Husband: biggest obstacle

carrieeniece

Anyone else out there have a partner that grew up on hot dishes, meat, and potatoes - who winces and refuses to try anything new?
That's my guy. I'm working on trying to make meals with our common interest. Tonight I made homemade split pea soup (low sodium, low everything) with a tiny bit of ham, and then ham and potatoes for him.
But my grocery bill will be limited because he whines when I buy "fancy food" (wheatgrass would qualify for fancy) so it requires some creativity to sneak in substitutions that he'll eat. It's okay if he whines, it doesn't stop me from being healthy but when I find foods we both like and are healthy, then it's a win win.
This last week I bought a juicer after watching the movie, "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead". Great documentary, great info. Very inspiring! (and free to watch on Netflix)

aakokopelli7

I am going through the same with my Fiancee. He is not only picky but also has to have a meat, bread and two sides. Honestly he eats like a sumo wrestler. We have come to some terms.... I refuse to make two different meals, so if he doesn't want what I make, then he can make his own dinner. Most nights he just breaks down and eats what I make, but other times he is SOL and stuck with whatever he throws together. I should also mention that any extra food comes out of his wallet. I don't go for the ultra healthy for dinner around my house, I just make my portions small and do my healthy eating for breakfast and lunch when he is at work.
I loved that movie( Fat sick and nearly dead) as well. A couple of friends of mine saw it, and decided to try it. Only thing is that they both got very ill and ended up having to eat solid foods again before they cold complete the diet. I would like to try it, but having to feed 4 other people "food food" would make it so hard on me and my purse.

Dakryn

I told my fiance that I will continue to cook for him, but I WILL cook for myself as well...I have a great better half, he even made my basement into a workout room with an eliptical and treadmill and a few other things. But he has to eat certain things because Crohns Disease runs in his family and his tummy is very sensitive...the last time he ate what I ate, he was in the bathroom all night, poor man...so I cook what I want for myself and I put it in containers in the fridge. It works well....just have to compromise...Good Luck!

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

My husband is very picky. It has taken us awhile but I've pretty much got it figured out how to cook for the two of us. It helps that I don't have any diet restrictions so generally I cook what he likes plus one non-starchy vegetable for me, and then I just eat a smaller portion than him. I do try to make his favorites healthier wherever I can. He eats peas, corn, green beans, carrots, and potatoes as far as veggies-- anything else even resembling a vegetable is out. But I go ahead and make them for myself. I figure every relationship has challenges and if this is the biggest one for us then we're in great shape.

JenniBaby85

Seems that a lot of people are going through that . Actually, my Hubby is my biggest supporter and is always excited to taste the new dishes and recipes that I come up with. He isn't fond of vegetarian recipes, but will still eat them and he likes some.

Try a bunch of spices on your meals that may trick his taste buds?

Bobby__Clerici

Don't expect others to change just because we saw the light.
Roll with it.
My wife put up with my horrible eating for years before I finally saw value in healthy living.
Lead by example as opposed to becoming a health nag.
If I can be converted, any man can.
Hallelujah :drinker:

MemphisKitten

That's one reason singledom is better.

neva4saken

i agree with the compromise, however in the perfect world everyone's spouse would be on board even with the eating habits. That being said it's not always true, and in the beginning what works for you may not work for your spouse. However if you are getting no resistance from him to eat healthy for yourself and he is willing to try something new than thumbs up for that as well. Two years ago when i started my journey my now ex wife was not thrilled at all. Although she was healthy I was not. So when i switched my eating habits and did a 40 day fast, there was foods I could no longer eat and you want to know what she cooked the most..... BINGO everything that I could not eat. So i ended up cooking for myself. Oh how i wish at that time she was on board we would possibly still be married but God knows best, if your hubby supports you and/or at least doesn't discourage you. keep up the good work who knows when your results starts showing you just may win him over....

neverstray

When I was married to my ex for 14 years, I hated Indian food, I hated diet food, I hated veggies, I hated anything she tried to cook that wasn't fried, sautéed, or whatever. And, no matter how hard she tried or what she did, I rejected it. After we got divorced, I started dating women, losing weight, getting healthy, taking them to Indian restaurants, eating light, and being more open minded about food. I don't know why. I'm just saying that sometimes guys set up an expectation and don't want that to change. But, it's not real. If their word blows up, they'll change. Don't know the answer.

EEpling89

I completely understand how you feel. I've found that if I don't tell my husband that something is "healthy", he eats it with no problem and even comments on how good it is. But for times when this doesn't work, I have told him that I will make ONE complete, healthy dinner and if he wants to eat it, great. If not, he can fend for himself. Nine times out of ten, he is too lazy to go out of his way to make something else (lol) and generally likes what I make. I didn't really want it to come to that but I know it's the best thing for both of us.

VASchmidt

I try to cook normal stuff for dinner. Like meatloaf, veggie and starch for example. I just get sneaky and use things like lean ground turkey instead of beef. Low fat, skim, diet or any subsitute. I also just cut my portions so that i'm within a reasonable calorie amount. I eat "my" stuff all day so I like to try to be reasonable at dinner with traditional stuff. Plus, at my house, you eat what is put in front of you or you don't eat. It works for my kids but sometimes my husband, who has an obese BMI, will scarf it down if he doesn't like it and then fill up on something else he can whip up when the kids are in bed. : ( You can cook all the healthy foods you want but in the end, you can't stop them from eating whatever they want.

malilini

I lucked out and he'll try anything, except food masquerading as bacon. This seems to be some sort of a food worship situation, so I gave up trying to feed him smokey tempeh and eggs.
But I find that it's a lot of give and take. I like making naughty Paula-Deen-style food for him because he loves it and doesn't seem to be able to retain weight, and in return he plays along and eats kale. It keeps us both grounded. If I go on a super healthy kick and ignore his likes for a while, he just brings home fast food regularly. Whereas if I acknowledge what he likes and cook for him sometimes, it keeps the extremes at bay. Plus, if he gets a whole cake, there is no law saying I can't have a bite. It's a win win situation.

jenilla1

Seems that a lot of people are going through that . Actually, my Hubby is my biggest supporter and is always excited to taste the new dishes and recipes that I come up with. He isn't fond of vegetarian recipes, but will still eat them and he likes some.

Try a bunch of spices on your meals that may trick his taste buds?

Yay! This is my story too. So lucky my man is really easy going and shares similar interests.

knittnponder

When I met my husband he had never had any vegetable other than canned corn, canned peas and canned green beans. His mom cooks very bland and I don't think he'd ever had fish other than fish sticks. My dad was a very adventurous cook so I grew up trying some really crazy things and lots of very good food loaded with vegetables. Since I'm the one who does all the cooking he kind of had to learn to like new things. He couldn't stand peppers and onions back then but now he loves fajitas with lots of peppers and onions. He still doesn't like mushrooms (it's a texture thing) but I leave them big enough that he can easily pick them out (and give them to me!) I LOVE vegetables so we eat a lot of them. I've got the guy drinking green smoothies and loving a big garden salad. It takes time and I have cooked plenty of food he liked but I also cooked a lot of stuff he didn't even want to try. He did eventually because he got hungry. It takes some time to change your palate but it can be done. I didn't nag him about it but I didn't cook only carb loaded meat dishes either. He'd have been happy eating nothing but steak and potatoes for the last 21 years! I love steak and potatoes too but I also love vegetables.

paradog

Wait...you mean there is something to eat besides meat, potatoes and bread? Do tell!!!

All seriousness, it can be hard to adjust your diet to someone that may not be in the program with you. Wish you luck!

need to google "vegetables"

Gwen_B

My husband is trying to gain weight (not to mention a picky eater) and I am trying to maintain my new size. My daughters are perfectly fine with eating my healthy dishes, but son wants copy his daddy. So I'm the mean mom who makes him eat what I make. So with kid it's worse!

Enoira

OMG -- don't get me started. My new husband would like nothing more than to eat hamburgers and big steaks... *sigh*

BPayton27

My husband loves to eat out. I mean, loves it. If he doesn't eat out both weekend days he throws a fit. He'll practically starve himself if I refuse. It's not fast food, either. It is sit down restaurants with bread, etc. When I started this over a year ago he had a hard time. I've not budged on my needs and it has helped him realize his bad habit. We still eat out, but it's about compromise. Your husband needs to understand how serious you are about getting healthy. If he wants that food, he needs to make it himself.

Car0lynnM

My husband is very much a meat and potatoes man. I try to make healthy versions of foods we both like. I portion control everything so I know what I am eating. I make my favorites when he's gone. Load up on meals he likes (like chili) and freeze individual containers so he can reheat at will. I am hoping some day he'll see the light and get back to working out and eating better.

ashlinmarie

I have a husband like that...he was raised on Southern cooking...meat and potatoes and gravy as a condiment. He would live on fast food when not eating the other stuff and I got roped in a lot. So far my only win is that we only eat out once a month as a date night and I won't calorie count on those nights. Also, I'll let him cook one meal he wants a week and I will eat it, but I will portion and calorie count. He wasn't to happy about that though....

Cindy311

When I first started my weight loss I didn't cook that much differently. I learned to eat smaller portions of the meats but with tons of veggies. Eventually my hubby got on the band wagon which made my cooking so much easier, lol! Luckily, my husband is willing to try anything and will usually eat it without complaint. I think tastes change over the years. There are things I eat today that I couldn't stomach five years ago. As long as you are not trying to pour wheat grass down his throat he'll quit his whining

meggonkgonk

Ahem: Honey, I love you and I know you don't like (________) but these are things I need to feel my best. When I make meals they will be made within (______) constraints most of the time. I'd really like to be able to share the new things I try with you, but if you aren't interested, I understand. But you will have to make your own meals in these cases.

Is letting your man fend for his own food that big a deal? BF and I eat separate dinner all the time. I plan out my food early on in the week and he steals elements (chicken breast, extra pasta) etc. that he wants for his own meals.

frida001

My husband was the same way when we first married. He thought the ethnic (but healthy) food I grew up with looked weird. But being exposed to it has him now loving it. Try taking him to a Mediterranean restaurant to try some kebabs and vegetarian dishes. He may ask you to try and make some at home. I find my grocery bill lower because I'm not preparing processed foods. Now my kids love it!

Sherbog

I would be questioning my relationship. No matter who cooks in our household the other eats it or fixes themselves something or not. If a partner (husband) is not supportive on a health issue what else is he selfish about. HEALTH is important. It is not like your asking him to help you give up pedicures. This sounds harsh but life is to short to spend it with someone that is so unsupportive in such an important issue.

The word sabotage comes to mind. I am assumiing he has no health issues he is addressing?

Shirley in Oregon

goldied01

Ahhhh yes, meat and potatoes. That's my husband of 35 years! I'm afraid I let him get what he wanted and I packed on the pounds thru the years.
But now that he needs to lose the weight,as well, he is more inclined to eat what I like. I can't watch or make him change what he eats at work or alone, but he eats healthier when we are together.

JenCM

I understand this completely. It's not just my hubby, but my in laws as well. Don't get me wrong, I know that 100% of what goes in my mouth, IS my doing at the end of the day. But it is harder because of hubby's eating habits and the fact we don't have a lot of money to begin with. My hubby would eat out every other day if possible. It runs in his family. I can count on both hands the number of times we've sat down and eaten a homemade meal (not counting holidays) in 5 years of marriage. This attitude falls over into our house because no matter what I'm trying to cook, he feels like grabbing a burger etc is "Fast and done" and honestly, I know he craves that food. And big portions are a big thing in the family too. So it all adds to the struggle.
I just do my best, which isn't the greatest at times. However I'm hoping things are looking up because hubby has recently realized how much weight HE has gained and it's upset him and he'd like to start eating better with me.