Hi everyone,

I am a lifetime member who has gone astray. About 9 years ago I lost a lot of weight on WW. Unfortunately, I have gained in the last few years a lot of weight and I have gained my weight back and then some. I put most of the weight back in the last 4 years when I went back to work after being a SAHM for 14 years. Anyway, my question is how does a woman with children who works full time with basically no help from anyone in the family, and children who eat all sorts of different foods, stay OP???? I have an almost 18 year old and a 13 year old both boys. They hate the foods I make, especially my 13 year old. How do you ladies do it with working full time and having teenagers? That is my most difficult challenge. I don't want to make a few different type of meals each night because I don't have the time. How do you ladies do it? That is my biggest stress point? How do you find the time if you work full time, and have a family who likes all different types of foods?

I appreciate any advice.

Thanks,
Sandi

Hi Sandi,
I am also a Lifetime Member. If you have yahoo messenger feel free to add me and we can chat. My signature id is cowgirl73160 or just message me here is ok.

Lisa

I am on WW, have a full time job, a household of 5 and a part time job - and I have lost 57 lbs.
Dedication and the want is the biggest thing. When I cook - I cook heathier - if my family wants something I know I should not eat - I have smart ones frozen meals in the freezer or I just cook me up a chicken breast or something like that. Some of the dishes I prepare are converted to a healthy verison and my family really dont know it is - they eat it , love it - then I tell them is is good for them (or better than it was)
I decided if I want to lose I have to sometimes make 2 different things for dinner

Sandi:

I have 2 boys (21 and 15) and they pretty much eat what I make. I've lightened up our family recipes and they don't have a clue and most of the time I eat what I make them just smaller portions and more vegetables or a salad. If it's something they don't like they have the option of making something themselves but 99% of the time they eat what I fix for dinner and have found that they like a lot of my "new" recipes.

I've been a LT member 8 years now, work full-time and also work part-time at Weight Watchers as a receptionist. I have found that planning is key. You may want to ask your kids what types of meals they would like and go from there. A lot of recipes can be lightened without altering the taste. As I said, I don't tell them and they can't tell the difference

Your boys are certainly old enough to make themselves PB&J or a bowl of cereal or soup if they don't like what you're making. Do they want you live long enough to babysit for their kids? Then suck it up for Mom's sake at least half the time (and why aren't they starting dinner while you're at work?).

My two best tricks are to (1) always eat off a salad plate (Correll makes a perfectly sized one) and to (2) start any meal with a salad and put it in your plate (i.e., don't put your salad in a separate bowl). So I have to finish the salad before I start on the regular food. After I finish the salad, I take a very small portion of what they rest of them are eating -- and after downing the salad, that's almost always enough.

Lastly, I will sometimes do what Julie does and have a Smart Ones instead of what they're having if it's particularly addictive for me (like tomorrow night it's spaghetti and meatballs night and I just can't be trusted). After I finish the salad, then the Smart Ones (sometimes I beef it up with spaghetti squash regardless of the variety), then I allow myself a little of their regular stuff.

Good luck -- There's ALWAYS an excuse -- it's all about saying I'll do, not I'll try.

A lot of things can be made vegetarian and this will lower the points substantially. I am thinking of soy meatballs (Trader Joe's or Boca) instead of meat, Barilla multi-grain pasta (in the yellow box) mixed with a bit of grated cheese and lots of chopped vegetables, burritos made with ff refried beans and whole wheat torillas.

My kids are fine with all of those. If not, they make themselves a frozen Kashi waffle or a pb & j (on whole wheat bread!). I think if you leave reasonably healthy alternatives around, at least you know they'll do all right if they eat something simple they make for themselves. I agree that the key here is that THEY make it for themselves. Your life as a short order cook should come to an end...for your own sanity and to set a good example.