No one in my house interested in healthy living

jemhh

Who all lives with you in your house? In general I think that you need to moderate yourself as far as eating goes but, depending on who is bringing in the food, you may be able to ask for some limitations. Practice mindful eating (Do I really want to spend calories on this or am I eating it simply because it is there? Do I actually find this food to be tasty enough that spending calories on it is worth it to me? If I eat this now, will I regret not having calories to eat X later?) If your housemate/family always buys X candy because you have asked for it in the past and not because s/he wants to eat it, just say "I'm trying to cut back so if you buy that more for me than for you, feel free not to pick up any at the store."

snickerscharlie

jemhh wrote: »

If your housemate/family always buys X candy because you have asked for it in the past and not because s/he wants to eat it, just say "I'm trying to cut back so if you buy that more for me than for you, feel free not to pick up any at the store."

Yes.

My husband always calls me on his way home from work to see if I need anything picked up from the store. You know, bread, milk, that kind of thing. He would also sometimes include a chocolate bar for me as a treat.

When I started this weight loss adventure, I asked him not to pick me up a chocolate bar anymore unless I specifically asked him to. I know he bought them for me because he loves me, so I knew he would also honour my request to no longer do that because he loves me.

kshama2001

I'm more an abstainer than a moderator, so it would be really difficult for me to have a lot of trigger foods in the house. Fortunately, I am also the food shopper and the cook, so others bringing trigger foods into the house is not an issue for me. I am able to negotiate with my OH about how often and when we have foods that are problematic for me like pizza and Chinese.

http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2012/10/back-by-popular-demand-are-you-an-abstainer-or-a-moderator/

...When dealing with temptation, I often see the advice, “Be moderate. Don’t have ice cream every night, but if you try to deny yourself altogether, you’ll fall off the wagon. Allow yourself to have the occasional treat, it will help you stick to your plan.”

I’ve come to believe that this is good advice for some people: the “moderators.” They do better when they avoid absolutes and strict rules.

For a long time, I kept trying this strategy of moderation–and failing. Then I read a line from Samuel Johnson, who said, when someone offered him wine: “Abstinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult.”
Ah ha! Like Dr. Johnson, I’m an “abstainer.”

I find it far easier to give something up altogether than to indulge moderately. When I admitted to myself that I was eating my favorite frozen yogurt treat very often–two and even three times a day–I gave it up cold turkey. That was far easier for me to do than to eat it twice a week. If I try to be moderate, I exhaust myself debating, “Today, tomorrow?” “Does this time ‘count’?” “Don’t I deserve this?” etc. If I never do something, it requires no self-control for me; if I do something sometimes, it requires enormous self-control.

There’s no right way or wrong way–it’s just a matter of knowing which strategy works better for you. If moderators try to abstain, they feel trapped and rebellious. If abstainers try to be moderate, they spend a lot of precious energy justifying why they should go ahead and indulge...

Catawampous

My way of eating is not the hubby's way. I basically fix the same meal but I cook my meat a different way than his. He gets a baked potato, I get swish chard. He likes some sweet treats in his lunch, I give them to him. I take meats and cheeses. It's just compromise. Sometimes I have a few more dishes to clean up but it's not much and we are both happy.

I flat out don't try to get him on board because it's not his way and he'd be a nasty bear. Why put him through that? Or myself for that matter.

jennifer_417

Not everyone has the luxury of being in total control of what food does or doesn't come into their home. Sure, it's a nice thought, but it's just not possible for everyone.
Yes, self-control is the answer, but self-control is like a muscle. If you're not used to using it, then it'll be weak. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Chef_Barbell

jennifer_417 wrote: »

Not everyone has the luxury of being in total control of what food does or doesn't come into their home. Sure, it's a nice thought, but it's just not possible for everyone.
Yes, self-control is the answer, but self-control is like a muscle. If you're not used to using it, then it'll be weak. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

I wouldn't want that control.

crzycatlady1

Not a big deal over here because I still eat the same kinds of foods that my husband and kids eat-I just eat it in the appropriate calorie amounts for my weight goals. I still eat candy, chips, cookies etc etc-just less of it.

ahoy_m8

I hear you, OP. I've got 3 teenagers, and they keep food at home that I would LIKE to eat but would break my calorie bank. This is what helps me. (1) Experience has taught me that for the calories in their snack food, I would actually enjoy something else more, and I make room for THAT so I am not deprived. (2) I put my snack food in a separate cabinet and mentally tell myself to stick to my own stuff (because I like it more).

I also cook meals that fit my nutrition goals for the whole fam, and they like that. I don't cook separate meals, although they may eat more starch whereas I eat more vegetable.

Lounmoun

pacificsaint wrote: »

For those of you whose family/housemates don't care about making a lifestyle change, how do you do it? One of the things I have read about bad foods, I.E. Candies or other sugary food, is don't bring them in the house. My house is filled with that stuff! And not by my choice. I understand will power is huge part of all of this, I'm just looking for some tips to make it easier. Also if you have succeeded at motivating your family to jump on board and make a lifestyle change how did you do it?

I think that your mindset influences how difficult it will be for you not the food in your house so much or willpower.

I am not a person who calls it a lifestyle change. I made simple changes like eating appropriate portion sizes and putting more vegetables on my plate. I don't view any food as bad or unhealthy unless it is spoiled or I am allergic to it. My family didn't have to change their eating habits because of me. I view myself as being in charge of myself. It is my choice to eat or not eat something.
My body needs nutrients to function well. I try to meet my needs and that means using most of my calories on foods with more nutrition. I have limited calories so I'm not going to use half of them on something with little nutritional value just because it is there. I'm still eating food I like all day.
If you look at calories like money- you usually want good value for what you spend your money on. You want to balance your spending between needs and luxuries. I don't spend money on lots of luxury items when I haven't yet paid the house payment or gas bill. Some food tastes nice briefly but has low value for the cost/calories so I don't buy/eat large amounts of it. Some foods are just not worth it at all so I don't buy them or eat them.
I actually feel very in control of food. I plan meals for my family. I make a grocery list and make sure there are foods I can meet my goals with in the house. I cook the food for my family. Yeah, there is ice cream in the freezer and other stuff dh or dd want. That is their stuff. I have my treats too I guess.
I prelog my food for the whole day every morning. I leave 100-300 calories for planned snacks. I look at my calorie goal, protein goal and try to eat several servings of vegetables or fruits a day. I drink water or unsweetened tea and save calories for food.
I put food out of sight. I get out of the kitchen. I eat at the same times every day.

suziecue20

I have never cut anything out of my diet just cut down on the amounts of some of them. With calorie dense foods like cakes, biscuits and ice cream I just have a bite of my OHs cake or a spoonful of ice cream and stop at 1 biscuit. I'm in maintenance now and still eating the way I did when losing but with a few more daily calories.

Luckily my OH loves what I cook, which is varied and nutritious. He just has bigger portions [not too large lol], plus his high density stuff so we're both happy.

Aaron_K123

pacificsaint wrote: »

For those of you whose family/housemates don't care about making a lifestyle change, how do you do it? One of the things I have read about bad foods, I.E. Candies or other sugary food, is don't bring them in the house. My house is filled with that stuff! And not by my choice. I understand will power is huge part of all of this, I'm just looking for some tips to make it easier. Also if you have succeeded at motivating your family to jump on board and make a lifestyle change how did you do it?

I am of the opinion that if the only way you can successfully lose weight and maintain at a healthy weight is to lock yourself in a room with no candy in it then you haven't truly learned the habits that will allow you to stay at that healthy weight. At somepoint you have to desire a healthy weight more than you desire candy and have the will power to execute on that. When you crave candy make sure you remember why you are working towards being a healthier weight in the first place (assuming you are overweight). Also, as others have mentioned, i wouldn't demonize candy...that gives it more power than it deserves. Candy is just a thing, choose to leave it on the shelf and you'll be good.

Francl27

It's all down to my willpower. I lost the weight with junk food everywhere. The bottom line is that you have to want to lose weight more than you want the junk food.

The only tip I can give you is to make sure the stuff is out of sight.. that might help. And yes, focus on making tasty meals... I'm much less likely to go for the cookies if I had a satisfying dinner. Skinnytaste is great.

VeryKatie

I had this problem. It helped a bit when I put all the snack foods that I wanted to limit in an opaque cloth bin from IKEA on the top shelf of the pantry. It at least helped me not see the snacks every time I went into the pantry to get something. It wasn't a 100% solution... but any little bit helps, right?

I mean... I know the snacks are there when I want to indulge. But they're not staring me in the face right before I cook everyday (which is when I'm at my hungriest).

SLLRunner

airforceman1979 wrote: »

I tell them to hide them from me and if they don't I throw it away

So, you make others responsible for you not wanting to eat certain food? That doesn't seem right at all.

cerise_noir

RoxieDawn wrote: »

I think for starters stop labeling food as bad. I have been doing this for three years and I still eat candy, sugar, etc.. The moment I stopped labeling foods (any foods) as bad the world got less complicated.

Also the moment when I realized that the world around me is not always gonna be on a diet when I am I was able to put a lot of things into perspective.. In short, if my family wants pizza and I do not, I do not have to eat that.

Now dealing with your family on how to get everyone to eat this "healthy way" you are eating, is gonna take some sit down meetings with everyone and work towards where you want to go with your eating habits.

I got all mine on board, but I am the cook in the family, if they want what I cook that's great, if not what I cook they go their own ways..

Perfect.

ninerbuff

As mentioned, this is your issue not theirs. One cannot impose a way of eating on someone if they refuse to eat that way. They can't force you to eat candy anymore than you can force them not to.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

maidengirl_

No one is dieting in my household but me. There is food in the house that they buy that I choose not to eat because I want to be healthier and reach my goals. I have lost 46 pounds so far all within a year. Now that my family sees me eating healthier and the weight dropping off, they want to be apart of what I'm doing too. Sometimes you have to be the leader of the pack

kshama2001

Aaron_K123 wrote: »

pacificsaint wrote: »

For those of you whose family/housemates don't care about making a lifestyle change, how do you do it? One of the things I have read about bad foods, I.E. Candies or other sugary food, is don't bring them in the house. My house is filled with that stuff! And not by my choice. I understand will power is huge part of all of this, I'm just looking for some tips to make it easier. Also if you have succeeded at motivating your family to jump on board and make a lifestyle change how did you do it?

I am of the opinion that if the only way you can successfully lose weight and maintain at a healthy weight is to lock yourself in a room with no candy in it then you haven't truly learned the habits that will allow you to stay at that healthy weight. At somepoint you have to desire a healthy weight more than you desire candy and have the will power to execute on that. When you crave candy make sure you remember why you are working towards being a healthier weight in the first place (assuming you are overweight). Also, as others have mentioned, i wouldn't demonize candy...that gives it more power than it deserves. Candy is just a thing, choose to leave it on the shelf and you'll be good.

There's something Buddhist along these lines...like it's easy to be spiritual or have a great meditation practice if you live in a cave but the true test is when you are living in the world and practicing. @BecomingBane help me out here?

I know it was easy for me to lose weight (without even trying) in Costa Rica when none of my high calorie trigger foods were around but I didn't feel deprived due to all the amazing fruits and satiating grains and legumes. And I was very active.

not_my_first_rodeo

I think if the other people in your home are respectful of your choices, then you can do this. You can change you. You can't change other people.

Now if they're not respectful of your choices and are trying to get you to stray from your goals and plans, that's a different conversation.

endlessfall16

I don't think there's one correct answer for all.

For me I realize I have to do more, even at my expense, to get my family on board. I keep yapping to my wife on giving our daughter good, healthy foods and for us also. No one likes walking exercise and I don't need to do more for myself but I still have to drag everyone out after I come home from work. Sometimes I'm tired but what can you do? Leaving them be unhealthy isn't an option for me.