I think first of all you should try to talk to him about it but if that doesn;t work......
I have run into this problem also, he doesn't do it intentionally, but I figure if I am at all tempted when he wants to order takeout, at the very least I can order a healthier choice. For instance, the other day it was very hot here and I was in no frame of mind to cook. He wanted fried clams from our local diary bar, I always get the fried haddock sandwich w/ cheese and fries. So I looked at the menu (for the first time ever) and realized that they have a broiled fish sandwich w/no cheese, so I got that instead and it tasted great.
The other thing I do is buy him his treats that he likes and I hate! I am a rare bird. I don't really like potato chips and I don't like dips, so I always get him the low fat dips and sour cream and onion chips BLEH! If there are types of things he likes that you don't get those and maybe he will will be less apt to bring stuff home
Worth a shot!
I think it's a big control thing with men. I'm being harsh, but they don't feel they have as much to worry about when they have a fat wife. My X loved to complain about my weight, but as soon as I got down to looking decent, out came the "let's go out for mexican" and the mint milano cookies. And I always said I could just have a little. :-(
I think guys just get scared we'll run off with a studly cover model.
I think the honest talk is the best way. Say you'd rather have him wash the dishes than bring the fast food. But if he keeps it up, just throw the stuff out in front of him. Once they see its a waste of money, they'll stop.
Is there a way to twist it around to make it sound like you want to save money by not eat out so much? Kind of slip into the diet without telling him you're on a diet? Be really busy when he brings the lunches so you can't eat right now, but you'll do it later, "thanks honey" and then toss it when he leaves?
Or the outright confrontation-yuck-talk about it. It's so hard for me to talk about things my DH has said, but usually when I do I've found he didn't mean what he said the way I heard it.
Is there a way to twist it around to make it sound like you want to save money by not eat out so much?
I like that idea! That's also feasible (fast food and junk food are not cheap, well, eating out in general isn't!). That's a great way to tackle the issue!
I plan and pack lunches (or at least did before I quit my job) and snacks. I didn't cut out the things I loved to eat (and I do love to eat- oh boy do i!), I wrote down what I ate at all times- accurately, and if I planned to have lunch out, I had lunch at a place that had nutrition info either in store or on the web. Failing that, I split the meal in half and sometimes thirds and put the rest away for later and estimated calories/fat by going to the web to research the ingredients I knew would be in that dish. I cut fast food almost entirely out though because I have to keep my fat intake down.
Fortunately, my husband has been really supportive, but the rest of my family not so much. Basically it really does all come down to you having to be responsible for what you put in your mouth. When I am tempted by a double cheese burger or something like that, I look at the ingredients or think about how the item was prepared. Do I really want to put that in my body? Usually the answer is no, but occasionally, I will say "what the heck" and eat the dang taco or whatever. I just make sure that I eat extra veggies at dinner and less bread and meat. At family gatherings, I will have a small taste of just about everything there and then eat a salad or something for a main dish. Not to sound like I am unsympathetic, but no one can sabotage you if you don't let them. You do have the power to do this and you do have the control over what you put in your mouth. You just have to find your inspiration.
What I would do is make sure that you always have a healthier alternative available to you. If he brings home a pizza, you can say "oh honey, I wish you'd asked first! I already have some healthier pizza in the freezer." If he brings home cookies, you can have a box of the 100 cal pack cookies in the cabinet. If he brings home ice cream, you can mention that you already have some fruit juice popsicles in the freezer. Bring a healthy lunch with you and as soon as he walks in the door, pull it out and eat what you brought. And every single time, repeat that you are really serious about your diet and really, really want to succeed. Hopefully, he'll get the hint and stop trying to sabotage your diet.
I just found this website, and I'm Sooo jazzed! I'm dealing with diet sabotage issues as well. After announcing, for the umpteenth time, that I'm going on a diet, my husband went to the grocery store and brought home cookies! Not even the kind he likes, but the kind he knows I'll gobble up.
The only solution is to be direct and confront the people who do these things. Then set up your house rules. Tell your husband you don't want cookies in the house. Tell him if he wants cookies he has to keep them somewhere out of your line of sight.
Or make cookies which are healthier. I made myself some healthy cookies, baked 2 dozen and then froze the rest. That way my husband could have his cookies. I could also have some cookies if I wanted.
I recently finished a book The 7 Secrets of Naturally Slim People which helped me see I had labeled foods as good and bad. I have removed that label from all foods. I am free to choose what my body wants to eat, not my mind. This is the key to food cravings, overeating, bingeing, etc. When I eat what my body wants I choose healthy foods. When I eat what my mind or emotions want I don't discriminate. I use food to stuff feelings and thoughts.
I had one incident this week where I was angry. I decided to be angry and not eat until I wasn't feeling angry. This took about three hours. It was a first for me to not eat and feel at the same time. That was a very empowering time for me and finally released me from stuffing my feelings.
