Picky eating habits make it hard to lose

ashbroom

My wife has extremely picky eating habits. She like the normal everyday foods, except she won't try/eat veggies, among other things... I have been on the SCD for about three and a half months and have lost 15-20lbs. That's working for me and we haven't been excercising because we have been in the middle of remodeling for about 2 months. Now that we are finished, we are going to start excercising. We will probably work our way up to an hour a day, me on the bike and her on the elliptical. My question is how can she lose weight and maintain her crappy diet but still get the required nutrients? Does anyone know of a way I can talk her into trying new foods? I would also like to point out that I'm not asking for my benefit, she is truly unhappy with her appearance.

Any additional info you need? Lemme know.

Thanks,

Matt

MalDunc2012

Hey, Matt;
I have the same problem. Most healthfood cookbooks totally blow because they don't have food that REAL PEOPLE would like to eat. I recently found a cookbook called "Now Eat This" by Rocco Dispirito that has TOTALLY BLOWN MY MIND. The big draw for me was that they have all the foods I love--mac and cheese, sloppy joes, beef stroganoff, chicken parm, reubens, etc.--and they are ALL under 350 calories per serving!! It's phenomenal: I can eat the foods I want, and keep my calories way down. Another BIG plus for me is that they use a lot of similar and pretty basic ingredients as well as utensils, so I don't have to go on a wild goose chase for anything crazy. Also, they are fast and EASY to make (even for a non-cooker like me). This cookbook has completely changed dinner in our household....EVERYBODY loves these foods. They are SO flavorful; your wife won't even know she's eating health foods!

katythemommy

Hey, Matt;
I have the same problem. Most healthfood cookbooks totally blow because they don't have food that REAL PEOPLE would like to eat. I recently found a cookbook called "Now Eat This" by Rocco Dispirito that has TOTALLY BLOWN MY MIND. The big draw for me was that they have all the foods I love--mac and cheese, sloppy joes, beef stroganoff, chicken parm, reubens, etc.--and they are ALL under 350 calories per serving!! It's phenomenal: I can eat the foods I want, and keep my calories way down. Another BIG plus for me is that they use a lot of similar and pretty basic ingredients as well as utensils, so I don't have to go on a wild goose chase for anything crazy. Also, they are fast and EASY to make (even for a non-cooker like me). This cookbook has completely changed dinner in our household....EVERYBODY loves these foods. They are SO flavorful; your wife won't even know she's eating health foods!

I just looked this book up on amazon.com - looks amazing!! Thanks for sharing!

Ashbroom, I know for a lot of people who have poor diets but start slowly by working out eventually want to change their eating habits. I would think after she starts working out with you on a daily basis, her diet will improve slowly but surely!

Kkimbee

WOW! I am so glad this was posted! I have the same issues that his wife does (although, I have gotten better over the years!). I will definitely check that book out!

mhwoodworth

I am an extremely picky eater- most of my foods are carbs: potatoes, noodles and bread. The way I manage it is to just really watch my portions. If I know I'm going to be eating potatoes for dinner then I will skip the extra granola bar that I would have before heading home. I don't work out that much because I am just too lazy but if I know we have dinner plans with family or a party I try to burn at least a couple hundred calories on the treadmill before hand. And its not so much that she isn't eating healthy foods but to cut out the junk food- candy, greasy foods and chips. Find a healthier chip and eat the portion size. And make sure she doesn't DRINK her calories. Sodas and milk and juices are such a waste of calories. Even if she doesn't like plain water try flavored or switching to diet sodas. Good luck!

♥Amy♥

Hey, Matt;
I have the same problem. Most healthfood cookbooks totally blow because they don't have food that REAL PEOPLE would like to eat. I recently found a cookbook called "Now Eat This" by Rocco Dispirito that has TOTALLY BLOWN MY MIND. The big draw for me was that they have all the foods I love--mac and cheese, sloppy joes, beef stroganoff, chicken parm, reubens, etc.--and they are ALL under 350 calories per serving!! It's phenomenal: I can eat the foods I want, and keep my calories way down. Another BIG plus for me is that they use a lot of similar and pretty basic ingredients as well as utensils, so I don't have to go on a wild goose chase for anything crazy. Also, they are fast and EASY to make (even for a non-cooker like me). This cookbook has completely changed dinner in our household....EVERYBODY loves these foods. They are SO flavorful; your wife won't even know she's eating health foods!

Thanks for posting this! I just checked and our library has a copy available, so I'll be checking it out from there. I, too, am extremely picky, so hopefully this will help some. Thanks again

Flyntiggr

I used to eat like crap. My veggies included lettuce, corn, potatoes and green beans. That was it! I finally made a decision that I wouldn't live much longer eating like that. SHE needs to make the choice.

I started introducing new foods into my meals - much like you would for a toddler. Literally. One bite bits. Then two. You get the idea.

I choose one food per week, and try it a few times....

erickirb

My wife has extremely picky eating habits. She like the normal everyday foods, except she won't try/eat veggies, among other things...

FYI: veggies are normal everyday foods. What are you considering "normal everyday foods"?

As an example, my lunch consisted of raw carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, and 2 Barley Cakes (like a fish cake with Barley, no fish). Veggies should make up the majority of your diet, which is why the are "normal everyday foods".

coderchris

I have this cookbook and it is great. The onion rings are amazing, my teenagers even love them.

fitnesspirateninja

Making small changes at first worked for me. I'm actually not a picky eater (I like EVERYTHING a little too much). And if your wife can find a few things to add in or take out of her diet then she'll be fine. Portion control really helps, too.

I know some folks are strict about eating fruit, but I'm not. If your wife likes fruit but not veggies then she could try to eat more fruit. Don't try to force her to eat things she doesn't like. Just focus on the things she does like and go from there.

RobinMSills

I hate to sound like a jerk, but if your wife wants to be healthy she is going to have to grow up. As was posted above, vegetables are "normal everyday foods". In fact, fruits and veggies should make up a good percentage of what she's eating. What we "like" is simply what we are used to. If she is accustomed to highly processed carbs and fats she needs to learn to try other sources. Over time she will develop a taste for them and actually enjoy them. Invest in a good selection of spices and seasonings, and try cooking new things. It sounds silly but unless you grew up with it, eating healthy (I would argue that this is "normal") takes practice!

ashbroom

Normal everyday foods to a child might be more accurate. noodles, breads, corn, potatoes, and beef or chicken; that's almost litterally it. she doesnt eat fried stuff all that often, but when we eat out, again not too often, she has something fried. she simply will not try new foods. she refuses. she does drink A LOT of calories. she drinks 2-3 servings of pepsi each day as well as 2 servings of OJ... i have been trying to convince her to try pepsi max, its supposed to taste like regular pepsi, but she wont (it's sitting in the fridge, unopened, about 3 months now).

I'll have to look into that book, maybe it will help out.

Thanks for the replies so far! That was fast!

Barley cakes are not an everyday food...

I agree, she does need to grow up with her eating habits..

RobinMSills

It sounds like there's not much you can do for her. She's going to have to decide that her happiness is worth learning some new habits. Just support her 100% when she does start to make changes!

zenchild

If she's so afraid of new foods that she won't even take a taste of a new soda, she may need therapy. I'm not trying to be mean (I spent time in therapy for fear). Maybe she's so afraid of failure that she won't even try. I lived for years like that. I decided that if I didn't try, I couldn't really fail. Problem was, I was still failing.

rosieef

If she's so afraid of new foods that she won't even take a taste of a new soda, she may need therapy. I'm not trying to be mean (I spent time in therapy for fear). Maybe she's so afraid of failure that she won't even try. I lived for years like that. I decided that if I didn't try, I couldn't really fail. Problem was, I was still failing.

I have to agree with this, if she's left Pepsi Max for months she's probably really really scared - and I'd maybe hazard a guess that she's scared of all new things, not just new foods. It will take a long long time and a heck of a lot of work from her to make small changes. It can be done, though.

lawkat

Recently, the news has talked about how very picky eating habits is an eating disorder. She might need some help in overcoming her refusal to try new foods.

SHBoss1673

yep.

how can she lose weight and maintain her crappy diet but still get the required nutrients?

short answer is, she can't. Sorry, but to be healthy and lose extra fat, your diet is a huge part of it. Calories in vs calories out is a valid concept, but there's such a thing as being thin and unhealthy. Vitamins and minerals are super important to your body as well as to how you look and feel. Ever see someone with iron deficiency, or scurvy (vitamin C deficiency)? Yes these are extreme examples, but they highlight the facts, you can eat the right amount of calories, but if you're eating crap, you're not healthy. And no, you can't replace veggies and whole grains with supplements, that doesn't work, supplements are just that, supplemental, they are for people who want to "top off the tanks".

TiffyBear415_xx

I'm a really picky eater too. Veggies..dont like them..and fruits..I like the taste but its something about the crunch texture that makes me feel like I'm gonna barf. Any suggestions for me?

PJilly

Thanks for the tip on the book! I'll be ordering it today. I too am a very picky eater, but I'm getting better all the time. I think it's important to make the changes that are easy to make along with the ones that are more challenging. Moving in the right direction is always good, even if you never reach perfection.

PJilly

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SHBoss1673

I'm a really picky eater too. Veggies..dont like them..and fruits..I like the taste but its something about the crunch texture that makes me feel like I'm gonna barf. Any suggestions for me?

since there is such a wide variety of veggies with a huge difference in taste and texture, and add to that that these can also change when cooked, I'd say that saying you don't like veggies is a bit of a cop out. That isn't meant to be mean, it's just the truth, I mean, if you don't like one veggie, or one type of veggie, there's literally hundreds of others to choose from.
are you saying you've tried every conceivable veggie out there and like none of them? I would be very surprised at that. As to fruits, it's a very small subset of fruit that actually crunch, in fact most don't crunch at all, melons, berries, peaches, plumbs, cherries, grapes. None of these crunch at all.

Tandksmommy11

I'm not really a picky eater, but I do have one in the house! He's a meat and potatoes kind of guy, who doesn't like many veggies other then the basic peas, green beans, broccoli and corn. He drinks his weight in soda and iced tea I think.

I'm going to order the book too, thanks for the suggestion!

I don't have any suggestions on how to get her to try more things. I'm one of the 'touch love' kind of people. If my husband wanted to lose weight, btu wasn't willing to try new things- then that would be his problem. I wouldn't try to force him into anything. When he was ready to be SERIOUS, then he'd either try new things or fail if he was still eating poorly. I won't waste my time on someone else who isn't willing to try.

TiffyBear415_xx

I'm a really picky eater too. Veggies..dont like them..and fruits..I like the taste but its something about the crunch texture that makes me feel like I'm gonna barf. Any suggestions for me?

since there is such a wide variety of veggies with a huge difference in taste and texture, and add to that that these can also change when cooked, I'd say that saying you don't like veggies is a bit of a cop out. That isn't meant to be mean, it's just the truth, I mean, if you don't like one veggie, or one type of veggie, there's literally hundreds of others to choose from.
are you saying you've tried every conceivable veggie out there and like none of them? I would be very surprised at that. As to fruits, it's a very small subset of fruit that actually crunch, in fact most don't crunch at all, melons, berries, peaches, plumbs, cherries, grapes. None of these crunch at all.

No havent tried all veggies but I have tried alot and I just dont like them. I've also tried all the fruits you mentioned and its something about the texture. I just cant eat them. I guess the skin or something?

MalDunc2012

No problem on the book rec, all! Try the chicken cordon bleu and the mac and cheese--they're exquisite!

PJilly

No problem on the book rec, all! Try the chicken cordon bleu and the mac and cheese--they're exquisite!

Mine's scheduled to be here by June 16. Can't wait!

isabelk

If she drinks her calories and likes very sugary drinks, could you persuade her to try smoothies? If you get a really good blender and blend for a long time, texture should not be an issue. You could make OJ a primary ingredient and very slowly introduce other fruits/veggies.

Okay so she likes what she likes, period. That's okay! But if she's on MFP she gets X calories a day that she can spend it on whatever she wants. I bet she'll go for the most filling, least calorie foods and start choosing new foods herself. I guess if she doesn't want to do that, she won't. You can't change her, she has to want it.

Honestly, therapy is an excellent idea. Therapy is always a good idea.

christine24t

I'm not the most adventurous eater, but I do like fruits/veggies, etc. For me though, starting to exercise really put my eating habits into perspective - realizing that eating something bad or something on top of my daily calorie intake would take x amount of time to work off. Once you exercise, you don't want to waste the day and make bad choices.
For your wife, I would slowly start adding in fruits and vegetables - example: carrots with ranch, celery with peanut butter. Eventually, she will probably be able to cut down on the amount of dressings used with it.
However, I do have to agree that if she is very picky, it's definitely a problem that therapy or a consultation with a doctor could help with. Since you're not her keeper, she will have to make the choice to get help on her own, but picky eating is an eating disorder and there are treatments for it. I'm not sure if you have any kids, but if you do or are thinking about having kids, you don't want her habits passed onto them. If she starts eating healthy for anything, it should be the thought of that!

PJilly

Hey, Matt;
I have the same problem. Most healthfood cookbooks totally blow because they don't have food that REAL PEOPLE would like to eat. I recently found a cookbook called "Now Eat This" by Rocco Dispirito that has TOTALLY BLOWN MY MIND. The big draw for me was that they have all the foods I love--mac and cheese, sloppy joes, beef stroganoff, chicken parm, reubens, etc.--and they are ALL under 350 calories per serving!! It's phenomenal: I can eat the foods I want, and keep my calories way down. Another BIG plus for me is that they use a lot of similar and pretty basic ingredients as well as utensils, so I don't have to go on a wild goose chase for anything crazy. Also, they are fast and EASY to make (even for a non-cooker like me). This cookbook has completely changed dinner in our household....EVERYBODY loves these foods. They are SO flavorful; your wife won't even know she's eating health foods!

Mine came in the mail yesterday. I was late getting to bed because I couldn't put it down! I'm looking forward to trying out a bunch of the recipes in there. Thanks again for the recommendation.