]

[size="4"][color="blue"]dostogirl,

 What you describe still happens today almost 6 years after my wife arrived in America, so many choices, brand names vs the unknown or generic. She will usually defer to my judgement but unless it is something important I will usually let her make a mistake so she can learn why I suggest one brand over another. I never hold her mistake over her because it is all pert of the learning process.[/color]
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[dostogirl]

I will usually let her make a mistake so she can learn why I suggest one brand over another.

Well, some women do not really care about what's written on the back of a can. Someone has to teach them, cos it's not something that women do in Russia. I'm stil not good with brands, but I can pick the right thing by reading the ingridients list. That's what I mean in my post.

[mischief]

Son of Clyde, fill your house with all kind of fruits like Fuji apples, kiwis, oranges, pomegranates, mangos, etc. - you can cut them and keep them out or make fruit salads…  get nut mixtures, yogurts, cheese sticks, whole wheat crackers, baby carrots… The more she will eat healthy snacks, the less she will want other stuff… especially if there are only good food in your house, she will pretty much have to change...

though sometimes you just have to have something like chips or brownie, everything is good in moderation.

Honestly, whenever I read how to eat right or exercise right or whatever, I always get discouraged… because you can never do it perfectly right…

 

Elen, food is not the only reason why lots of people are overweight here… the lack of physical activity is the reason… in Texas, for instance, there are no where to walk if you don't live downtown of a big city… and in the summer it's way too hot to be outside, so people don't move much… I love walking and exercising so whenever I couldn't do it outside I used the treadmill and I didn't gain any weight for two years in Texas…

In NY (very much the same like Europe) I pretty much have to walk at least an hour every day which I enjoy a lot… which also helps to be in shape.

[RussianGal]

[user=130]Son of Clyde[/user] wrote:

... She still will eat the salt fish and pig fat several times a week and tends to her "milk mushroom".

 This part sounds tasty and pretty much healthy to me (except for salt fish).

[user=130]Son of Clyde[/user] wrote:

..They are always snacking on sweets, chewing gum or eating potato chips..

 Did your wife gain weight already by eating all of it or she only recently arrived to the States?
 Usually, when RW realize/see how easy it is to gain weight here, they change their eating habits/sign with a gym/put themselves on diet.
 
 Lots of my friends here are in constant battle with extra pounds. Potato chips.. He-he.. Are you kidding me?

 As for the substitution of these snacks, I`d say try to offer her some nuts instead (hazelnuts, walnuts, etc). You have such a nice variety here and they so are rich in vitamins, fiber, etc.

[BC]

Sala in the US? or did she bring a big supply with her..

..net gain here - about 10 lbs in 3 years.. and after a baby.