Nooo! My clothes!!!!
 

I've tried to use fitday several times in my life, but I've always given up out of frustration from having to make so many custom foods for my own recipes. I'm back, though, and really hoping that this time I'll stick!

I'm 5'5 and my best guess would be that I weigh about 140-145 lbs (I just moved, and need to buy a scale). Honestly, my biggest concern isn't the way that I look since I know that I'm still at the upper end of the healthy range, but my clothes just don't fit anymore and I don't have the money to buy new ones! Not to mention that I've grown attached to a few pairs of jeans and replacing them wouldn't be the same.

I need to get down to about 125-130, which doesn't sound like much of a change, but i've been trying for months. I cook dinner, and my husband's grown attached to very unhealthy meals. I've tried things like using low-fat substitute ingredients, but it's definitely not enough.

Any ideas on how to wean him off of delicious, familiar recipes and onto healthier ones? I know that I could just make separate meals for myself, but I have no willpower when there's pot pie sitting right in front of me. :(

ETA: Eep, I'm sorry if that was off-topic and belonged in another section! I just figured that while introducing myself, I ought to add a bit about the reasons I'm here.

I too had to find a way to deal with the foods my family eats regularly. One approach for me has been to cook a vegetable or have a salad in addition to food the rest of the family is having. This allows me to eat a smaller portion of the more calorie dense food and then fill up on the lower calorie vegetable or salad. I usually pass on bread even though everyone else is eating it. One of the advantages of this method is that I don't have to completly eliminate any foods from my choices. I just need to make sensible choices when it comes to quantity and my total calories for the day.

Hi, stopcounting! I've just joined up on the forums too after years of trying Fitday for a month and then growing frustrated and leaving again for a year. LOL. I'm sorry to hear of your struggles--I felt that same 'clothes don't fit!' panic when I started gaining from 125 and hit 140 too fast. I hope you can fit into your jeans soon!

One thing I empathize over is that your husband likes unhealthy meals--my parents (who I live with until early next year) are the same way. It's REALLY hard to force yourself to eat well when someone sitting across from you/in the same room is eating poorly, and I concur that changing what he eats is likely integral to changing what YOU eat. Influence is very potent. I've read that if one has friends who eat poorly or are overweight, one is far more likely to do the same despite one's best efforts!

Does your husband like ANYTHING healthy or is he one of those folks who eschews the very thought of vegetables? It may take some time to change his ways, but I feel like a slow introduction of new and healthier foods might possibly change his ways. One thing you could try is getting some powdered fiber and pouring/mixing it into foods--we've got some and I've tried that before since fiber is filling and may compel you or him to eat a little less when you're supplemented with it. I'll go look up the brand name on ours if you can't find it. It has no taste and because it's so finely ground, it's not really noticeable. It'd be a good add to chilis and stews and soups, I think.

You could also try having a salad before dinner to fill yourself up on fibrous veggies. Even if your husband doesn't join you in this, it's something you can try yourself so that when you're presented with the unhealthy meal, you're likely to eat less of it. And salads can be a lot of fun with colorful veggies--I'm addicted to bell peppers and broccoli and baby carrots! They certainly don't have to be drab, even if you go light on dressing/condiments.

I'm only just restarting my own weight-loss attempts but I hope that my advice is helpful in some way. Good luck!

J.

One thing I've been doing lately is eating carrot sticks or grapes in the car on the way home, so I'm not ravenous by the time I get dinner on the table. And I measure out my plate first now, instead of fixing everyone else's plate first and dumping whatever's left in the pan on mine. I find once it's on my plate it must be eaten, even if I know I'm full and don't really want it. My grandmother's influence, I suppose.

I don't have that problem thankfully. I usually share my meals with my dogs! http://www.snay.org/smileys/laugh.gif

I also lol'd at the growing attached to your jeans. If I only thought to buy my favorite in smaller sizes...http://www.snay.org/menshealth/forum...ns/emo-cry.gif

I hear ya
 

Hey-
Am right where you are, honey! Same approx. height/weight ratio, pretty much disgusted with myself for not having the self-discipline to lose 10-15 lbs. when some people face down much bigger challenges successfully. I could shave 10 minutes or more off getting ready for work if I didn't have to try to camouflage!