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Kick in the butt...

I need a kick in the butt. I just started this current journey on 6/1/06, but we've had company, and there has been MUCH food--mostly because it was family, and all of our family functions seem to revolve around food. I'm still on track, kind of (not gaining), but I need like a "wake up and smell the coffee" sort of moment. The food's been wonderful, but last night I think I ate way too much (still feeling incredi-full this morning :barf:). I think I need someoene to share encouragement with and to check-in with occassionally.
However, my biggest problem is that I live at home with my parents (I rent), and they don't really care how they eat or if they exercise at all. More than that, I do tend to like the healthier stuff (veggies, chicken and fish), but my parents--mostly my father--are stuck on tons and tons of red meat and fried stuff. I've got some cholesterol problems, and so I'm not supposed to be eating tons of red meat or fried stuff, but it's so hard when we all are making dinner as one to share between all of us to come to some healthful foods. Do I need to just prepare all of my meals by myself (ie, no more "family pitch-in cooking") and schedule a differet time for eating, so that I won't be tempted to eat stuff I know I shouldn't?? Also, I buy really healthy stuff for myself (outside of the family grocery shopping) that I like to have on-hand, but then they get all offended by the fact that it's for me--like I'm some sort of snob and can't share stuff. :rollpin: But the healthy food I buy I buy specifically because I can't/won't/don't/shouldn't eat the chips/cookies/cakes/pies that are in the house currently. How do I let them know that I am doing this for my health without sounding harsh so that they'll accept that I have to have those on hand so I stick to it? Any advice on anything??? :shrug:

Do they know about your cholesterol problems? Has your dad checked his? That may be quite the eye-opener.

Can you get a mini-fridge for your bedroom? Then you have your own stuff and they never need to know about it. Or just buy small snacky stuff that can work for meal replacements: hard boiled eggs, string cheese, yogurt, high fiber cereal...Maybe you could cook once a week for the family, and make extras so you could have leftovers the rest of the week.

What are you doing for exercise?

Can you request that some of your healthy stuff be added to the family grocery shopping so that they don't think that it is just for you?

Do they know why you need to change your eating habits?

Can you schedule a few days a week where you don't have to eat dinner with them and then on the other days take an active role in planning the meals so that they can fit more into your plan?

If you can't get away from their food choices then just eat less of it. Just because dad prefers a 16oz steak doesn't mean that you should have to eat one too for one meal, you could divide it up into 2 or more meals. Just be the best example that you can be and make the best choices that you can for yourself at the time.

Originally Posted by :
Do they know about your cholesterol problems? Has your dad checked his? That may be quite the eye-opener.
...
What are you doing for exercise?

Yeah, they do know about the cholesterol problems. And they've both checked theirs, and theirs is high as well, but they're taking cholesterol medicine for it, not watching what they're eating and excercising.
I'm going to the gym at least once every other day, but my goal is to try to work that up to every day, maybe even twice a day. At the gym I'm mostly doing cardio stuff, but I am doing slight weight training, too.

Originally Posted by :
Can you request that some of your healthy stuff be added to the family grocery shopping so that they don't think that it is just for you?

Do they know why you need to change your eating habits?

Can you schedule a few days a week where you don't have to eat dinner with them and then on the other days take an active role in planning the meals so that they can fit more into your plan?

If you can't get away from their food choices then just eat less of it. Just because dad prefers a 16oz steak doesn't mean that you should have to eat one too for one meal, you could divide it up into 2 or more meals. Just be the best example that you can be and make the best choices that you can for yourself at the time.

I usually go shopping with them, and request and add to the whole pile (which I help pay for anyway) when it's alright with everyone. If it's not something they really want, then I'll add it to a "me" pile. I am more than willing to share, I just want something to be there when I go to reach for it instead of finding nothing while rushing out the door. And they know I need to change my eating habits, I've been talking about it for a while now. But I do like the idea of scheduling a few days a week where I don't have to eat dinner with them. I think that'd be the best option. I don't want to exclude them, but it's REALLY hard eating with them.

Thanks for the good advice and tips! I appreciate it!

Hi
If nothing else you could schedule some of your gym time during that time. I am sorry that your family is not supporting you in the healthy eating. I have put my entire family on a diet at home. (just cooking lowfat stuff it is better for them anyway). I have the opposite problem, when I am at family functions (extended) with my mom and my sisters I feel like they are looking at everything I put into my mouth and disapproving. Even though I am watching what I eat and have planned to be able to have a little more there (you know what I am saying). Maybe on some of the days that you help with the menu planning they will find some stuff that is less fattening that they really enjoy. Maybe in this way you can influence them to eat better also.

Trish

Originally Posted by trishn222:
If nothing else you could schedule some of your gym time during that time.

Good idea!!:)

Originally Posted by trishn222:
I have the opposite problem, when I am at family functions (extended) with my mom and my sisters I feel like they are looking at everything I put into my mouth and disapproving. Even though I am watching what I eat and have planned to be able to have a little more there (you know what I am saying).

I know exactly what you mean. However, for me, when I go to those types of functions, it's not that they're really looking at me, but I feel like they are...like, "ooh, I planned right, I could have a small brownie...but, oh, are they watching me?", or "what would this look like?" sort of thing. I'm trying to change how I think in those situations and trying not to be so self-concious. I think, also, deciding that you know what you've been doing/not doing eating/not eating and that your family doesn't know at all, should help in that situation, too, though. Becuase you know you've been good and have been keeping track of everything, they don't. So, good luck with your family, too!!:hug:

When I was eating low-fat vegetarian (think pritikin) and my family was not, we had a similar problem. What we did was for me to make something that would be a main dish for me and a side dish for them. Then they added their meat main course to it. There are a lot of lower-fat protein things that you can keep in the freezer and microwave a single serving of for your main meat course, and then load up on healthy veggies and sides that you make for the whole family.

For instance, I keep fish fillets, pre-cooked shrimp (just rinse with cold water to thaw), and individually frozen chicken breasts on hand. Even now, my husband can have his big steak and I can throw a chicken breast into the microwave, and then we share the side dishes. It's not that much more work.