No one in my house interested in healthy living

Options
13»

Replies

  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
    Options
    If you live in a household with people eating chips, candy, and sugar desserts.. I disagree with all the advice that you can eat that and fit it into your calories. Those kinds of food don't nourish your body or sustain you.. basically you'll be hungry all the time. Also.. if your family is sedentary, siting around and watching t.v. it makes it worse.

    My advice is to not publicize to your family your health goals. In many situations like this.. family members will sabotage your efforts subconsciously because they don't want you to change or to feel guilty for being lazy about their health.

    Get the eye of the tiger.. buy some of your own food and healthful snacks.. and go about your life and exercise but anticipate your family putting up road blocks.. work on getting mentally strong as you get physically fit. Maybe you can end up being a good example for members of your family who secretly long to make a change.

    Good luck.. you're off to a great start joining mfp.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,434 Member
    Options
    all my 4 kids are out & grown. My hubby lost 65lbs but still has sweet tooth & adds to what i make & eats things i choose not to. When he's eating his goodies & offers me some i say no thank you. I can have it if I want, but if i didn't plan for it that day, i say no so i can have a nice meal & not be hungry. I can choose to have some the next day & make provision if i want.Also i've been staying away from some things that i know if i take one bite i'll eat the whole thing, like for me it's sausages. I love potato chips & do eat them but weigh out enough to fit in with my day. What really motavates me is I've lost 22lbs so far & feel great & excited & no taste is worth me going back
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Options
    elisa123gal wrote: »
    If you live in a household with people eating chips, candy, and sugar desserts.. I disagree with all the advice that you can eat that and fit it into your calories. Those kinds of food don't nourish your body or sustain you.. basically you'll be hungry all the time.
    Yeah, but no one us saying to eat those foods exclusively. One can easily work those foods into their way of eating and be nourished, satiated and be able to hit macros and micros. Setting aside 100-300 calories for treats is hardly going to hurt.
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    Options
    jennifer_417 wrote: »
    Not everyone has the luxury of being in total control of what food does or doesn't come into their home. Sure, it's a nice thought, but it's just not possible for everyone.
    Yes, self-control is the answer, but self-control is like a muscle. If you're not used to using it, then it'll be weak. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

    I agree with this analogy - but keep in mind, when trying to build muscle adequate rest and recovery time is essential ;). Same thing with will power. That's why I find it easier to just cut out certain things most of the time, which gives my willpower muscle adequate rest between workouts. Then when I do have to use it it's not totally caput. When I tried to moderate things I struggled all the time even with relatively "light weights", from over exertion. Now that I don't rely on pure willpower when I do need to use it, I can lift "heavy". Nothing wrong with asking members of your household to keep a few things that you find really hard to ignore out of sight, at least temporarily. I was lucky in that I am the primary shopper and cook in my house, so I just avoided buying or making certain things for a while until my willpower muscle was up to the challenge. Use it, yes, but rest is needed for growth.


  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    Options
    pacificsaint wrote: »
    For those of you whose family/housemates don't care about making a lifestyle change, how do you do it? One of the things I have read about bad foods, I.E. Candies or other sugary food, is don't bring them in the house. My house is filled with that stuff! And not by my choice. I understand will power is huge part of all of this, I'm just looking for some tips to make it easier. Also if you have succeeded at motivating your family to jump on board and make a lifestyle change how did you do it?

    How many people do you have in your house? We are four people doing four different things and getting the same result.

    I am on MFP and losing weight by monitoring Calorie Deficit. My wife supports me in this with the way she cooks, and what she puts on my plate.
    My wife doesn't eat much, but uses a lot of fruit and vegetables, and is losing weight
    My daughter is the health food freak, and buys completely different stuff to what we eat. She's lost weight.
    My son eats absolutely too much, but exercises like crazy. He's losing weight.

    Perhaps the solution for you is to eat the same as everyone else in the house, but in smaller portions.
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    edited October 2016
    Options
    Try to group the candy/chips/whatever food you don't want to look at all the time in one cupboard that you don't go into very often. Then it's still there for those who want it, but much less tempting for you.

    *Note that I don't mean some out-of-the-way cupboard in the basement. There's got to be a reasonable choice in the kitchen.
  • pacificsaint
    pacificsaint Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    Thank you everyone for all the helpful posts. I understand not villainizing food and I guess I kind of have been. My thing is I'm trying to make a complete lifestyle change and although weightloss is a huge part of it I also want to reap the cardiovascular and other benefits as well. That being said I don't want to force my family to eat any way they don't want to but I do want to see them healthy, so I guess lead from the front it is! Thank you again everyone

Categories