Sabotaged by little brother.

SephirothsChild15
SephirothsChild15 Posts: 45
edited October 2 in Motivation and Support
First off I'm at college. I have a younger half-brother that is also at college. We live around 15 mins apart from each other. I live in the dorm still because my college pays for it and he lives in an apartment that his bio dad pays for.

My brother is really clingy. Just now he called me wanting to go out to eat with him. He'll do this 3x a week. I have will power to say no to unhealthy foods, but not to say no to him. He always wants to go to the most unhealthy places (i.e the local greasy spoon or starbucks) and there are really no healthy choices there. How can I tell him no, or how can I find something health at said local greasy spoon?

Replies

  • StrawberrySprinkles
    StrawberrySprinkles Posts: 90
    If he has an apartment and a working kitchen, why not suggest taking a stroll to the shops and purchasing something healthier that you and he can throw in the oven?

    This coupled with a movie or something....it sounds like a good evening. :)

    Plus there's scope to experiment with new recipes and show him the joys of eating at home.
  • butterfly3747
    butterfly3747 Posts: 29
    If he has an apartment and a working kitchen, why not suggest taking a stroll to the shops and purchasing something healthier that you and he can throw in the oven?

    This coupled with a movie or something....it sounds like a good evening. :)

    Plus there's scope to experiment with new recipes and show him the joys of eating at home.

    Cooking nights with posh meals from magazines! Love it!
  • Apryl546
    Apryl546 Posts: 909 Member
    You could try to make a homemade pizza! Or make homemade personal pizzas in case you guys have radically different tastes.
  • Apryl546
    Apryl546 Posts: 909 Member
    You could try to make a homemade pizza! Or make homemade personal pizzas in case you guys have radically different tastes.
  • theradiantbride
    theradiantbride Posts: 50
    If he insists on going out, though, almost everywhere has a salad. Even fast food places. Or try getting something small that you can munch on while you're there and just eat a real meal when you get home. Or, even better, eat something before you go and then just get a small snack.

    It's hard to really help without knowing what options you have at these places, but just try to make wise decisions. Plan ahead if the place has a website that has nutrition info.

    Or, if you can convince him to eat at home, then that's even better.

    Good luck! :)
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    try and negotiate that you need to start alternating with who picks the resturant. applebee's has some healthy choices.


    but yes, cooking would be best, but i can understand how some college age kids would rather go out then bother cooking. no offense, i was just in that situation not too long ago... 7 years ago... god i'm getting old.
  • joflar
    joflar Posts: 2
    There is healthy food at Starbucks; Skinny drinks and fruit and veggie trays. My husband loves Starbucks and so do I, so I've had to adapt. As to the greasy spoon, I'd say see if he'll let YOU pick where to eat. Good Luck!
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
    for breakfast, you can try to get an eggwhite omlette and skip the cheese, or do light cheese.....and skip the hashbrowns and toast and get cottage cheese and fruit bowl.

    for lunch, get a salad with italian dressing or balsamic vinegar if they have it, or you can get a steak with no butter added, or even a grilled chicken sandwhich. Skip the fries and opt for a side salad instead

    at starbucks get a "skinny"....meaning non fat milk, sugar free syrup and no whipped cream. Make sure you say sugar free just in case though....

    This is, afterall a LIFESTYLE change.....and going out to eat is a part of LIFE, you just have to change the STYLE of eating.....

    Helpful hint: I log things in before i go out to eat, to see what i can have. If i have calories left over through the day, then i will allow myself stuff like hashbrowns or chips and salsa.....little treats like that

    Oh and if you go to mexican food, skip the rice and beans all together....if you must have beans, get the pot beans they have(just pinto beans, whole)....but i order everything a la carte.....and count out 16 chips, and break them into smaller pieces for the salsa...that equals to about 200 cals right there. i usually get a chili relleno and a grilled chicken taco, and only eat one of the corn tortillas, if even that.usually comes out to like 600 cals....which isn't bad for eating out
  • gracielee1
    gracielee1 Posts: 71 Member
    I think it's sweet that your little brother wants to eat and spend quality time with you. I'll leave it up to you to make the right food choices and do portion control. Or suggest cooking at home, and keeping it fun that way. There are always "light" options, even at most of these restaurants around schools. It's easy to blame someone else. But we're here to get control over our lives, let's take responsibility while also being a loving, responsible sibling. I've had the same issue as well, but at the end of the day, blaming anyone never helped me. You have to maintain your relationships with friends and family you can't potentially alienate them because you're trying to lose weight or what not. Goes without saying, take control.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    Starbucks also has their bistro box meals that are pretty low calorie and tasty.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    you can order a grande skinny vanilla latte at starbucks for only 120 cals, and maybe you can take something at the local greasy spoon and adjust it to be healthier. It is hard to tell you what to order since I dont know what they have on the menu. but you can order a hamburger with no cheese, no mayo or special sauce and no fries and it isnt too bad cal wise if you want to cut cals further you can order it without the bun and have them but it in a lettuce leaf, you can do this with any sandwich. If they have burritos order it with chicken, no cheese, extra lettuce, no sour cream or guacomole and it is pretty good cal wise. I hope this helps. I also like the idea of picking up healthy stuff to make at his house........
  • SephirothsChild15
    SephirothsChild15 Posts: 45
    Holy Crap! I love you guys for answering this :) We managed to compromise and I ended up with a healthy breakfast (at 7pm) Poached eggs, turkey bacon, whole wheat toast. etc.

    Thanks guys!
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