logging for your spouse

butterflyliz32

My husband has his own account and logs his foods. He has lost 23 lbs since the beginning of the year (way more than I have!). I am so proud of him!

That said, my exhusband used to want me to log and basically be responsible for his food and stuff, and I refused. He used to complain that if I cooked everything for him (I had a full time job and he didn't work), then he would lose weight. I pointed out that I WAS cooking healthy dinners, but if he wasn't satisfied with an actual portion size, he would just run out to Jack in the Box and order 6 tacos and 2 burgers. I wasn't going to allow him to try to pin the responsibilty on me, when he is a grown man who should be taking care of his own health.

IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym

no way in the world. For one, he would be pissed/hurt that I would go behind his back and do something of that nature, then be that much more hurt that I thought he needed to and rather than talk to him about it up front, I was monitoring everything he ate, logging it, then presenting it to him when he says "I'm not sure why I can't lose any weight..." in what seems can only be a "THIS is why you don't lose any weight" fashion out of left field.

Plus, how in the WORLD would I know what he eats or doesn't eat when we're both at work? He claims he never eats, but I know him and know that is a little white lie...

DivaDiane

I did for a while and made him tell me everything he ate so I could log it. He finally saw the light and began making better food choices and cutting out all the extra helpings (and cutting down on wine, too). He is now mindfully eating, for the most part. Since I do all the cooking and cook everything from scratch, his diet is pretty good. He is exercising and getting on the scale every week. I don't log for him anymore, but I do record his weight about once a week. So far, so good.

issyfit

Thanks for all of you opinions. I do know everything he eats because we both work out of the house and I fix all of his food. I was thinking a little "tough love" but probably not a good idea.

JoolieW68

Thanks for all of you opinions. I do know everything he eats because we both work out of the house and I fix all of his food. I was thinking a little "tough love" but probably not a good idea.

Wait....you fix all of his food? Why not just fix him healthier food to eat?

issyfit

Thanks for all of you opinions. I do know everything he eats because we both work out of the house and I fix all of his food. I was thinking a little "tough love" but probably not a good idea.

Wait....you fix all of his food? Why not just fix him healthier food to eat?

Because he insists on having his chips, pastries, cookies, and M&M's, to name a few. I wanted to show him how it all adds up.

cramernh

Thanks for all of you opinions. I do know everything he eats because we both work out of the house and I fix all of his food. I was thinking a little "tough love" but probably not a good idea.

Wait....you fix all of his food? Why not just fix him healthier food to eat?

Because he insists on having his chips, pastries, cookies, and M&M's, to name a few. I wanted to show him how it all adds up.

ugh!

soccerella

I haven't but have been tempted. He is not overweight but doesn't eat properly. LOL

yea....i dont think id actually do it though.....For one thing I don't know what he eats all day, but I know for a fact it isnt healthy! But he weighs less than i do, and has no health problems so he doesn't seem to think there is something wrong. I am concerned about his long term health and it would be interesting to have something to show him just how badly he is eating and all, but like others said, until he come to this realization himself that what hes doing is unhealthy then its no good telling him

Switching the tables, if he did that to me, I would immediately get super emotional and hurt assuming he thinks im fat/unattractive/ etc.

mmstgr

ewwweee
that would just turn into one of the biggest fights of the century!

how would you feel if someone did that to you?

runnercheryl

Not a chance. Never.

AmberJslimsAWAY

wow....

breyn2004

I do most of my husband's logging, but he knows about it.... I'm proud to report he's down 35 pounds. BUT before he joined MFP, rather than do something without him knowing, I calculated his "normal" lunch at our local steakhouse and it equaled about 3000 calories (I'm talking JUST LUNCH!) and then I wrote a meal plan for a 3000 calorie DAY so he could see how much and how often he should be eating to get those cals..... it still took a while to get him on board, but that comparison definitely presented a "wow factor".

fatboypup

you cant help those that dont want to help themselves

JustJennie1

I am logging for my husband too, its easier when you are both doing it. we are both loosing he does know about it !

Same here. In fact I had been logging since December and he was the one that told me to set up an account for him a few months ago. He was shocked at how small a real portion actually is when he started but now he's totally into it and is really good at telling me how much he's had to eat. He's lost about 10lbs since the middle of February. It makes it easier when you have a partner.

It's funny too because he now knows what I go through when I weigh myself and the weight fluctuates up and down 2-3lbs per day.

Kickinkim418

No way would I log for my spouse...if he really wants to be healthier, then HE can get his own account on here and manage it!

TexanThom

I'm so hooked, I log for two of my neighbors. JK

MissesForrester

I want my husband to start logging, but i wouldn't do it behind his back. He will have to do it when he's ready.

DataBased

My husband knew I was setting up his account, and he knew I was logging for him. He also knew he was starting to lose weight. But eventually I asked him to take over logging for himself because I just didn't feel like he was understanding the idea of "eat your calories please" as well by my doing the work for him. I think he's starting to understand much better now why I was always asking him to eat more at lunch, or please put more protein in your breakfast, etc. He didn't have the daily involvement, so how *could* he see it?

Now, I do log dinners because I know exactly what fresh ingredients I use, and in what quantities. But as we go along, I put those recipes in his diary, too, so he can log night meals on his own as well. And he's doing SO great - I'm very proud of him.

JoolieW68

Because he insists on having his chips, pastries, cookies, and M&M's, to name a few. I wanted to show him how it all adds up.

I think you just found the problem, then. This may sound harsh, but that's called being an enabler. If you don't want him eating that stuff, stop buying it, stop packing it for him. He may do it himself, he may not. But then YOU aren't the one providing to him.

I don't think that eating unhealthy is at all like drinking too much or doing drugs, but to make an analogy, if you thought someone drank to much, would you continue to hand them drinks? You don't have to be part of the solution, but you don't have to be part of the problem, either.

jenmcdav

i've talked to my husband about mfp. he's intrigued, because it's helped me, but he isn't interested enough to do it himself. i think he would like me to log his food, which i would be willing to do. But, i don't think he will tell me his weight for the initial set up! i think i would have to get him to fill out that stuff on his own and then he might let me do the logging. we have to find a way to get past the initial logistics involved without me knowing his weight.

to answer your question, i wouldn't do the secret logging. he would freak out. probably rightfully so. maybe if there is something exceptionally bad that he eats, you could tell him some of the nutrition info on that one item. like, "hey, did you realize that that small shake from mcdonald's has 500 calories?-- it's like eating two grilled chicken sandwiches from McD!" i just told my mom this very thing and she was shocked at how much worse the shake was than she thought.