What is your family doing?

CharityEaton

I am wondering how many other MFP people are in the same situation as I am. First, let me explain, My husband and I have agreed to disagree on our point of views....even though I am right!
He manages his weight by not eating anything but a fairly big dinner. I eat 3 meals and 1-2 snacks a day with dinner being mostly lean meat and veggies during the week and on the weekends I tend to relax a bit without going totally nuts.
So, we are basically going in 2 different directions here and we have 3 little girls in the middle of all of this. I am also desperatley trying to change their eating habits too! They are not horrible but they, like any kid, like their sweets. I have given everyone fair warning that things are going to change for all of them the first of the year. I am tired of fixing different meals for everyone. I also feel guilty that I load my plate with veggies and salmon while they ate a scoop of hamburger helper.....you get my point. I limit my starchy carbs at night...I still eat carbs, just earlier in the day and small amounts at dinner. I want to set a good example but I feel bad letting them eat all the junk they eat and they are gonna go through some shock when I stop buying it.

Anyone else out there the only one in their house trying to make changes while everyone else fights it every step of the way? What did you do to change it?
I have found that if I buy things that are for ME only and I tell the kids they can't have it....they suddenly want it. I 'm sure this won't last long but I am taking advantage of it right now.

poustotah

Oh yeah, my husband. He wanted to eat pizza while I eat healthy. I started making dinner for everyone. And in our house, you eat what I cook or you go hungry and there are no snacks for anyone that doesn't eat a good dinner. Now hubby eats what I cook and so does everyone else.

erickirb

There is nothing wrong with only eating once big meal per day, as long as you get your required fat and protein in for the day, and it comes from healthy sources. That being said I eat 6-7 times/day, I am lucky in that my wife eats pretty much the same way and out 13 month old seems to be doing the same, thus far.

bstamps12

I just make healthy meals for my husband, daughter, and myself. My husband frequently eats a few slices of bread in addition to the meal or takes a lot bigger portions than I do. If I make a stir fry, he gets 50%, I get 35%, and my daughter (4) gets 15% for example. It fills him up to eat bigger portions of the healthy food I make or to have food like bread, which isn't a snack food I'm going to indulge in because it's in the house, with his meals.

rml_16

I think you should allow your ADULT husband to do whatever he wants. The children, however, could certainly do better with your plan.

I can't imagine telling a grown man he's going to eat what I cook or go hungry. I may tell him he has to make his own dinner, but I wouldn't stop him from doing so.

melizerd

In my house I do 95% of the cooking, there for our son eats what I cook. If DH doesn't like what I'm making he's a grown man and can make something else but mostly he just eats a bigger portion of what I'm making.

If you cook feed the kids, if your husband doesn't like it tell him to make something else.

BUT unless the two of you can get closer to on the same page the kids are going to know you're divided on this and WILL play each other against the other.

lstnlondry

I'm here sister! It's been a long rode after several years of me doing this alone and one family death (diabetes, heart/kidney disease, etc) but I think we are closing in on the last of my 4 kids and my husband is an on MFP. I think I started my journey in 2006 when I found out I could have been causing my ovarian cysts. (Bad diet, alcohol, you name it) and there I was raising 4 kids with a husband who wasn't on the right track with me but suddenly diagnosed with Diabetes!

Be patient, that is the only thing I can suggest. AND STICK TO YOUR GUNS!

CharityEaton

I think you should allow your ADULT husband to do whatever he wants. The children, however, could certainly do better with your plan.

I can't imagine telling a grown man he's going to eat what I cook or go hungry. I may tell him he has to make his own dinner, but I wouldn't stop him from doing so.

Oh no! I don't tell him what to do! He just argues that it is better for him to only eat one meal a day! I say, whatever! It is just really hard on the weekends when we try to incorporate both of our eating habits to say go out to dinner spur of the moment. I sort of have to plan for a dinner out an he is starving so he wants something massive. We are getting the hang of it but it is a bit difficult sometimes!

rml_16

I think you should allow your ADULT husband to do whatever he wants. The children, however, could certainly do better with your plan.

I can't imagine telling a grown man he's going to eat what I cook or go hungry. I may tell him he has to make his own dinner, but I wouldn't stop him from doing so.

Oh no! I don't tell him what to do! He just argues that it is better for him to only eat one meal a day! I say, whatever! It is just really hard on the weekends when we try to incorporate both of our eating habits to say go out to dinner spur of the moment. I sort of have to plan for a dinner out an he is starving so he wants something massive. We are getting the hang of it but it is a bit difficult sometimes!

That second part was more in response to this:

Oh yeah, my husband. He wanted to eat pizza while I eat healthy. I started making dinner for everyone. And in our house, you eat what I cook or you go hungry and there are no snacks for anyone that doesn't eat a good dinner. Now hubby eats what I cook and so does everyone else.

One thing I'll tell you is the longer you've been doing this, the easier the going out to eat last-minute will be for you. And keep in mind that you can adjust the next day if you do go a little over. Calories in/calories out, so if you do go over by a couple hundred on Saturday, you can exercise a little more on Sunday, if that makes sense.

It's not something you want to do every day, but it's one way to make this lifestyle work long-term. It's all about balance. Plus, what restaurant are you going to where you can't get a salad or something?

CharityEaton

I think you should allow your ADULT husband to do whatever he wants. The children, however, could certainly do better with your plan.

I can't imagine telling a grown man he's going to eat what I cook or go hungry. I may tell him he has to make his own dinner, but I wouldn't stop him from doing so.

Oh no! I don't tell him what to do! He just argues that it is better for him to only eat one meal a day! I say, whatever! It is just really hard on the weekends when we try to incorporate both of our eating habits to say go out to dinner spur of the moment. I sort of have to plan for a dinner out an he is starving so he wants something massive. We are getting the hang of it but it is a bit difficult sometimes!

That second part was more in response to this:

Oh yeah, my husband. He wanted to eat pizza while I eat healthy. I started making dinner for everyone. And in our house, you eat what I cook or you go hungry and there are no snacks for anyone that doesn't eat a good dinner. Now hubby eats what I cook and so does everyone else.

One thing I'll tell you is the longer you've been doing this, the easier the going out to eat last-minute will be for you. And keep in mind that you can adjust the next day if you do go a little over. Calories in/calories out, so if you do go over by a couple hundred on Saturday, you can exercise a little more on Sunday, if that makes sense.

It's not something you want to do every day, but it's one way to make this lifestyle work long-term. It's all about balance. Plus, what restaurant are you going to where you can't get a salad or something?

Yeah, I meant to add that he will usually cook his own stuff if he doesn't like what I am fixing but that just opens up a whole new can of worms with the kids! If dad does it then they want to as well. He doesn't always know what they have eaten through out the day like I do so I try to balance their meals!
As for the going out part, yes, you can always get a salad....salad, salad, salad....no fun going out if you can't enjoy what you like. I do eat what I want and work it off later. We are not really the go out type of people either. I have noticed that it is getting easier I just wish all 5 of us could be on the same page because then it would be a whole lot easier.
I also notice that it is easy to get stcuk on the same food over and over because it is easy and you know it works. This is a bit odd for me, I am soooo not that type of person. I like variety and I absolutely love to cook. Ithas taken quite some time to adjust all of my old fav. recipes and we are getting there.
Mostyl, I am curious if others have the same battle with trying to eat better while everyone else in the house is still dragging their feet about it. Don't get me wrong. My husband has been an AMAZING supporter of what I do......as long as I don't make him do it!

rml_16

I think you should allow your ADULT husband to do whatever he wants. The children, however, could certainly do better with your plan.

I can't imagine telling a grown man he's going to eat what I cook or go hungry. I may tell him he has to make his own dinner, but I wouldn't stop him from doing so.

Oh no! I don't tell him what to do! He just argues that it is better for him to only eat one meal a day! I say, whatever! It is just really hard on the weekends when we try to incorporate both of our eating habits to say go out to dinner spur of the moment. I sort of have to plan for a dinner out an he is starving so he wants something massive. We are getting the hang of it but it is a bit difficult sometimes!

That second part was more in response to this:

Oh yeah, my husband. He wanted to eat pizza while I eat healthy. I started making dinner for everyone. And in our house, you eat what I cook or you go hungry and there are no snacks for anyone that doesn't eat a good dinner. Now hubby eats what I cook and so does everyone else.

One thing I'll tell you is the longer you've been doing this, the easier the going out to eat last-minute will be for you. And keep in mind that you can adjust the next day if you do go a little over. Calories in/calories out, so if you do go over by a couple hundred on Saturday, you can exercise a little more on Sunday, if that makes sense.

It's not something you want to do every day, but it's one way to make this lifestyle work long-term. It's all about balance. Plus, what restaurant are you going to where you can't get a salad or something?

Yeah, I meant to add that he will usually cook his own stuff if he doesn't like what I am fixing but that just opens up a whole new can of worms with the kids! If dad does it then they want to as well. He doesn't always know what they have eaten through out the day like I do so I try to balance their meals!
As for the going out part, yes, you can always get a salad....salad, salad, salad....no fun going out if you can't enjoy what you like. I do eat what I want and work it off later. We are not really the go out type of people either. I have noticed that it is getting easier I just wish all 5 of us could be on the same page because then it would be a whole lot easier.
I also notice that it is easy to get stcuk on the same food over and over because it is easy and you know it works. This is a bit odd for me, I am soooo not that type of person. I like variety and I absolutely love to cook. Ithas taken quite some time to adjust all of my old fav. recipes and we are getting there.
Mostyl, I am curious if others have the same battle with trying to eat better while everyone else in the house is still dragging their feet about it. Don't get me wrong. My husband has been an AMAZING supporter of what I do......as long as I don't make him do it!

WIth my boyfriend, it's his business what he does, so I don't even worry about it. Kids are a different story. When they question why Dad gets to do it, the only answer they need is that he's an adult and can make his own choices, but they are children and you are their boss.

Your husband really should get on board with what you're trying to teach them, even if he doesn't want to do it himself. Maybe have a sit down with him and the pediatrician about proper nutrition for the kids.

kitinboots

Well, its just me and my boyfriend, but he's not on any diet.
We do our own breakfast and lunch. Usually I cook dinner, which means I'm in control, so I can make healthier decisions for myself (When I roast veggies I give him mostly potatoes and a few veg, and I give myself mostly veg and a piece or two of potato).
However, when he cooks, he cooks the most unhealthy food - butter salt pork in a creamy sauce over potatoes mashed with cream and butter. Gah! I just try to have really small portions then. He also likes snacks in the evening. Sugared popcorn, haribo, chocolate, pavlova and ice cream. Its very difficult to resist so sometimes I make myself a very small bowl of popcorn dusted with chilli powder.

cramernh

As far as the husband goes - he can do what he wants .... if he wants to eat healthy with me, he will embrace it because he likes what I prepare - and has been very supportive, but I wont tell him what he can and cant have because that is his choice. He still makes the foods he likes or brings home the pizza and the subs, the fried chicken, etc..... but again, thats his choice. It doesnt even phase me that he brings the bad foods home as I dont touch any of it and never have the impulse to touch it.

When my daughter was home, what was made for dinner, was served for dinner. Unless a person is sick as a dog or has a food allergy/sensitivity, they eat the meal that is prepared for dinner: end of story.

We cant let the kids dictate what is prepared because they are not the adults of the house. If you prepare Hamburger Helper for them, and for you, make a healthy meal from scratch - you basically are giving them the message that they can have anything they want... and thats not how it should go.

If you make dinner, the kids should be eating the meal you prepare....
If hubby wants what you made, GREAT! If not, that is his choice.... he has to be willing on his own to do eat healthy...