Trying to lose weight but feeling like a bad wife/mom

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  • got2gethealthy
    got2gethealthy Posts: 16 Member
    Try eating a healthy snack like a salad or Greek yogurt before you start to cook or chew extra gum. This keeps the snacking down. Your boys are nine start having them help you cook.
    Try hungry girl.com for good recipes. You can do this!!!!

    I like the chewing gum idea. Thanks :)
  • got2gethealthy
    got2gethealthy Posts: 16 Member
    I cook for my family of 5 nearly every night. I have 3 teenagers (one is a vegetarian) and maybe that makes things a bit easier. I'm confused. Why doesn't everyone eat healthy food? weight problem or not? And, if you serve something with less nutritional value, why don't you just have a smaller portion. If you offer a veg or two as sides everyone has options. Or, that could be the day you pop something into the microwave for yourself. If you have picky eaters, heard somewhere that it takes 7 times to acquire a taste for a new food. Just keep offering a wide variety of foods. Also, what if you were to ask your pickiest eaters for help in planning dinner. I always found that the more invested my kids were in food preparation, the better things tasted to them. If the problem is counting calories from home cooking that's easy! I think MFP has added a recipe calculator now. You can google others. You can do it! Good luck!

    I am going to take your advice about getting the boys involved in food preparation. I'm crossing my fingers that this will get them excited about trying something that they might not normally be interested in eating.
  • got2gethealthy
    got2gethealthy Posts: 16 Member
    I have cut all wheat and dairy out of my diet and have been trying to lose weight eating healthy food.

    From my view - that shows amazing willpower.

    I have to cook 80% of the time for my family, two of whom have gluten intolerance. Everyone likes different foods and its very hard making a meal to suite all. Since I got on MFP - its even harder to include something that I can eat and to avoid eating the large portions and high calories items the rest of the family has. But I'm the one with the weight problem - they are all fine. My son is sitting right now eating a plate of food that is 3000 calories - but he is thin, and I have to learn to walk by it and not ask for any.

    Give it some time and you will be able to cook for them without eating it.

    Thank you :)
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
    Cook healthier foods for them. If they won't eat it then they can fix themselves something. If they complain about that then they are being a little selfish in not supporting your goals. There needs to be a compromise somewhere in there and they should be supportive of you trying to imporve your health. And giving them all that frozen/processed foods rather than good homecooked nutritious meals isn't doing anybody a favor. You should never feel like a bad wife or mother for this though! You are working on your health and I'm sure if they really thought about it in those terms, they would rather you be healthy and around longer!
    I wish you all the luck! I would fully support any of my family in their weightloss goals. That just shows what a great wife and mother you are that your feeling so guilty. But you have to think about yourself sometimes and not put everybody else before yourself. :)
  • macx2mommy
    macx2mommy Posts: 170 Member
    I would take a few different strategies.

    Cook healthy foods that the whole family will like and can be easily modified. I would make meals that can be modified to include wheat and diary for them, but still meet your dietary requirements. It's really important to get the kids eating healthy now, so they learn the habits later. I make a lot of 'assembly' meals, where I can just eliminate the component that I don't want. I make a protein, a veggie or two, and a carb, all seperately, and done very healthy. I will then add toppings, sauces, and sides that the rest of the family can have. I will eat stir fry, but take out my portion, just before I add all the noodles.

    Have hubby cook a couple of nights. He gets to choose, but he cooks it. It gives you a well deserved break too, and see if you can ask if he tries some healthy alternatives for you.

    Get the boys going, have them help prep. My 3 & 6 yr olds are already in the kitchen washing, cutting, and stirring items. They know what items are healthier choices or not.

    Make small healthier modifications. Instead of frozen pizza, make a homemade pizza, get a regular crust for the family, make a cauliflower crust for you. Modify the toppings so it's fresh ingredients, leaner meat, more veggies, light cheese, etc. We have replaced chips with popcorn, then did smart pop with our own seasonings. I just try to make each meal we have a little more healthy than before. Trust me, they are not perfect. I still can't get the family on brown rice, so right now it's about a 50-50 mix.

    I have done frozen pizzas, but will serve veggies on the side, and add some extra chopped up veggies on the pizza. Sour cream and mayo has been replaced in part if not in whole by fat free greek yogurt. My kids have been eating popsicles for part of their breakfast, and several times a day. Mine are fruit, greek yogurt, milk and a splash of vanilla all pureed together. They love the fact that they get these 'treats' for breakfast, and right now I am the best mom. However, they still have some of there other food too. Be creative.
  • Shrinking_Moody
    Shrinking_Moody Posts: 270 Member
    Cook healthy meals for dinner and if he doesn't like it - tell him to have at it. Period.

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