Need weight loss advice for husband
femmerides
Posts: 843 Member
Hi everyone,
i have been working to lose weight for about a month now and have lost 17lbs. I know what works for me and it's relatively easy for me to lose the weight.
My husband told me today that he wishes he had my motivation to lose the weight. I want to help him. He's 6'4", 280lbs and he's an auto mechanic so he's on his feet all day. He goes to school monday thru thursday until 10:30pm. He wants to lose weight but I have no idea how much he's supposed to eat or what most guys find filling. He's not the biggest eater but he tends to eat a lot of cheesy, creamy stuff. so...any ideas on what he can eat to lose weight????
thanks!
i have been working to lose weight for about a month now and have lost 17lbs. I know what works for me and it's relatively easy for me to lose the weight.
My husband told me today that he wishes he had my motivation to lose the weight. I want to help him. He's 6'4", 280lbs and he's an auto mechanic so he's on his feet all day. He goes to school monday thru thursday until 10:30pm. He wants to lose weight but I have no idea how much he's supposed to eat or what most guys find filling. He's not the biggest eater but he tends to eat a lot of cheesy, creamy stuff. so...any ideas on what he can eat to lose weight????
thanks!
0
Replies
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As you know, it's about both what you eat and how much. My husband is on MFP and it's been a huge education for him to track his food. He was amazed at how many calories he was drinking (energy drinks and other sweet drinks). And he is now learning how big a serving of food is: usually smaller than what he used to eat.
So I'd encourage your husband to track his food for a while at least. If he can not track while at work, he could write down what he eats and then look it up later. He might be surprised how much difference changing out a few things or skipping a soda can make.0 -
Lifting is my first recommendation. Using muscles ACTUALLY burns calories.
From there, food wise. He's going to need calories.
Things to cut out? First would be saturated fats, add some proteins. Fats and proteins tend to keep you fuller longer.0 -
Based on my husband's experience, he can eat the same stuff he eats now, just in smaller portions.0
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First of all, for starters, I think he should cut out the cheezy and creamy stuff he is eating now and junk-food.. All that builds up and with few changes he can do what you are doing now.. Instead of getting a "normal" coke; get diet.. Instead of cheese on the sandwich; try smoked turkey.. and so on..0
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Tracking serving sizes and types of food is key. For a long time my husband was so wrong about how big (or small) a serving size actually is. He could also justify pizza and wings more often until he saw the fat and calories on line. My hubby's lost 60 lbs in the last two years and for him it's being involved in races. He started off with a 5K then got a road bike and started doing duathlons (run, bike, run). Men are very competitive by nature and once he signed up for something he knew he had to exercise so he wouldn't embarrass himself. The nutrition came next. If you fee good about your body because of exercise, you tend to eat better AND he knew that he would not race as well on pizza and wings. He also learned that if he skips breakfast and lunch, he will pig out later. He now does a good breakfast, protein bars at his desk and lunch. To fill him up he likes chili, real oatmeal, not the packet stuff and eggs.0
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Well it all comes down to calories as you know but also making them the right ones makes all the difference. For somone of his size he should be eating 2500 calories or more a day to loose weight. My recomendation is help him pack food. I am on the extreme side, I have dropped 130 lbs but I want to get to the point of defined abs so I bring carrots and raw broccli for snacks but to keep it simple, lean meats, beggies and whole grains/brown rice should make up the most part of a healthy diet. If there is no time for lifting then by preparing ahead of time healthier food options the easier it will be. Additionally avoid processed foods. There is a huge difference between fast food burger meat and home made burger patties. Reduce milk/cream and cheese. They are delicious but they are the biggest problems.
Most men find it easy to do this by filling their diet with chicken, eggs, steak, and whole wheat pasta and veggies using salt/pepper/olive oil/and other seasonings to get them down.
For his size....
2500 calories a day,
200g protein,
90g fat,
rest carbs, ~225g
Best of luck!
I agree with the idea of getting him on here for a week to log what he eats so he gains an idea of how things relate, I learned quickly that a slice of cheese on a sandwhich is almost the same calories as the rest of the sandwhich for example and realised i could barely taste it anyway so why? If he doesnt mind some exercise interval training and weight lifting are best, and lets him eat more
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Lifting is my first recommendation. Using muscles ACTUALLY burns calories.
From there, food wise. He's going to need calories.
Things to cut out? First would be saturated fats, add some proteins. Fats and proteins tend to keep you fuller longer.
Agreed! And...disagreed lol.
Lifting would be awesome...if he doesn't have time for that though...right now it's understandable.
Needing calories is a certainty as well!
Now...on fats we disagree...but only partially. Naturally occuring saturated fats (or any fats for that matter...as long as they're ntural) I consume without even thinking twice. Milks, butter, peanut butter (NATURAL!!), beef, etc. I avoid processed foods like the plague when I can. That means no fast food...at least until I hit my goal body fat %. That also means no soft drinks, no anything of the sort. I've lost weight and kept those things in my diet before...but the results weren't as quick or solid as they are this time.
What I would suggest is to get your husband on a 2lb/wk loss plan on this site for a week or two (this site has a larger calorie deficit than some). After that two weeks...shake it up a little...switch it to 1lb loss, and let him eat more. Then back to 2lb loss again for a week or two. Make sure what he eats are whole foods...chicken, fresh vegetables, beef, whole grain flour based gravies haven't seemed to hurt me either. Drink only water...and drink STUPID amounts of it!! Tell him to think of it like each cup of water is 1/4lb of fat gone, I mean...that's not the case and I'm sure you both know that...but water is ESSENTIAL for weight loss!! It cleans out your system, flushes away everything negative, and keeps you hydrated so you lose water weight VERY quickly (this last part will be a big motivator...I lost 20lbs in a month by cleaning up my diet...but I'm sure a large part of it was water weight). For his lunches...grill him liberally seasoned (not necessarily salted...but some salt is ok...I LOVE the McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning) chicken breasts with fresh vegetables on the side. I go over on my sodium often, but I find it's easier to give up processed foods if the whole foods I eat taste REALLY good lol. More water helps with the sodium too btw. Breads...well, they're up for debate, but if you must eat them, make sure they're whole grain. Get him to eat more protien as was mentioned above!! Whole eggs (the yolk is where all the nutrients are!), beans (chili is AWESOME), just anything made with real, perishable food.
Anyhow...I hope that helps. Basically anything from the outer perimeter of the grocery store is safe lol. Anything in a box or can is highly questionable. He will be simply stunned at the large quantities of good foods he can eat, without screwing up his diet. My George Foreman is my hero lol...but I don't hesitate to fry up boneless/skinless chicken breasts and make whole grain gravy from the lard/butter base I fry them in either. Again...20lbs in just over a month, and 24lbs total so far...with BIG hopes for Monday (weigh in day) =D.
Oh, one other thing...if you guys want a night out once every couple weeks...let him eat what he pleases!! It won't hurt him once he's been eating healthy for a couple weeks...and makes his new dietary lifestyle choice feel much less restrictive!
Cris0 -
Well it all comes down to calories as you know but also making them the right ones makes all the difference. For somone of his size he should be eating 2500 calories or more a day to loose weight. My recomendation is help him pack food. I am on the extreme side, I have dropped 130 lbs but I want to get to the point of defined abs so I bring carrots and raw broccli for snacks but to keep it simple, lean meats, beggies and whole grains/brown rice should make up the most part of a healthy diet. If there is no time for lifting then by preparing ahead of time healthier food options the easier it will be. Additionally avoid processed foods. There is a huge difference between fast food burger meat and home made burger patties. Reduce milk/cream and cheese. They are delicious but they are the biggest problems.
Most men find it easy to do this by filling their diet with chicken, eggs, steak, and whole wheat pasta and veggies using salt/pepper/olive oil/and other seasonings to get them down.
For his size....
2500 calories a day,
200g protein,
90g fat,
rest carbs, ~225g
Best of luck!
I agree with the idea of getting him on here for a week to log what he eats so he gains an idea of how things relate, I learned quickly that a slice of cheese on a sandwhich is almost the same calories as the rest of the sandwhich for example and realised i could barely taste it anyway so why? If he doesnt mind some exercise interval training and weight lifting are best, and lets him eat more
This!!
I don't really cut cheeses out to an extent...but I only usually eat white cheeses anyhow, provalone and mozarella for the most part. But what was said here was perfect =D.
Cris
~Edit - I will also add, that 30-45 minutes a day of nearly continuous pushups, squats, situps, jumping jacks, and other basic exercises you learned in school goes a LONG freaking way towards helping your body burn fat. It also helps your heart and lungs stay healthy, improving your overall strength and stamina. Once he sees improvements in those areas he'll want more =D.
Do them with him...I used to with my ex wife...and it was one of the most enjoyable times we spent together.
C~0 -
I'm sort of in the same boat...but my boyfriend not husband!
He always comes to the gym with me but he only does cardio...when I go off to do strength training, he just continues with cardio and refuses to do anything strength training. Since I've been on here, I've been trying help him eat better and I've at least gotten him to the gym...he only needs to lose about 20 pounds.
As to knowing how much he needs to eat, I created a MFP account for him, so I could see their numbers, but it's hard to keep track of my diary and his as well, plus he works in a kitchen, so i know he's always nibbling here and there!
(sorry not much advice, I just understand what you're talking about to an extent!)0 -
Well it all comes down to calories as you know but also making them the right ones makes all the difference. For somone of his size he should be eating 2500 calories or more a day to loose weight. My recomendation is help him pack food. I am on the extreme side, I have dropped 130 lbs but I want to get to the point of defined abs so I bring carrots and raw broccli for snacks but to keep it simple, lean meats, beggies and whole grains/brown rice should make up the most part of a healthy diet. If there is no time for lifting then by preparing ahead of time healthier food options the easier it will be. Additionally avoid processed foods. There is a huge difference between fast food burger meat and home made burger patties. Reduce milk/cream and cheese. They are delicious but they are the biggest problems.
Most men find it easy to do this by filling their diet with chicken, eggs, steak, and whole wheat pasta and veggies using salt/pepper/olive oil/and other seasonings to get them down.
For his size....
2500 calories a day,
200g protein,
90g fat,
rest carbs, ~225g
Best of luck!
I agree with the idea of getting him on here for a week to log what he eats so he gains an idea of how things relate, I learned quickly that a slice of cheese on a sandwhich is almost the same calories as the rest of the sandwhich for example and realised i could barely taste it anyway so why? If he doesnt mind some exercise interval training and weight lifting are best, and lets him eat more
thank you so much! i need to start making all his meals. i got him to eat oatmeal every morning for about a month and then he stopped. the part we have the biggest issues with is lunch. i'll make him healthy sandwiches but he gets bored SO easily. he also has ADD. lol. so that doesn't help. dinner at home with the kids and i is always lots of veggies, lean meats and whole grain pasta or beans or brown rice. but he goes to school and doesn't like to bring dinner with him. so i'm trying to figure out meals for him for lunch and dinner. i am going to look online too for some clean eating yummy meals. i'm a terrible cook though. well not terrible but very inexperienced. i pretty much make the same stuff over and over again. repetition is my best friend when it comes to eating...0 -
Lifting is my first recommendation. Using muscles ACTUALLY burns calories.
From there, food wise. He's going to need calories.
Things to cut out? First would be saturated fats, add some proteins. Fats and proteins tend to keep you fuller longer.
Agreed! And...disagreed lol.
Lifting would be awesome...if he doesn't have time for that though...right now it's understandable.
Needing calories is a certainty as well!
Now...on fats we disagree...but only partially. Naturally occuring saturated fats (or any fats for that matter...as long as they're ntural) I consume without even thinking twice. Milks, butter, peanut butter (NATURAL!!), beef, etc. I avoid processed foods like the plague when I can. That means no fast food...at least until I hit my goal body fat %. That also means no soft drinks, no anything of the sort. I've lost weight and kept those things in my diet before...but the results weren't as quick or solid as they are this time.
What I would suggest is to get your husband on a 2lb/wk loss plan on this site for a week or two (this site has a larger calorie deficit than some). After that two weeks...shake it up a little...switch it to 1lb loss, and let him eat more. Then back to 2lb loss again for a week or two. Make sure what he eats are whole foods...chicken, fresh vegetables, beef, whole grain flour based gravies haven't seemed to hurt me either. Drink only water...and drink STUPID amounts of it!! Tell him to think of it like each cup of water is 1/4lb of fat gone, I mean...that's not the case and I'm sure you both know that...but water is ESSENTIAL for weight loss!! It cleans out your system, flushes away everything negative, and keeps you hydrated so you lose water weight VERY quickly (this last part will be a big motivator...I lost 20lbs in a month by cleaning up my diet...but I'm sure a large part of it was water weight). For his lunches...grill him liberally seasoned (not necessarily salted...but some salt is ok...I LOVE the McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning) chicken breasts with fresh vegetables on the side. I go over on my sodium often, but I find it's easier to give up processed foods if the whole foods I eat taste REALLY good lol. More water helps with the sodium too btw. Breads...well, they're up for debate, but if you must eat them, make sure they're whole grain. Get him to eat more protien as was mentioned above!! Whole eggs (the yolk is where all the nutrients are!), beans (chili is AWESOME), just anything made with real, perishable food.
Anyhow...I hope that helps. Basically anything from the outer perimeter of the grocery store is safe lol. Anything in a box or can is highly questionable. He will be simply stunned at the large quantities of good foods he can eat, without screwing up his diet. My George Foreman is my hero lol...but I don't hesitate to fry up boneless/skinless chicken breasts and make whole grain gravy from the lard/butter base I fry them in either. Again...20lbs in just over a month, and 24lbs total so far...with BIG hopes for Monday (weigh in day) =D.
Oh, one other thing...if you guys want a night out once every couple weeks...let him eat what he pleases!! It won't hurt him once he's been eating healthy for a couple weeks...and makes his new dietary lifestyle choice feel much less restrictive!
Cris
ya, lifting or pretty much any exercise isn't possible until after june 24th (when school gets out). so for meals do you just do veggies and meat? i'm trying to figure out what is a filling meal for a man of his size that is still healthy. i am going to start small and then gradually reduce his portions. he eats out a lot but i think that's because he wants the food ready for him and doesn't want to make it. he's an amazing cook but he uses a lot of crap to cook with. i usually can only eat like 1/4 cup of whatever he makes because it's loaded with empty calories. i curbed him from drinking soda. he only has soda when we go to a sit down restaurant and he usually trades that for a beer. i also got him to drink coors light instead of blue moon (it has fewer calories). when he does eat at home the worst thing he eats is whole grain pasta. but he always adds cheese and garlic and whatever else to it to make it yummier for him. he doesn't like how plain i make my food. i don't add cheese or salt or anything like that to my food. anyways, thanks for all your helpl!0 -
My daily lunch consists of
5oz of chicken
6oz of sweet potato (Oreida has frozen steam and mash sweet potatoes)
1 oz of almonds
I grill the weeks worth of chicken on Sunday night.
I prep the sweet potatoes by sprinkling a packet of stevia and cinnamon. mmmmm
If its a low carb day I omit the sweet potato.0
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