Well I really need to get healthy. But my husband is a very picky eater. He wont eat anything healthy, including salads, fruits and most veggies. We also eat a LOT of fast food, basically every single meal we eat together. If my husband is working I eat at home but otherwise we eat out. Id love to eat at home more, but Im not sure what he would eat. All he eats at home is steaks, chicken nuggets, pb&j and cereal. We cant live off of that. HE cant live off of that. I want us to both get healthy but how can he get healthy along with me if he wont eat anything healthy? What kind of meals can I make that incorporate what we both like. I will eat ANYTHING but I cant make 90% of the stuff I want to because of him. I always say Ill make my stuff and let him fend for himself but I dont want him living off of Apple Jacks either which is what he would do. Plus I want us to be able to eat together, which is hard to do if we are making seperate meals. Any thoughts? Suggestions? How do YOU diet when your husband doesnt?!
I had to come to grips with seperate meals (each of us responsible for our own). We eat out alot, and it can be hard. I'm watching carbs, and I've found there are a lot of places I can eat, if I'm creative. Hubby wanted takeout from Hardees a few days ago, so I asked for a Mushroom and Swiss Burger without the bun (the darned fools put it on a bun anyway, which annoys me, because the burger has a decent sauce and when they put it on a bun, the sauce and half of the swiss cheese absorbs/sticks to the bun.
I made myself a big salad and ate the burger (without the bun) with knife and fork like a salisbury steak.
I used to make light versions of fast food, and I still do occasionally. And when I make spaghetti, I use Rice Pasta (hubby likes rice pasta, but not whole wheat), and make my meat sauce with half ground beef and half tvp (dry soy crumbles I get in the health food store by the pound, or sometimes I'll buy the boca crumbles in the freezer).
You can't make someone change their eating habits, but I did do a lot of whining to encourage hubby to at least TRY what I was eating. I told him I wouldn't gripe about what he was eating, if he at least tried what I was eating (and luckily he thought that was a pretty good deal).
At first (after the deal) I tried TONS of recipes trying to make healthy food I thought he'd like, but after a while I got exhausted. I did learn which ones he liked enough to eat, so that we can at least have an occasional meal together - but mostly I had to come to terms with the fact that we have very different ideas of what is healthy, and very different ideas of what tastes good (but I still make him taste any "new" foods I buy or recipes I try).
Definately. I've been dieting since August without my fiance doing it, and it's worked out fine. He's a big boy, and can feed himself. He's also a very picky eater (only eats hamburgers at most restaurants), and we eat out usually at least once a day. It's just a matter of learning what you can eat at fast food places. Plus, he's understanding enough to let me feed myself instead of him. I think if you talked to your husband about it, he'd be willing to do that for you.
Most of the time, our significant others are willing to make small sacrifices to help us improve ourselves, so just talk to him!
I have to deal with my bf always telling me how hungry he is when I keep so much food stocked in our fridge and pantry! I don't like getting fast food all of the time, its too expensive!
Sometimes he will let me cook baked chicken for him, or a bologna sandwich with provolone, but he eats so much I can't seem to keep up with his eating times and I eat 6 times a day, myself!
I've gotten to the point where I have to be like, "This is how its gonna be, no complaining!"
I guess I will have to try the "fend for yourself" thing and see how it goes! Most places we eat you can get a salad. Like Arby's I usually do a salad and get the jalepeno poppers cuz I jsut cant pass those up
Would he eat chicken? I made an easy chicken dish for company last night - mix equal parts mayonaise (low fat) and dijon mustard. Add chicken breasts and stir around till coated. Pour Panko bread crumbs on a plate (I used Italian seasoned) and coat chicken. Bake 45 min in 350 oven. It was very fast, quick, moist. I would think just about any man would eat it. You could bake him a tray of steak fries, and you could have a salad with yours. Easy and quick meals like this could work as a compromise.
Good luck! Just stay determined and you'll find a way!
He can probably save you from yourself in some cases too. For example, if you want the jalapeno poppers but don't want to add too much more fat, give half of your order to him! Saves me when I want a Hershey's bar.
Changing someone elses eating habits is very difficult, and impossible if they aren't at all willing. How many times were we nudged or told outright to lose weight? Until we are ready to change eating habits and lifestyle, can't be done. Same for him.
Over the years I have managed to get my husband to eat healthier, ( and he's never had a weight problem, weighs the same as in high school, darn him) with more veggies and whole grains, from a strictly meat and potatoes guy, but it was very slow.
I saw a diet program (no idea which one) about a guy who live on white bread, mayo and deli meats, mac and cheese and very bland starchy food.
The dietitian and his wife tried for weeks to help him eat healthier. I tried lots of combos of veggies, new foods etc. He literally gagged on stuff. I didn't see the end, but I know that after 3 months, he hadn't really added anything new or healthy to his diet, but was only eating some lower fat versions of what he had previously eaten.
I am sorry if he can't take the journey with you, but I think he would want to be supportive, even if it means separate meals.
good luck
I say stock the freezer at home with easy to make versions of what he will eat and make your own meals. Tell him he can eat what you are eating or he can fend for himself. He may eat nothing but apple jacks for a month, but eventually he will get bored with it and want something else.
Or if he doesnt, that is his look out. I hate to sound harsh here, but I see so many women sacrifice their OWN health to coddle their man.
While you CAN get "healthier" choices at fast food restaurants occasionally, as a regular thing it is very very difficult. So try to bring the fast food home for him - i.e. frozen nuggets, frozen french fries, frozen burger patties and just start by changing ONE habit...the eating out part. Let him eat whatever crap he wants, but at home. It wont be that hard to start timing things so he can still eat WITH you. He'll have plenty of chances to eat out on the meals you dont eat together (I am guessing at work he goes out for lunch?)
Over time maybe if you are making yummy nutritious stuff for you he'll be too lazy one night to make his own and will eat what you make, or it will look good and he will try it.
Occasionally try to make some compromise foods. I made a lasagne last week for guests. My friends will not eat anything healthy but they didnt even know it was turkey sausage and lowfat ricotta. It was heavier than I would normally want to eat, but WAY better for me than restaurant lasagne.
What do you feed your child? Our health is closely related to what we eat, as you know. I would simply tell him that all of that fast food is simply not an option for you or for the kid. Cook at home. He'll do what he will do, but I guarantee he won't starve. Grill turkey burgers, make tacos with ground turkey or TVP, put spinach/zucchini/mushrooms in your pasta sauce. You can't make his choices for him, but you can make choices about your health and your child's health. He'll get on board eventually.
Well my Daughter is too young to be eating most of what we eat (10 months old) but I keep telling him once shes older she will start pulling the "daddy doesnt eat it so why should I" thing. I told him the first time that happens Im shoving veggies down his throat.
i guess I can buy some of hte things he eats frozen and let him make it himself.
Don't use his eating habits as an excuse that you can't eat healthy. You are responsible for what you eat, let him be responsible for his food. I fixed food for my husband who was on a very strict renal diet (he was on kidney dialysis) and my WW meals for years. He passed away last May so now I can fix anything. He was always proud of how healthy I ate and told people about it. Take a look at what is in fast food chicken - McDonalds website has it and is typical. It's not plain chicken.
I fix the food in my house and either my DH will eat it or find something else. We do not fix unhealthy meals anymore It's just the way things are here.
You have to manage your own environment & not worry about your DH too much.
When I first started WW I knew that the Dh had to be considered. He is a fried food, hashbrown, gravy junky.
I make healthy meat servings, a serving of frozen hash browns for him, can of cheap walmart gravy, veggie, I microwave my potato or yam or what ever I want. If he's not satisfied I keep hot dogs and Ramen around for him. Both of which I hate.
If I'm doing spaghetti or a casserole, I just make it the healthy way and he can eat it or hot dog it. I don't care. He's been pretty good mostly.
This way we're both mostly happy and since I'm cooking anyway it really isn't any more work.
HE has never had a weight problem so he eats whatever. He is eating more veggies now though. Even enjoys some salad now and then.
Just curious, why do you eat out so much?
Last edited by shcirerf; 01-04-2009 at 07:09 PM.
Reason: forgot something.
need help RE: picky husband & fast food
It's just the way things are here. 
