Husband & Wife lose weight while kids eat normal - HOW?

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  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
    I manage my weight, my wife doesn't (and is breastfeeding). Two toddlers at home, the oldest (3) eats a small portion of our "main". My wife is vegetarian, I supplement with some lean protein premade (e.g. chicken breast or lean ham, etc.). I get a large portion of salad that's always in the fridge and/or vegetable soup.

    Bread is also available for supplementing carbs. Essentially, we make a "base" meal for everyone, it gets mushed for the baby. It then gets partially seasoned and a portion served for the 3 y.o. My wife takes whatever she wants and adds cheese. I take my portion and add meat. We can add bread, sauces, etc. at the table.

    It just requires some planning and getting used to it.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    It's not that I want to make separate meals, it just seemed it was leaning that way, or so I thought. This is our first earnest effort into changing what and how we eat. We're trying to cut out the bad, build up the good, and set an example for our kids. I was afraid I was going to have to do a lot of low-cal, low-carb, other restrictions for us and try to do something different for the kids. But as I am seeing from all the other posts, that's not the case. I really appreciate the advice. I'm not feeling quite as overwhelmed as before.

    Even if you do have some kind of special dietary consideration, it rarely has to go the point of making separate meals.

    Let's say, for example, that you've decided to go low carb, but your husband and kids need more carbs. No problem! Simply make the base meal something you all can enjoy (ie - steak and grilled asparagus), then add an extra, more carby/starchy side (corn, rice, potatoes, bread, etc) for the others. (That works pretty well for calorie allotments, too. Others need more? Make an extra side dish for them if the main items aren't calorie-dense enough.)
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    IMO, everyone can eat the same foods. It all comes down to portion control.

    Yup.
  • faithfulmomof3
    faithfulmomof3 Posts: 12
    Get the book (you can download it if you have a tablet for cheaper than buying out right) (through amazon) The Doctor's Diet by Dr. Travis Stork. He is a doctor from Vanderbilt in Nashville TN (which is near me and a wonderful hospital) and is on the show The Doctor's. It teaches you how to eat right, what to eat, what to avoid and no one will lose any nutrients they need.
  • pink_and_shiny
    pink_and_shiny Posts: 1,036 Member
    Calories are from portions, and nutrition is from what you're eating.

    Everyone, diet or not, should eat things that are good for them.

    Dieters just need to watch calories.

    ^^What she said! Yes losing weight is has a lot to do with the numbers game of calories, but getting healthy and feeling good comes from the quality of foods too. A 100 calorie snack of baby carrots is better for you than 100 calories of Doritos, right? Right. Keep up the positivity and I look forward to seeing your success/update thread!
  • SusanaLdn
    SusanaLdn Posts: 121 Member
    Son is 5, he eats as we do. Always has, loves his veggies, eggs, etc. I admit it would be MUCH harder to change a set bad food diet, but you're only doing them a favor by doing it now.

    I don't have much to add, I think everyone has already said it: portion control. Nonetheles, there seems to be something in the above comment that I didn't see elsewhere: you are not only setting an example for your kids, as you say, you are somehow changing their lives. If one of them has a special condition, than this could be even more helpful.

    I understand you are on a budget, and trust me, I know how it feels. But you will learn to make economic changes. A tray of baked sweet potatoes is much healthier than crisps for 4 people (as they are so much more filling!), and it will come out at about the same price. They will learn to like it, trust me. Learn about 'cauliflower rice;, just google it - delicious and so much healthier. Veggies are so much cheaper than chocolate cereal, candy, or biscuits! Carrots are fresh and sweet, and so are apples. Bananas are great for goos carbs and energy. Look for good options online. If you are in the States, I heard going to wholesale retailers like Costco is a great way to save money. Buy for the whole family, for a week. At the table, dose up the food. Done! :smile:

    And well done for trying to change your family's future - you will live much longer and happier, and your kids will thank you forever :flowerforyou:
  • courtney123180
    courtney123180 Posts: 86 Member
    I make 1 meal for my family every night, and have lost weight anyways. Last night it was spaghetti, with garlic bread. I weight out my food, and logged it in my diary, didn't have any garlic bread (even though I usually have some of that too), and gave my kids and husband their usual portions. I love to cook and make tons of different casseroles, meat dishes, soups etc, and have just basically adjusted my portions. Oh yeah, the only other thing I have really changed is adding more veggie sides In with my meals. You don't have to eat different to lose weight! And it's probably not sustainable to make a whole bunch of large food changes at once anyway.

    suggestion about your garlic bread. i make what i call my 'ghetto garlic bread' --its the 35 calorie bread by nickels or something similar. i use minimal amount of spray butter and then sprinkle on a generous amount of garlic powder or garlic salt(your preference). then i pop them in the toaster---if you have two slices its the 70 calories(give or take some for the spray butter).
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Portion control. Feed the kids more. Same food, but for the kids add more butter and cheese. Put peanut butter on their toast. Same meal with an extra side dish for the kids. You are saving money by only serving it to the kids. Stuff like that.
  • srv524
    srv524 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Portion control.

    1300/day for you seems really low as well. 1800 should be OK for him (though seems a bit light)
  • pixtotts
    pixtotts Posts: 552 Member
    We eat like the three bears. I make one meal. Husband gets the larger portion, I get what I need, and the kiddo gets the smallest portion that fits him.
    This is by far the best way of putting it :D


    If your eating healthy you children should be eating the same as you
    The only time I'd say children need different is if you were to do a stupid fad diet,
    x
  • fitmomhappymom
    fitmomhappymom Posts: 171 Member
    Portion control. Everyone in your house should eat healthy, sustainable meals. Just at different portion sizes. If eating big macs isnt good enough for you, why feed it to your kid? I think everything is good in moderation, but you want to set your kids up to have healthy eating habits so they will not grow up to be obese.
  • kemval74
    kemval74 Posts: 28 Member
    Daddy gets the big piece of chicken, you get the small piece, the kids get the wings and legs. The amount of rice matches the size of the chicken in the plate. Same veggies for all.


    This^^^:smile::happy:
  • amcook4
    amcook4 Posts: 561 Member
    Do the same meals, just different portions! Not only is it easier, but then you are teaching your children how to eat healthy, something mine never did for me.

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