Need Support

I pre-cook my breakfast and lunches for the week on Sunday so I know how many calories I will have each day. That way I can eat whatever my boyfriend wants for dinner. I also workout during my lunch hour. It's working so far and I have not had to disrupt our (his) lifestyle one bit.

The best words of support I can give you are "it's a lifestyle change, not a diet." Don't make changes you don't think you can sustain and be patient. Trust me. I'm on that last five pounds and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. That's okay. I'm not just doing this for a number on the scale. It's about being a healthier, happier me! :flowerforyou:

ETA: You can add me if you like, but I'm not much of a cheerleader. I'm more of a "suck it up, buttercup" type of friend.

Even before the salad, try drinking a large glass of water before dinner - will help you feel even fuller. Also you can try putting 'healthy' things in your same old food, to make them a little lighter on the calories. like putting peas in mac n cheese. adds fiber, makes it more filling, and holy god would you have to eat a lot of peas to gain weight. after a few weeks of eating less food, you'll get more used to it, too, and won't crave as much food - so you'll be supported by yourself a bit more!

The most important thing is that you're doing this because *you* want to, not because it's what you *should* do. I decided I had to either commit to being heavy, or change my lifestyle in small ways. Start with two or three things that don't feel hard, like eating more fruit and veggies and switching out your regular bread for whole grain. Then add in something else, like getting the soda out of the house. My boyfriend wasn't all that supportive at first, but I just kept talking to him about what I wanted to do, and why. The why of it was the important part, that I wanted all of us to eat a generally healthier diet. He doesn't have to count calories, but I'm going to make new stuff, and I'm not keeping dessert or soda in the house. If he wants it, he can drive to the store and get a candy bar, that's fine, and when we go out, he can order whatever he wants. I do almost all the cooking, so if he wants me to cook dinner, he's going to eat what I'm cooking. Most of the time that's great, he's excited to try the new stuff. Sometimes there's a misfire that I love and he doesn't (my curried veggies with hummus and pita was not a hit with him or my daughter. I'm still going to make it again, but it's not becoming a standard). He's actually gone from an essentially meat and potatoes guy, to someone who can appreciate the beauty in a well-composed vegetable dish. Get excited about cooking different foods, don't look at this as taking something away, look at it as incorporating new and delicious foods into your diet (trust me, veggies cooked in olive oil and herbs can be amazingly yummy). Good luck, don't get discouraged, and try to get your family on board.

There are a lot of recipes online for making healthier versions of your favorite foods. He probably wouldn't even notice, or might even like it better! That way you can still eat the foods you guys are used to and love, but with more health benefits