How do you folks not just ‘eat along’ w your significant other/family?

lek1111

Hi! Recently rapidly gaining weight and what my doctor and I are pinpointing is that I tend to keep pace w whoever I’m around (around bf who is 6’4 and active, I’m 5’4 my job isn’t). I’m trying to make better choices but it’s tough and time consuming. My fall back is eating whatever and whenever he eats. How to work on breaking this pattern?

ddsb1111

I rarely recommend IF (even though I do it) but in your case it might actually help. If you can save calories for the meal you enjoy with your husband you won’t feel like you’re being deprived or left out. Are you able to skip breakfast or lunch and bank those calories for later?

Another option is using a different size plate or making sure you have smaller portions of everything. My husband used to make our meals equal, and when I started focusing on calories and logging I realized that wasn’t necessary, I feel just as good having 1/3-1/2 the amount he does. He’s caught on and puts less on my plate now and I honestly don’t know the difference. It was a quick and easy new habit to implement.

Lietchi

Eating whatever and whenever he eats is still a possibility, if you can:
- moderate the portions
- change the proportions of the foods (for example less pasta, more vegetables)
- and/or add foods on the side (for example: eat a smaller pizza, but add a salad on the side to fill you up)

I always eat the same dinner as my BF using the techniques above, and lunches as well when we're both home. Breakfasts and snacks are where we'll differ most (entirely different foods usually).

kshama2001

Lietchi wrote: »

Eating whatever and whenever he eats is still a possibility, if you can:
- moderate the portions
- change the proportions of the foods (for example less pasta, more vegetables)
- and/or add foods on the side (for example: eat a smaller pizza, but add a salad on the side to fill you up)

I always eat the same dinner as my BF using the techniques above, and lunches as well when we're both home. Breakfasts and snacks are where we'll differ most (entirely different foods usually).

Like the OP, my BF is also a foot taller than me and I do exactly this ^ for dinner. We used to split a pizza but now he gets 5 pieces and I get three. Since I'm eating it with a large salad, I don't feel deprived. In fact, I no longer eat all three pieces in one meal.

When we grill, his (raw) burgers are 5 oz and mine are 3.5. I have mine with a large green salad and a small amount of potato salad. He'll have his on a bun, large amount of potato salad, and Fritos. When we grill chicken, my meals will be less caloric, and be proportionally comprised of more protein and veggies, and less carbs and possibly fat. I love fat

He serves himself, but sometimes I get a weight on his food if it's a casserole and the pot + food is too heavy for the scale. If my portion is @ 250 grams, his will be around 400. Also, a serving of cooked pasta for me is 100-114 grams and he eats around 300 grams.

Our breakfast and lunch timing and preferences are very different so we don't eat these meals together.

kshama2001

lek1111 wrote: »

Hi! Recently rapidly gaining weight and what my doctor and I are pinpointing is that I tend to keep pace w whoever I’m around (around bf who is 6’4 and active, I’m 5’4 my job isn’t). I’m trying to make better choices but it’s tough and time consuming. My fall back is eating whatever and whenever he eats. How to work on breaking this pattern?

My job is mostly sedentary, but I am fortunate to be able to walk 0.75 - 1 mile on my morning and afternoon breaks, and 0.6 mile at lunch. Between that and a little moving around at work, I get about 3.5 miles at work.

I bundled up and walked all winter, but I'm trying to figure out what to do when it gets unpleasantly hot/humid in the summer. I'm thinking about doing Tai Chi in some empty offices in the basement.

MargaretYakoda

I’m chiming in with the portion control recommendation.

I’m physically disabled, so my partner usually cooks and serves lunch and dinner (I’m on my own for breakfast and snacks)

It has taken me a few years to get him used to the idea that I really really don’t need as much food as the menfolk in the house.
Partner is a lot better at not over serving me now. But it took

1) Smaller bowls and plates
2) Frequent (and gentle) reminders
3) Occasionally just eating half and sending the rest back to him