Worried about lodger's health

auntyrara

I wouldn't give her advice or be blunt with her. As others have said, she will know she has a problem with her weight, any advice you give her will probably result in her being defensive of feeling rubbish about herself. She may not know about food hygiene and all the illnesses she can get about that. Maybe in conversation you can tell her about a programme you watched/leaflet you read telling you about bacteria that grows in food that is not stored properly and all the bad things you can get, all in graphic detail. :-)

The only way to maybe help her with her weight is to invite her to the gym or go for a walk with you. Don't push it though, just casually offer. And you could occasionally "accidentally" cook too much food and offer the left overs to her when she gets home. That might cut down on take aways

tiger_eyes

I think we all can agree that the OP has a moral duty as a landlord and as a human being to act on his selfless concern for this lodger's welfare. I'm sure we've all wished our live-in landlord would closely supervise our body weight and eating habits.

Georgiegirl256

I don't think you've any right to comment on her weight, her eating habits, her exercise (or lack of it), but I think you should comment on her habit of leaving food on the side what should be in the fridge or freezer.

Doesn't matter that she hasn't died of her slovenly habits yet, it's unhygienic, and I for one would not put up with that in my house in a kitchen that I had to use as well.

nyc_451

All the lifestyle changes I have made were due to someone inspiring me or some really bad consequences of my habits. A landlord expressing his concerns about my eating would only annoy me.

Dill

I wouldn't have food standing on the worktop. One of my old flatmates at university used to leave her wok on the side for days, filled with cooked but uneaten food, and the cleaning lady used to get quite annoyed about it.

As for the rest of her life (which you seem to know a lot of detail about?) unless she's drug-taking or bringing randoms back to the house, I'd let her live as she wishes to live. I take it she's not a family member?

auntyrara

As her landlord you can say you don't want food left out for days. Then she'll either sling it or put it in the fridge. It's still cold now but when it get warmer that food will stink

Homeownertobe

I'd chuck her out. I wouldn't be having the neighbours thinking I inhale takeaways five nights a week!

Southernman

No she's not a family member. She rarely used the kitchen so that is in our favour! Usually just the occasional pot noodle or the microwave for pop corn that sort of thing.

As much as I want to help her broaching the subject gentley is difficult. Plus I don't want to upset her either!

Also someone mentioned that I know a lot about her. That's because I live with her and we talk! It's also difficult not to notice the empty pizza boxes in the recycle bin.

FBaby

The best way you can help her, considering you are not her friend and therefore not in a position to talk about something that is probably a very intimate matter to her and to show a good example. Maybe one day she'll look up to you, how happy you are in your body and mind and that might inspire her to change her ways. That's all you can do.

Pollycat

Southernman wrote: »

When she does cook she makes a pasta bake/lasagna but doesn't put it in the fridge. She leaves it on the side for 7 days as it slowly gets eaten. I've suggested putting it in the fridge but she declares it to be fine. She also cooks the mince after it has been defrosting for 2 days and looks brown and 'off'. I'm sure it can't be good for you.

I've subtly suggested how useful it is to cook nutritious meals in batch then freeze them. She said she would but her freezer drawer is too full of frozen veg. Veg I've never seen her cook.

You've tried ^^^^

I thnk her responses to your suggestions means she isn't really interested in what you think.

Southernman wrote: »

I know it's a lifestyle choice but at the rate she's going her health is going to decline. If you were looking out for someone would you say anything? How can you broach this subject? Would you even bother?

I agree with some of the other responses - she probably knows that what she is doing (eating habits, drinking copious amounts of pop, smoking, not exercising) isn't healthy but if she won't listen it's not really your place to make her change (imho).