man meals says he

ladydianab

I am having a hard time getting my husband on board to lose weight. He knows that he needs to lose about 100lbs. but when I talk about getting healthy he says that he doesn't like the food that I eat on my diet. He wants meat and potatos rather than "rabbit food". I try to tell him it is more than just salads when eating healthy. How can I find meals for him and for me that doesn't require a cow or pig for every meal. di

ladydianab

I am having a hard time getting my husband on board to lose weight. He knows that he needs to lose about 100lbs. but when I talk about getting healthy he says that he doesn't like the food that I eat on my diet. He wants meat and potatos rather than "rabbit food". I try to tell him it is more than just salads when eating healthy. How can I find meals for him and for me that doesn't require a cow or pig for every meal. di

Cowboy

I can relate somewhat...If he likes soups/stews you can add more veggies and less meat and use cornstarch instead of flour and fat to thicken them...also anything with beans is a good choice...bean burritos, chili etc. high protein, really filling and "man food"!
My wife started mixing my ground beef half and half with ground turkey until I got used to it...gradually adding more turkey and less beef...a healthier choice. Also, if you use it in spaghetti sauce, or chili or sloppy joes, he probably won't even be able to tell the difference because of all of the spices. Good luck...us guys can be kind of stubborn huh!?
Cowboy

Healthier_Me

Hi Di,

There are tons of yummy recipes in the recipe section.
You should take a look and I'm sure you can come up with something.

sr2000

Fortunately my husband eats whatever I put on his plate. However I do try to add a few things that he enjoys much better than the salad and fish or chicken I usually have.
I started cutting down to a leaner ground beef for burgers and casseroles, then I started using half beef, half ground turkey. I spice up the burgers with chopped onions and seasoning so it's less likely to notice that it's lower in fat.
And I could never take his potatoes away, so we have baked with low fat sour cream and lots of low sodium seasonings, or I cube up the taters and bake them with veggies and a bit of cheese. Just reduce or hold the butter whenever possible. And if mashed taters are a favorite, boil them in low sodium broth then mash them up heathy request cream soup instead of butter and sour cream.
I've also added more veggie options to the table, I try to get us both to start the meal with salad and low fat dressing. Then bring the rest of the food to the table, another veggie, (corn, green or brown beans, carrots, keep mixing it up) meat, (try susbstituting roasted chicken or salmon a couple days a week and still have pork or beef a few times) and potato or bread.
Another hit in our house is healthier chili. I use 3-4 different kinds of beans, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes and lots of spices. It's lower in fat and high in fiber and protein. Sometimes I do add cubed chicken breast or lean ground turkey for the meat craver.
Make small changes day by day and hopefully everyone can be happy with eating healthier. It may take some time though! Good luck and happy healthy eating!

catlover

I think men are like kids in that it's easier to get them to cooperate when they participate in the activity. I took many classes that taught, "Get your children to help you prepare healthy meals and they are more likely to eat them." That being said, does hubby like to grill?? I've learned that a man will grill anything that doesn't move and you can find a lot of good recipes just about anywhere. We like "KABOBS" and we kabob almost everything. I keep those bamboo skewers around and I put chunks of vegetables (cherry tomatoes, green peppers, onions, etc) along with fruit (pineapple, apples, etc) between the meat pieces or make one stick of each.

If he's resisting, try to find out what he IS willing to do and start there. For example, my husband will NOT give up popcorn, but will eat the 94% fat free popcorn. Chips, he'll eat baked. Same with crackers. Today we had brown rice, to which I added a tbsp of bacon bits and a scrambled egg, along with a cup of finely shredded vegetables and he loved the "fried rice." I sliced about 12 ounces of left over pork roast into thin strips and added 4 cups of mixed veggies (onions, red peppers, carrots, snap peas, and broccoli), sprinkled with a little low sodium soy and ginger and it was a perfect dinner for 4.

Personally, I don't like all the food I eat either, I could live on cookies and coffee and be JUST FINE. When I plan meals now I say, "How can I have the meal I want but have a healthier version?" Sometimes I think people get too hung up on having salad, salad, salad, salad, salad and they forget about all the other wonderful veggies in the garden. Something else that works for me is that I'm learning to add spices. I buy them in the bulk section so I can get a couple of tablespoons for a few cents and then try a couple of recipes. If I hate the spice, I can toss it without feeling the pinch from the penny.

steev

sorry ladies but most men are going to eat what they want and unless they want to lose weight, they won't. now if you do all the cooking then I see no problem, he is going to have to eat what you put on his plate.

aphall01

I agree, Rtex.... tell him " You either eat, or don't eat!" haha


You can always just cut back on portion size.

rheston

Unfortunately dieting is like exercising it has to come as motivation from within and not from outside. The really bad thing about having to lose weight is that the mind often sets up a massive barrier to any outside influences until there's a significant emotional event that takes place that either wakes the person up to the immediate need and it either motivates them to get healthy or kills them.

I've struggled with this all of my life so I know how tough it is to get into a routine and move forward with it.

Right now just do your thing and maybe over time he'll see your success and will follow suit while taking credit for thinking of it himself instead of giving you credit for helping him see the way.

Good luck we men can be so obstinate at times:blushing: :blushing:

eyescatchfire

Does he like shepard's pie? I use a lean ground beef, but I add some "filler" to it--like 2 shredded zucchini--any my husband honestly doesn't notice that it's not all beef. For the mashed potatoes, I add milk and crushed garlic cloves. Because it's a casserole, I don't miss the butter. And instead of corn, try green and yellow beans or peas.

Of course, my husband is a stick! But I'm much happier when he eats healthy.

Good luck!

dulceluva

You can still have meat and potatoes. Chose lean meats (usually more expensive) and try and enjoy it in its purest form so maybe put a rub on it instead of sauces. You can have sweet potatoes instead of a lot of regular potatoes. Everything in moderation. Maybe if you have him his meat and potatoes (less serving) with some 'rabbit food' he will be happy.

It is hard for men to adjust....they want their food and why should we all sacrifice. Moderation is always the key.