DH eating issues- UPDATE

[nancy324]

I'm finding that the idea of making small changes is working pretty well, and wanted to share because I know there are some others in the same situation. Some examples:

Small change: We were ordering our groceries for the week today from FreshDirect. DH always buys mozerella cheese which he likes to snack on. I showed him that the part-skim mozerella still has plenty of fat, but is a smarter choice, and he agreed to try it.

Small change: He bought Kraft fat-free French dressing and is going to mix it with his full-fat French dressing to make his own lite dressing.

Small change: I talked him into ordering some grapefruit today, and we also ordered melons and grapes, his favorite fruits.

Small change: DH usually orders chocolate cookies from FreshDirect that are homemade and VERY high in fat and calories. I told him that he really shouldn't order them at all. However, FreshDirect has chocolate rolls which come half-baked and DH LOVES to bake them and eat them all week long. Each roll has 200 calories, only 20% of which come from fat, so we agreed that he would get an extra order of the rolls to make up for the lack of cookies.

I think if he went on a crash diet, which is what he usually does when he tries to lose weight, he would just wind up feeling denied and eventually gaining all the weight back as usual. I like the baby steps approach because the changes are subtle enough that I don't think he's feeling too denied. My hope is that maybe, just maybe, these changes will become a way of life and become permanent.

Who knows? Maybe some day I'll even be able to get him interested in clean eating. Don't worry, I'm not holdin' my breath. :+

-Nancy the Hen-Pecking Wife

 

[endorphin_junkie]

That's wonderful Nancy and so wise. All those baby steps will most definitely add up to reduction;-). Those FreshDirect chocolate rolls sound heavenly. I think it's lovely and very heartwarming that you are both willing to compromise. It's beautiful that you look at him and think 'what can I do for him', you are lucky to have each other but obviously you both already know that

Take Care
Laurie

 

[sstindt]

I am so glad to hear about the small changes! I just went to the store today, and was showing my sons how small changes in food choices can add up to healthier eating. Some types of peanut butter have just 20 fewer calories from fat than others, Nutrigrain waffles instead of the regular ones, low fat cheese instead of full fat cheese, etc. I am trying to do the exact same thing with my family, who keep claiming I am on a "health kick."

 

[nancy324]

Awwwww, Laurie, you are so sweet. You are right, the FreshDirect chocolate rolls are delicious and I didn't even realize they were low in fat until today. Thank goodness he loves them!
-Nancy

ETA: It just occurred to me that I'd better not tell him that they're "lowfat" or else he won't like them anymore! }( :+

 

[nancy324]

sstindt-
I see that woman on "Honey, We're Killing The Kids" come into these people's homes and suddenly take away EVERYTHING they like and replace it with sushi and tofu, which they've never had before, and I think, what a recipe for disaster. Crash diets simply do not work in the long run. I think you and I are going about it the only sensible way there is.
-Nancy

 

[kathryn]

Sounds like he's keeping on track! Making those small changes is really the way to go.

I think that getting to "clean eating" is definitely an evolution rather than a revolution for most people. And I did see one episode of "Honey, We're Killing the Kids" where they switched the family to some tofu dish (which I'm sure *I* would love, but which their tastes buds are far from appreciating! Though they did learn to like it after a while).

 

[nancy324]

Kathryn, I agree. Since those families are on TV, they may have a bit more invested, but for the typical American, tofu is going to send them running for the hills.

 

[kathryn]

>Kathryn, I agree. Since those families are on TV, they may
>have a bit more invested, but for the typical American, tofu
>is going to send them running for the hills.

Especially the kids, who were on a 'high junk food' type diet. (I think back to me when I was an adolescent, and 'dark' bread seemed repulsive, while white bread rocked! There's no way I would have accepted tofu!).

And, unfortunately, it can give the viewing audience the impression that in order to eat healthfully, you have to eat things that you hate!

I wish they would have served them a tofu cheesecake or tofu carob cake (didn't dad prep one for a neighborhood picnic?) that they'd all ooh and ahh over, instead of straight-up stirfried tofu to begin with.

 

[Miss Lee]

I agree with you, Nancy. I have tried tofu several times and I think it's ghastly stuff, but my DH loves it. Of course, he likes it FRIED--lol!

Michele

 

[nancy324]

If I'm successful with DH, maybe I'll go on the show and show them how it's done. }( }( }( But I don't want to get my hopes up too high, it's only been 2 weeks, and DH has a long way to go.

ETA: He ate two slices of pizza last night as a midnight snack. I didn't say anything, because he already had the pizza in the freezer, and he can't stand to "waste" food. But I'll be sure that he never orders frozen pizza from FreshDirect again, unless I can talk him into one of their healthy pizzas.

He's a brilliant guy, but he just DOES NOT understand the concept that the pizza would be better off in the garbage than in his stomach.
-Nancy

 

[honeybunch1]

Congrats on you great strides! I'm thinkin' you're on the right track, and his weight loss may be slow but then he'll be more likely to keep it off. Good job! At the rate you're going, he may just go for the healthy pizza option.

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Mark Twain ;-)