I'm sabotaging my overweight husband

2

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I think the most effective solution is to bake/cook what you NEED.

    Leftovers are great for a quick meal when you're in a hurry, but it isn't worth cooking that much if the portion becomes 'seconds'.

    I try and do that, but sometimes it's not possible (like brownies, really, I don't have a 2x2 pan, lol, and mostly dividing 2 eggs by 16 is a little difficult).
  • allbarrett
    allbarrett Posts: 159 Member
    I love baking and we both love eating. That said, when I make something as a treat, we each have a serving the day I make it, then I slice up the rest into individual servings and stick them downstairs in the freezer. Thereafter, whenever one of us wants a treat, he or she can go downstairs, get it out of the freezer and thaw it (or not!) to have. This really seems to work for us, I don't make HUGE batches of anything, and everything I do make (a tray of squares, a batch of cookies, whatever), I enter as a recipe into MFP and he enters into his app (LoseIt) so that we can both be realistic.

    I've found a few recipes that are lower calorie (my gingersnaps are only 55 calories each) and some that are just worth it even though they are high calorie (pie, pie, PIE!). When I make pies, I make several 5" pies rather than 1 large one...we can split a small pie between us for dessert (at around 250 cal per piece) and that way we don't thaw a large pie and then "well, we HAVE to eat it now". It isn't a perfect system, obviously, and does rely on being either too lazy to go downstairs to raid the freezer OR forgetting something sweet is available, but it works for us. The individual servings are key.
  • whovian67
    whovian67 Posts: 608 Member
    had Rocky Road Brownies Yesterday. I cut each brownie into quarters and left them at work. I had 1 bite, each 1/4 piece was 90 calories! So i got my taste and my co-workers and boss loved them. I also left some for the kids in the fridge, they put the brownie pieces in chocolate ice cream.

    So essentially, have your "taste" and then outta sight, outta mind. Give him a little double serving and freeze the rest.
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    After you guys each have brownies for a night, bring it to work and share them with the coworkers. Or if you want to save your coworkers too, take them to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

    This is a great idea :flowerforyou:
  • jenmom2myboys
    jenmom2myboys Posts: 311 Member
    You can go to a convenience store and get an individual sized brownie for yourself.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    My husband and I both tend to snack and eat seconds. So we don't keep junk in the house, and try to cook only what we are going to eat. It takes more work (and honestly it means that I'd rather go buy a brownie and eat half of it than cook a whole pan) but its helped us a LOT not to have the food in the house.
  • threefancy
    threefancy Posts: 93 Member
    I think the most effective solution is to bake/cook what you NEED.

    Leftovers are great for a quick meal when you're in a hurry, but it isn't worth cooking that much if the portion becomes 'seconds'.

    I try and do that, but sometimes it's not possible (like brownies, really, I don't have a 2x2 pan, lol, and mostly dividing 2 eggs by 16 is a little difficult).

    You could Google or search Pinterest for brownies/cake/cookies in a mug. It's a single serving option.
  • 424a57
    424a57 Posts: 140 Member
    Has your success not inspired him at all?

    I know it is hard to believe, but there are people out there for whom "losing weight != success".
  • Kimdbro
    Kimdbro Posts: 922 Member
    After you guys each have brownies for a night, bring it to work and share them with the coworkers. Or if you want to save your coworkers too, take them to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

    ^^This... or freeze for another day. Or make half batches.... there are a lot of options.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    After you guys each have brownies for a night, bring it to work and share them with the coworkers. Or if you want to save your coworkers too, take them to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

    This is what I do. I make a whole batch, eat what I want, put some aside for my husband if he wants some, and pack the rest to take to work.

    You guys are the reason for all the "OMG free food at work what do I do!?" threads
  • KristinD1977
    KristinD1977 Posts: 100 Member
    Bake your goodies on a Thursday evening & bring whatever is left in the morning to work.

    Cook smaller meals with the intention of no leftovers.

    Both of these options should allow you to indulge but not be left with the temptation to overeat :smile:
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
    You can lead a horse to water...

    You aren't making the choices for him. Part of being an adult is being responsible for your own actions.

    I agree that it is important to be supportive as a spouse, but, walking on eggshells, or depriving yourself of baking/eating what works for you because it might upset your other half does not make a healthy relationship.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    After you guys each have brownies for a night, bring it to work and share them with the coworkers. Or if you want to save your coworkers too, take them to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

    This is what I do. I make a whole batch, eat what I want, put some aside for my husband if he wants some, and pack the rest to take to work.

    You guys are the reason for all the "OMG free food at work what do I do!?" threads

    It's the MFP butterfly effect
  • ValeriePlz
    ValeriePlz Posts: 517 Member
    An individual sized snack solution for you - mug cakes!! Here's a good recipe list:

    http://www.thekitchn.com/13-easy-mug-cakes-that-are-all-grown-up-195159

    I have made the s'more cake and the strawberry cake, and both were very good.
  • gmove
    gmove Posts: 81 Member
    I think the most effective solution is to bake/cook what you NEED.

    Leftovers are great for a quick meal when you're in a hurry, but it isn't worth cooking that much if the portion becomes 'seconds'.

    I try and do that, but sometimes it's not possible (like brownies, really, I don't have a 2x2 pan, lol, and mostly dividing 2 eggs by 16 is a little difficult).

    You could use a liquid egg product or take the time to configure the conversion and make an omlette the next morning with the remaining eggs.

    http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/wilton-12-cavity-square-brownie-bar-pan?ID=683413&pla_country=US&cm_mmc=Google_PLA_Home_Cookware-_-Cookware+-+Bakeware+-+PLA-_-33522620704_adc_pg_305_11118_527ab442e4b0edb504b5400c_33522620704_c-_-_mkwid_70896404541USA|dc_33522620704|-|70896404541USA

    I realize it is time consuming, but there is a way.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Nothing you do is going to do anything. If he wants a brownie or apple pie and finds that there's none in the house he's going to go and by some. If you freeze the brownies he'll just unthaw however many at a time (that's what I do anyway)

    You can't make him do things. Getting sneaky is just going to tick him off when he figures it out because it'll seem like you're trying to force change/mother him.

    Don't do it.
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  • Predat0r1502
    Predat0r1502 Posts: 45 Member
    He was fat when you married him.

    He's still being a fat guy.

    What's the problem?
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    sabotage is baking 3 dozen of your boyfriend's favorite kind of cookie and sending them to him. all of them.

    that's how I roll.

    :devil:

    Lol! I love your profile pic!
  • Natmarie73
    Natmarie73 Posts: 287 Member
    I think the answer to the questions you're asking lie within your original post itself:
    I worry for his health, he's quite a bit older than me, but I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.

    Ultimately, it's up to him to decide how many brownies to have, or whether he's going to have seconds or thirds. In the end, I definitely don't think you're sabotaging him---rather, it's his responsibility to eat well/in moderation (and it sounds like you'd be an excellent role model in any case!). Have you tried to (gently) voice your concerns over his health? Has your success not inspired him at all?

    Yes it is hubby's responsibility but we all know how hard it can be to say no to treats especially if you're not trying to lose weight. OP might be making it easier for him to keep eating bad foods and stay fat. I really don't think that hubby would go all the way to the store for a brownie on a whim, but if they are right there then of course he's going to eat one or two or five. My partner is overweight as well but I love baking and making sweet treats etc. I will only bring a very small amount to his house for him and his son and the rest gets frozen or I'll bring it to his parents house or to work. And I've pretty much stopped baking for the fun of it and only do it on special occasions now.

    I can't stop him eating two or three helpings of lamb chops for dinner or buying boxes of ice creams "for Luke" (his son) but I can do my bit by not bringing cakes or trays of brownies to him.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.





    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.







    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.







    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.
  • TaintedVampyre
    TaintedVampyre Posts: 1,428 Member
    After you guys each have brownies for a night, bring it to work and share them with the coworkers. Or if you want to save your coworkers too, take them to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

    +++1
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I think the answer to the questions you're asking lie within your original post itself:
    I worry for his health, he's quite a bit older than me, but I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.

    Ultimately, it's up to him to decide how many brownies to have, or whether he's going to have seconds or thirds. In the end, I definitely don't think you're sabotaging him---rather, it's his responsibility to eat well/in moderation (and it sounds like you'd be an excellent role model in any case!). Have you tried to (gently) voice your concerns over his health? Has your success not inspired him at all?

    Yes it is hubby's responsibility but we all know how hard it can be to say no to treats especially if you're not trying to lose weight. OP might be making it easier for him to keep eating bad foods and stay fat. I really don't think that hubby would go all the way to the store for a brownie on a whim, but if they are right there then of course he's going to eat one or two or five. My partner is overweight as well but I love baking and making sweet treats etc. I will only bring a very small amount to his house for him and his son and the rest gets frozen or I'll bring it to his parents house or to work. And I've pretty much stopped baking for the fun of it and only do it on special occasions now.

    I can't stop him eating two or three helpings of lamb chops for dinner or buying boxes of ice creams "for Luke" (his son) but I can do my bit by not bringing cakes or trays of brownies to him.

    I go to the store for brownies and cookies on a whim fairly often, actually, so I don't see why her husband wouldn't.


    I'm really not down with the idea of giving up something you do for fun (Cooking/baking) to stop someone who doesn't want to lose weight from eating. ...It just sounds screwed up on at least two different levels.

    Maybe more than two.
  • jillyber
    jillyber Posts: 19 Member
    ^^This
  • jillyber
    jillyber Posts: 19 Member
    We all make our own choices in life and he's not going to change unless he wants to. That being said, both my husband and I have problems with self-control when it comes to the foods we love so we both work together to keep those out of the house in large quantities. If I want something sweet, i go out and buy a single serving just for myself. If he wants pizza, he grabs some at a single slice place at lunch. We both make adjustments for each other (I hide my chocolate, he doesn't suggest ordering pizza because I'll always say yes) to be encouraging.

    And as a baker, instead of leaving food in the house, I always bring it to work. Even if that means I have to bake a dozen brownies twice in one week just to get two brownies that week and bring the rest to work. At least my coworkers will always love me and I'm not leaving tempting foods around the house that both of us will over-indulge in.

    ^^This
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
    I know this kinda sounds ****ish, but the only real solution is, if you really don't want him to have them don't bake them. If your complaining about his lack of will power, then lead by example and use yours to not bake a dozen brownies.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    After you guys each have brownies for a night, bring it to work and share them with the coworkers. Or if you want to save your coworkers too, take them to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

    +++1

    Then people at work will complain that you're sabotaging them. I had to stop bringing baked goods to work-- I would get equal parts complaints about ruining everyone's diet and excitement that there were brownies/cinnamon rolls/muffins.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    FrancI I'm in the same boat with my [morbidly] obese husband and I just have to repeat the quote below. Over and over. The best I can do is make healthy meals in realistic portions (halve a recipe to make it 4 servings so that there isn't a third helping to be had) and in my case, pray.
    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.





    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.







    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.







    I know there's nothing I can do about it until he decides to change.
  • carinthea
    carinthea Posts: 97 Member

    I try and do that, but sometimes it's not possible (like brownies, really, I don't have a 2x2 pan, lol, and mostly dividing 2 eggs by 16 is a little difficult).

    I live alone and often when I had a craving for something sweet would make an entire tray of brownies and eat over half of them myself (then take the rest into work, pretending I hadn't made double). Now I use a muffin tray. I half the recipe, make the brownies as individual servings in the muffin tins and then freeze them. It means that I have a) made half already so reduced the temptation and b) the portion sizes are totally controlled. Maybe this is a way to go?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Count me in as one of the people that doesn't understand why the OP doesn't just make smaller portions.

    When I make cookies, I'm going to eat all the cookies so I make a small amount. When I buy cookies, I'm going to eat all the cookies, so I buy a smaller package. Repeat with ice cream. Repeat with lasagna. Repeat with pancakes, repeat repeat repeat

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