How do you deal with being the only one dieting?

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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!
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  • slenderbecky
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    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
    savageman69 Posts: 339 Member
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    i dont diet
  • emilybeatrice1
    emilybeatrice1 Posts: 163 Member
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    My mom puts junk in the house. Its so hard to resist
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
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    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
    musenchild Posts: 182 Member
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    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
    aStrongerSteph Posts: 161 Member
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    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
    j1wright Posts: 286 Member
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    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
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
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    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
    TriThreat Posts: 313
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    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 :smile:

    Other times, if I get a big craving for something sweet or "junk food", I go work out instead Lol
  • shawn0715
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    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
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    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
    Sarah0866 Posts: 291 Member
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    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
    NCISFanatic01 Posts: 53 Member
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    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
    wordena Posts: 177 Member
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    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
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    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
    BelindaDuvessa Posts: 1,014 Member
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    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
    mehani48 Posts: 33 Member
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    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
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    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
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    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
    pkw58 Posts: 2,039 Member
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    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.