How do you deal with being the only one dieting?

time4changexx

I find it really hard when I cook because I'm on the diet, not my family or husband. I'm fine when hubby's working and I make dinner for myself. When I have to cook for both of us it's different. Am i the only one? How do you deal? Make seperate meals? Just eat less? And it's not that my husband does support me because he does but why should he cut back and restrict what he eats. Help!

slenderbecky

I don't feed my family any differently when I'm trying to lose weight. I always prioritize healthy eating, and I think as the cook in the family it is an act of love to feed them lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, etc. The difference is, I'll measure out my portions and track it.

savageman69

i dont diet

emilybeatrice1

My mom puts junk in the house. Its so hard to resist

Ely82010

I don't feed my family any differently when I'm trying to lose weight. I always prioritize healthy eating, and I think as the cook in the family it is an act of love to feed them lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, etc. The difference is, I'll measure out my portions and track it.

I agree, and since mu husband doesn't cook he has to eat what ever I put on the table. My cooking is also an act of love, but I am also the "boss.":devil:

I don't have any kids at home, so things are much easy for me.

musenchild

I make a big portion and measure it all (to find the "serving size" to log). Then I eat my serving and SO eats however much he wants. He gets good, healthy food, but more of it, because he needs more calories.

Occasionally I'll make a "pasta" dish where I sub in spaghetti squash or brown rice for myself because I don't want to spent the calories for pasta. Then I'll just boil up some pasta for him.

aStrongerSteph

This is my exact struggle right now! On top of that, my exercise and weightloss seems to bother my husband??? I thought he'd be happy

j1wright

My family eats what I eat, I just eat smaller portions...buy less fat meats, skip the cheese, creams and such. I usually always fix a big salad with the meal and my husband and children have their own dressings and I have my own low fat low cal dressing. I do buy my own snacks and their own snacks. I buy myself yogurt, light popcorn, and fruits, and I buy them ice cream (they usually end up eating my snacks anyway because they are just as good).

Example of a meal. If I fix tacos, I get turkey meat and I make one soft taco with a tablespoon of cheese and a lot of salsa. They use gobs of cheese and sour cream, I would just skip the sour cream all together. For a side I will fix Mexican rice where they would eat a half cup to a cup, I don't fix more than 1/4 cup for myself and I make a huge a salad. Plenty of food for me, plus I get to have a snack later on.

kingscrown

Basically I put everyone on a healthy diet without them knowing. I measure out my portion before everyone else and they can eat as much as they want. They can also add whatever they want to their day. I make meals they'll like and are good for me too.

TriThreat

My family is big on "snack food" ... so my parents will bring home bags of chips and donutes and cookies, and it's very hard at times to say NO!!

But, I've discovered that as long as I'm moderate with my eating, I can eat what I want

Other times, if I get a big craving for something sweet or "junk food", I go work out instead Lol

shawn0715

When I read the topic of your post I wanted to scream!!! This is how I have been feeling since I have started my weight loss journey. I am the only one in my family with the "will power" I guess to make the right decisions when it comes to eating healthy. I am so tired of seeing all those cakes and pies being eaten by everyone else including my kids. It just gives me more motivation to stay focused on my goal and make the right decisions when it comes to the food I eat. I would advise you to keep up the good work and don't get distracted even though I know it's hard sometimes.....

sheribrasington

I know the feeling all to well and it is hard. My husband fixes brownies, fresh baked cookies and cakes, he buys pizza for himself and the kids on Friday and I have to stick to my diet. I start with breakfast. I make it quite easy for me to start my day. I take 8 eggs and sautee a little bit of ham cubes chesse and mix it all together and spray a muffin pan that cooks 12 muffins, I fill half way and bake 350 for about 15 to 20 minute, I take out 2 or 3 at a time and pop them in the microwave for one minute and my breakfast is done. you can also fix bacon, egg and cheese, or you can do sausage also add bell peppers onions mushrooms and make western omelet muffins. Foe lunch and dinner, every week I shop I buy a bag of frozen chicken tenders or boneless chicken sometimes even steak and cook it all at one time I cut them in small pieces in a container and also buy bell peppers and cut them and keep them in a gallon ziplock bag, I keep a bag of onions and mushrooms, garlic or minced garlic, my life is so easy when it comes to my lunch and dinner. I put olive oil in a pan add garlic and while it is getting a little hot I add my bell peppers onions and put the meat on top, cut it down to medium heat and let it cook, it takes about 10 minute stirring maybe one or two times. I serve over brown rice sometimes but not all the time just a half of cup is enough with the veggies and meat, you can do the same thing and use whole grain wraps to change it up a little.I also keep broccolli salad and chicken salad made even fresh veggies like cukes etc to grab when I need a snack. If I have something for dinner for my family that U can eat I eat what I can and add some of my food with it. It can be done. I eat so much cheaper now than I ever have. Wow! You have a lot of reading to do.

Sarah0866

Healthy food can be delicious too...you'd be doing everyone in your family a favor by serving clean meals. Try a new healthy recipe and see how they react You might have to wean them into it, maybe by offering a healthy side dish and swapping out processed or not-so-great ingredients for other healthier ones incrementally.

NCISFanatic01

I find it really hard when I cook because I'm on the diet, not my family or husband. I'm fine when hubby's working and I make dinner for myself. When I have to cook for both of us it's different. Am i the only one? How do you deal? Make seperate meals? Just eat less? And it's not that my husband does support me because he does but why should he cut back and restrict what he eats. Help!

I eat what the other do for dinner. I set my breakfast lunch and snacks geared towards me because I"m the only one at home during the day. At dinner I just measure my portions so that I'm keeping inside my counts.

wordena

I think one of the best gifts my mom gave me as a kid was the healthy food habits she transfered to me when she was on a diet. Healthy food will not harm your family, and as others have said it is an act of love.

AlabasterVerve

Fat is healthy. Cut the empty carbs and add delicious natural fats to your meat and vegetables and no one is going to complain, they're not even going to realize it's "diet food". I'm serious -- best thing I've ever done was start eating delicious real food that just so happens is also nutritious.

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

BelindaDuvessa

Nope, we all eat the same. I make a menu at have him look it over at the beginning of the pay period. If he doesn't like it, but I want to eat it, I make sure there's something he will eat in the house. My issue is getting him to add veggies to meals that he cooks when I'm working. He's definitely a protein kind of guy, but I want our meals to have a representation of all of the food groups. But that's our only big challenge. We still do "junk" food on occasion, but our main meals I try to make as healthy as possible.

mehani48

I do all the shopping and all the cooking, so I serve whatever I feel like having that day. I used to joke that I wanted my own cooking show titled "Shut up and Eat",

But seriously, it's just me, hubby, and our 18 year old daughter at home now, as the boys have their own apartments. Hubby is just as into clean eating as I am because he's got some heart issues and our daughter is trying to eat healthier as well. I buy little treats (ice cream and cookies and such) for them so they're not totally deprived.

lauren3101

There's no reason why low calorie and healthy dinners can't be tasty too. Neither of us feel deprived and we both eat the same. I just serve him slightly more sometimes as being male, he needs more calories.

geebusuk

I don't generally have the problem of cooking for others.
However, despite generally managing to be 1000 calories under, I still mostly eat more than others in the house - probably both food and calorie values - as I generally get at least 1000 calories or so 'burn' in a day.

pkw58

I pretty much just add more fruit, carbs to my husbands plate for dinner, and have more snacks available for him. It's just the two of us. He likes his dinner centered around the protein, so that makes it real easy.

Eating out - pretty simple for me. I take clients to lunch and I can find something on every menu in Downtown Houston. (well, except the dumpling house). Everyone it seems is trying to get or stay healthy these days. Clients who have noticed the weight loss generally ask how I did it as they have a few pounds to lose.

Family gatherings for birthdays and holidays are tough. I really enjoy a few bites of dessert but not a whole serving anymore. I am introducing new concepts like walks after we eat and we are all playing more games like scrabble.

Michellereducf

I just eat a smaller portion.

cramernh

I find it really hard when I cook because I'm on the diet, not my family or husband. I'm fine when hubby's working and I make dinner for myself. When I have to cook for both of us it's different. Am i the only one? How do you deal? Make seperate meals? Just eat less? And it's not that my husband does support me because he does but why should he cut back and restrict what he eats. Help!

This is not a diet -you definitely need to change your mindset about that.

My husband is 100% fully supportive but I wont ever let him go without anything that he likes, despite the fact he doesnt want me to go the extra mile for him. He keeps forgetting how much I love to cook (Spent many years working as a chef and miss that), so its definitely never an issue to make his favorites.

Ill use tonight's dinner as an example: Czechoslovakian meatballs. Its a paprika-styled sauce with sauerkraut, thinly sliced onions, white mushrooms in this bold and beautiful red creamy sauce using sour cream. Traditionally its served over buttered egg noodles with a crusty roll for sopping up the sauce and a side dish of freshly steamed green beans.

Ill make the traditional buttered egg noodles for him w/the roll.... For me, I take out my spiral slicer and make faux noodles out of zucchini and saute them in butter, garlic, fresh herbs and use that as the 'bed'.

He gets what he likes, I get what I like. I always make enough for four servings total (our dinner and a leftover meal for the next day)...

My husband though very much enjoys the dishes I create and even enjoys the meals where its just protein and vegetables....

Its never an 'issue' that I just 'deal' with it... but the mentality behind it can definitely put a damper on efforts or encourage it.

JasonDetwiler

My wife complains about my diet when she's trying to cook for me because she always wants to make potatoes and stuff outside of my carb windows. Then she complains when I'm eating ice cream at 10PM and telling me what a hypocrite I am because I wouldn't eat a "healthy" potato earlier, but I'll eat "unhealthy" ice cream. My response is always, "Honey, I'm down 28 lbs in four months and I'm stronger than I've ever been. I'm going to go count my abs now while you add up my PL total." She usually makes a face, but it typically reminds her that I study this stuff all the time, there's a plan, and it's working, so she can live with it and be happy that I'm stronger and healthier.

RunHardBeStrong

I don't feed my family any differently when I'm trying to lose weight. I always prioritize healthy eating, and I think as the cook in the family it is an act of love to feed them lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, etc. The difference is, I'll measure out my portions and track it.

This. If they don't like what I'm making (which 90% of the time is healthy) then they don't eat....they always eat, btw.

magj0y

My youngest is 5'10 and 110lbs... so she has to eat like a pig just to keep up.

They're supportive, though. I make mostly healthy stuff and give myself smaller portions or just skip the dish. Why the like mac 'n cheese is beyond me!

kenazfehu

My DH eats the same things I'm eating but bigger portions. It's kind of hard when we're watching Netflix, and he gets a bowl of chips or trail mix. Sometimes I have to leave the room to keep my hand out of it. Sigh ......... and sometimes I let myself indulge. Bummer!

ltlemermaid

I don't cook seperate meals often--I do all the cooking so it makes it easier for me to keep track of what goes into the meals, and I try to keep them healthy and/or healthy portions, DH is a picky eater so sometimes if I want extra veggies in my meal I cook them seperate, others I just mix in and he eats them. He is not a fish eater so on days that I want fish I cook a second meat for him but the base of the meal stays the same.

As far as snacking I try to limit the junk foods in the house, it also helps that DH doesn't have a huge sweet tooth mainly snacking on apples and tortilla chips (I don't like the kind he loves so that makes it easy to stay away) and salsa.

ShannonMpls

I'm not on a diet. 135 pounds lost, and this is how I eat now. I track calories (for now), but I'm not and have never been on a "diet" - which signifies an end point, which suggests that weight loss is the only goal here (it absolutely is not, for me).

We all eat the same meals in my house. It would be odd for me to eat healthy foods but cook unhealthy meals for my family. I'm a good cook; no one complains We still have pasta, shepherd's pie, pulled pork, curries, burgers, etc.

My husband might eat more than me; he might drink more beer or have more snacks, have a bun with his burger when I wrap mine in romaine, or put syrup on his pancakes. He doesn't track his calories, and I do. That's probably the only major difference between us.

When I started MFP, my husband - by proxy - lost 30 pounds without trying. He's effortlessly maintained that loss and is at the weight he wants to be. My healthy choices affect my family in a good way. We're in this together.

tashaa1992

I don't diet, I don't see the point as it's just short term. You want something you can continue to do for life.

SheilaG1963

I am trying to follow The SImple Diet, which consists of frozen entrees, fruit and veggies and weight loss shakes.

My 17 year old can eat the house and not gain weight. My husband eats anything that doesn't eat him first and is obese.

I do my own thing. If they don't like it, then I can't help it. I am on this journey for me and no one else!