don't really have full control over what i can eat..help?

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stebbu
stebbu Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hey guys, i live with my parents that work all day and get home very late, and i don't cook or drive so i'm kind of dependent on my parents at this very moment in regards to purchasing/preparing food.
my father is also very controlling about what we buy so he won't usually buy vegetables or anything but snacks because he thinks they will go to waste!
we always end up having to get fast food because it's easiest on everyone and everyone in my family of 5 can eat something they like ( my younger sisters are extremely picky, so my mom doesn't cook much because then one of them will not like whatever she made etc and it's too hard on her) sooooo we like literally eat fast food everyday and it feels awful!

it's really difficult to diet when i don't really have control over what i'm eating? the most i can do is maybe ask for certain foods and hope they buy it (they probably won't) but i don't even know where to begin with that either! or like...a healthier option at fast food but otherwise i don't really know what to do? i've grown so accustomed to eating this bad food all my life that i really don't like the taste of most healthy food as well. :(

i'm wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation??? i feel like i'll never lose weight if my family isn't also willing to diet. do you have any kind of advice? can i get by on just exercise? should i just limit my portions of this garbage food or something? does that work? i have no clue! sorry if any of this sounds a bit stupid, but any kind of advice would be appreciated. thank you! :smile:

Replies

  • Loralrose
    Loralrose Posts: 203
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    First off, exercise is great! It will make you healthier even if you don't lose weight. Plus, exercise increases the number of calories you burn and allows you to lose weight while eating more calories. Do you have the option of working out? Jogging or walking are good, so is riding a bike, or gardening, or anything that gets you up and moving around.

    Second is portion control. A calorie is a calorie, whether from bananas or big macs. Try to eat a little less than you normally would. Log everything, it helps.

    Third... why don't you cook? Is it because your parents won't let you, or because you don't know how? What would happen if you walked to the store and bought ingredients yourself? What if you offered to cook dinner for the family once a week? You didn't mention what happens for breakfast and dinner, so I assume everyone makes their own. You can use that as an opportunity to make healthy choices for yourself.

    Good luck!
  • sakuya3834
    sakuya3834 Posts: 116 Member
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    The great news is that if you are getting fast food a lot you have a lot of freedom. Thankfully, you can find the nutritional information for most places online so do some research on what would work at the places your parents often take you to. Most chains have several healthy options these days!
    If you can't find the nutritional information, make smart choices. For example, get a side salad instead of fries (or just a small fries instead of the extra large) or grilled chicken instead of fried chicken.
    As for your parents cooking at home, try to exercise portion control. Don't feel like you have to cut anything out. For example, if your parents cook with a lot of oil or butter, it's still fine to eat it. If your family often eats dessert, you can still have some. Just do some research on serving sizes and make as educated of a guess as you can.
    I know it can be hard but good luck!
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 904 Member
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    I'm in much the same place as you, Stebbu: ONE family member who is diabetic and refuses to adjust his diet.

    But just because ONE family member doesn't want fruits and veggies doesn't mean YOU have to go without. If there is a supermarket within walking distance, then walk there and choose something to nosh on.

    As noted, a calorie is the same, whether it's cleverly disguised as an apple or a cookie. I've had to learn to read the nutrition labels on the packages. If the package says that one serving of cookies is only two cookies (Fig Newtons), eat that and no more.

    Exercise is exercise, whether you are walking, gardening, or cleaning. It's just that some activities burn more calories than others.

    Logging does help (it might be a shock, as I found out in my log today/Sunday). :flowerforyou:
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Learn how to cook, tell your dad you'd like frozen veggies and fruit (they will not go bad), buy produce in small batches a few times a week (suggest this I guess)

    Until you learn to be more independent and voice your opinion, you won't get anywhere with this. I live at home, don't drive, but I cook pretty much all of our dinners, all of my own food really, and if I am eating what they cooked it's usally just a baked/grilled protein that is easy to log. It's not that hard to learn how to cook, start with basics.
  • MargaretSobers
    MargaretSobers Posts: 167 Member
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    If you want to lose weight seriously, then you should have to make plans to get control on yourself and on your eating habits. If you are habituated of eating any particular food, then first of all find a healthy substitute of that food. Focus on your problem, why you may not on the track you have decided. Don't get attached to food emotionally.
  • rosnz
    rosnz Posts: 91 Member
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    Feel free not to answer this but how are your parents weight and size-wise/? Are they lean machines so don't really see a problem with the food they eat or are they 'what they eat' and less fit and healthy. It occurs to me that you may be able to approach this from a health not a weight angle and get your Mum on side saying that you want to get healthier. And fail safe … want to address your weight for your romantic life which will lead to marriage and (heres the BIG drawcard) grandchildren !! No Mum will resist ;-) even if it is not at all true. Joking apart I do feel sorry for you - it will be harder in your situation than for most of us and I admire the fact you are trying your hardest.
  • sophiecls
    sophiecls Posts: 4 Member
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    Most fast food places usually have a salad or other healthier option. Look online to find nutrition info for the restaurants you frequently go to and find options that fit your calorie budget. You can also try ordering a kids meal. Many offer healthier alternatives to the fries, and the portions are smaller. It's been a while since I've checked, but I think a McDonald's happy meal averages around 500 calories, which is plenty for most adults at one meal. It is possible to lose weight while eating unhealthy foods, but it's not ideal.

    Aside from the nutritional benefits from healthier foods, healthy foods tend to be more filling. A salad with grilled chicken and lots of veggies may not taste as good to you now as a hamburger and fries, but if you're watching your calorie intake, you'll feel much more satisfied with the salad than the portion of unhealthy food that will fit in your calorie budget.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    1.) still eat less
    2.) move out
    3.) take responsibility and help cook/go shopping/buy your own food
    4.) eat less
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Not sure how old you are, but one of the things you can point out to your dad is the cost of eating out vs. the cost of home prepared. Feeding a family of 5 at McDonalds probably costs $25 - $30. Feeding a family of 5 spaghetti and a bag caesar salad costs about $14 even if everyone eats double servings of both.

    Sometimes it is easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission so maybe you just make dinner one night as a suprise.


    Also, you could try to get your mom on board with helping you make a meal once a week. Let her help pick out and assist you with making dinner. I'm a mom and my kids and I regularly cook together.
  • bidimus
    bidimus Posts: 95 Member
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    It's a misnomer to say you don't have control over what you eat. You don't have much control over your options but which ones of those you eat and how much of them is entirely up to you.

    I don't go out of my way to eat "healthy" though I do enjoy it. It really boils down to calories when using MFP. Count and measure as best you can. Fast food is the easiest as it's been pointed out since almost all fast food places offer nutritional information. Most of which is available on the internet.

    Best of luck. You can do this.
  • logg1e
    logg1e Posts: 1,208 Member
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    Could you replace the evening takeaway with the same kind of food you eat at breakfast and lunch?
  • Slacker16
    Slacker16 Posts: 1,184 Member
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    How old are you?

    As others said, you can still practice portion control while eating the same things as the rest of your family, and you can buy and cook your own food.

    Not gonna lie, moving out of my parent's turned the problem of managing my weight from NP-hard to linear.
  • jennifurballs
    jennifurballs Posts: 247 Member
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    All great suggestions. In addition, you should drink a lot of water because even if you pick the healthiest things at fast food joints, you'll be consuming a lot of sodium.

    I knew a guy who was 27 years old and not overweight at all. At 27 he had a massive heart attack. He told me that he ate nothing much except fast food for most of his life. So while it's convenient, and some of your family members may not be overweight, they're filling their bodies with harmful junk.
  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
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    Eat what you normally eat, but in smaller portions. That is the only way to stay under your calorie goal and lose weight. If they get fast food, ask for a kid's meal instead of a regular meal. Ask for fewer items than you would normally get.
  • mmarquard75
    mmarquard75 Posts: 6 Member
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    Keep a stash of carrots, celery, bananas, apples, grapes, healthy nuts by your side. Take the bun off the burger, or order the grilled chicken and a side salad or fruit cup if it's available.. I agree, exercise is a huge help, and so is portion control. If you can get by with ordering the salads and finish with some fruit you stored in your room. :) Can you buy yogurt and other healthy snacks and keep it in the frig.
  • astroophys
    astroophys Posts: 175 Member
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    Can you convince him to purchase frozen vegetables and fruits? Frozen items take a long time to go to waste.

    You may not have many choices right now when it comes to what you eat, but you have COMPLETE control over how much you eat. And that's the major factor. And keep yourself hydrated.

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