Has anyone tried getting their families involved in the proc

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tanniew78
tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am thinking of making a change in my family's life. Does this mean Im going to make them miserable? No, but I know they can benefit from more veggies, more home cooked meals (we have a problem with eating out), more exercise.... My old man is diabetic and eats like crap. His doctor wants him on insulin its so bad. Ive already approached him about changing our diets and hes in favor. Its finding time to exercise together. We work opposite shifts and he works 12 hour days. He wants to weight train, its just all about getting things together and working the schedules out. Anyone have any tips on how to transition easier for everyone?

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  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
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    Do you have the mobile app? My family was so impressed by the toy factor (especially scanning bar codes), they're all doing it, even though the kids don't need to lose weight. They're just tracking their exercise.
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
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    Yeah I dont have the fancy phones. And my kids dont need to lose either, but they can be more active (prevention) and eat healthier foods more often and less (not deny them) of the unhealthier stuff. I just think it would be best to make it a family thing. I got my old man an android for Christmas tho and if I fiddle with it and find I like it, Ill buy me one too so I can MFP on the go. :wink:
  • maryd523
    maryd523 Posts: 661 Member
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    I don't think there is ANYTHING wrong with getting your family involved. Maybe they don't want to or need to count calories, especially if they are kids or teens, but being aware of your journey and what it involves can only be a good lesson for them. And who won't benefit from healthier meals and snacks??

    Maybe if more people got their families involved there wouldn't be such a huge obesity crisis going on. Something's got to change.
  • jamaka1
    jamaka1 Posts: 412 Member
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    my daughter & son are on MFP, I definitely cook much healthier for every1 in my house. The other night i had a meatless dish... eggplant parmesan & the kids ate w/o any fuss. I'm a vegetarian but my family is not... so this is new for them but it works. I just got a new oven and I plan to bake/broil basically everything. The stove came with a griddle on top & the kids been making eggs on it which means less grease so thats a plus. Being a nurse also helps to reinforce the healthy habits of less sugar... sometimes they do & sometimes they dont but I keep on trying:bigsmile:
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
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    oh hells yeah, i tried! my man quit mfp after the very first day lmao and my mom i s a toothpick that doesnt wanna diet but is supportive, roomie is on a diet but differ than mine so im knida alone but its so damn worth it, i dont care!! i do make our meals healthierand they enjoy but not like they used to, when i made gravy for everything!!! lol
  • kissoffools
    kissoffools Posts: 108
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    Granted, I'm pretty new to this, but I signed up and convinced my mother and sister to sign up that same night! My mom is already at her ideal weight, so she's mostly just using it to make sure the meals she's eating are nutritious enough. My sister and I both need to lose weight, and have been working at it for months, but my sister is always less motivated than I am - it's a struggle to get her to the gym or to convince her to eat healthy, lol. But she's actually really taken to MFP! She logs & stays around her calorie goal just as much as I do, without any reminders.

    I'm not sure what it is about MFP that's resonated with her more than anything else we've tried - maybe because it's a concrete, solid THING to guide her and make her feel like it isn't all a waste of time? I'm not sure how to go about changing someone's mindset, but I'd definitely show your family the website and explain it to them - they might think it's neat how many different foods the database has, and enjoy looking up their favourite foods to see what their nutritional values are! And who knows - maybe once they see YOU succeeding using MFP, they'll be far more likely to give it a shot, too. :D
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
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    kissoffools- Does she spend time talking to people on here? Having that support might also be whats drawing her in. sometimes you just need someone other than family. And lots of times, we get so close to our internet buddies they might as well be family. :)
  • kissoffools
    kissoffools Posts: 108
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    kissoffools- Does she spend time talking to people on here? Having that support might also be whats drawing her in. sometimes you just need someone other than family. And lots of times, we get so close to our internet buddies they might as well be family. :)

    I think she's made a few posts & comments on here (I checked her profile and it says she has 8 friends, awww), but she's not nearly as active on the forums as I am. But you're right, she might just be starting to get into the support aspect of things here! I have been raving about it. :)
  • MelKut
    MelKut Posts: 167 Member
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    Forgive me for this long rant, but I just need to get it out:

    I definitely want to get my sister and mom involved in weight loss. Both are a teeny bit over 200 lbs and both have tried to lose weight countless times. I have always been "athlete-thin" (when I gained weight, I just get a bit thicker everywhere, so its not AS noticeable.) and never have been (in their opinion) FAT.

    The thing is, they KNOW what is healthy and what isn't, but it seems to be too much effort for too little payoff. Last night I made a delicious whole wheat pasta with spinach and mushrooms that was healthy, and my sister says to me "You're only making enough for yourself?" Now, I don't have anything against making double the recipe, but whenever I make a lot of "healthy" food, there are complaints in my house (mainly from my brothers who are TINY and naturally muscular) and I really don't like to deal with that.

    I have tried to give my mom and sister healthy eating tips, exercise tips, I encourage them, compliment small changes they make (because I really believe that making the switch from sitting on your *kitten* to walking 20 minutes is something to be proud of) but it always seems like if I'm not actively helping them, they just go back to old habits. :(

    I have told both about MFP, and my sister promises me that she's going to get it when she gets her new phone (her current phone is complete trash) so I am hopeful about that. I started a MFP for my mom at her request, but the only way she will use it is if I log for her, which is obviously not my responsibility.

    Both constantly say that they are tired of being fat, that they want to look good, I just don't know how to make them see that there is no quick fix. That only dedication and hard work will help them....

    /long rant
  • amoffatt
    amoffatt Posts: 674 Member
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    Yes, and even a friend, but this is why I come here for motivation, none with family and friends. Always told lets do this together but no commitment!

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