I think this is a great blog for people. In my case, I have asked my partner to do this with me, because I think he is just learning how to really see what he eats. I completely understand how hard it is to look at yourself at the end of the day and wonder what it is you did wrong when everything seemed so healthy. I am really proud of him because he started exercising again and reading nutritonal labels more now. He never knew. When we shop, it's about healthy foods and then treating ourselves once in a while but within reason. We both enjoy Thai and Sushi, which is really pretty healthy.

He wants to try this calorie count thing, but it's hard for him to do it because of being so busy. I want to sit with him and show him the ropes. I think he could benefit from it.

He complains a lot because of his weight. I think he is very attractive and tell him that I am very happy with him. He is healthy and really not that overweight at all. I just hate hearing him so unhappy, I know I am like that too if I'm not on the ball. I told him he needs to do it for him and not wait for me or anyone to do it with him. You can't always rely on someone to be there...you have to get out there. He began walking now that it's nicer. I admit, I should go at least once in a while for support and air for myself. I workout inside all the time...so it could do me good and I think he would like my company. I can be such a hermit.

Is there a way to help him manage his diet. I do all the shopping. I cut down his yogurt. We were eating Fage 2%, now I get him 0%. It's the healthiest yogurt I've found and he loves it.

Any suggestions. I know he accepts my help. I try to support him too. I really do think he looks wonderful, but I want him to be happy too with himself.

My husband's job is super physical - in the 28 years that we've been married his weight has not fluctuated more than 5lbs either way.  Mine on the other hand has gone up up and away.  I began this journey with more than 100lbs to lose.

I do most of the cooking at our house, and so my way of getting him on board was to offer to make delicious/nutritious meals.  I have NEVER expected him to eat rabbit food - just so that I can lose weight.  That would be unfair to him and he would not survive on a low calorie diet.

I cook from health conscious magazines and cookbooks.  He is my taste tester!  If he doesn't like it, I dont' make it again.  If he likes it, I put that recipe in my recipe box and enter it in my Calorie Count recipes so that I can add a serving to my food log anytime I make it!!

As long as the food I make satisfies his tastebuds, he's all for it. I eat the one serving recommended - He eats as much as he wants in order to satisfy his hunger.  It works for us.  Don't know if that piece of advice will work for anyone else.

I only kept up entering everything I ate and drank onto my food log for about two weeks and couldn't keep up with it.  By that time I found I was able to keep a reasonably good running count during the day in my head now that I know a slice of bread is 80-100 calories, mug of coffee with milk about 20 calories, my lunch soup tells me on the side of the can and so on.  Seems to work for me, I kept loosing weight after I stopped using the food log (though I seem to be on a plateaux right now).

I figured that too...I make dinner at home, rarely eat out. I use a lot of tofu, I just became a vegetarian, and he seems to like tofu a lot, so I don't have to mess around in the kitchen with two separate meals.

I do think the "head-count" would work well. If I can get him into the mix like me and then he can sort of get an idea of what he's eating every day after seeing the actual reports. That works for me too.

My advise was, if you can't remember what you ate for the day, you maybe ate too much. It made sense to me anyway.

I know we both have a hard time with no night eating too. I try to choose very, VERY low calorie things and healthier alternatives. I just get hungry. It's hard to curb it. BUT...I also work out at night too. It's the only time I have time to, or can manage it in.

I get how hard it is to use this thing if you're not at a desk like me. I mean, I get around the building, but I am able to conveniently log stuff all day. I work in a nursing home where I've recommended this to the nurses, but it's hard for someone like that to do anything when they are a nurse and on the floor all day. I suggested writing it down and logging it later. I also told my partner, he can do this too. He says he can remember what he ate in a day, so that is good, we just have to see where he is. I don't want to push him, I know that can also be negative support sometimes.

I carry around a small calorie counting machine which i find much easier to do then writing down and having to go to the internet to find information. I too am very busy and found this to be an amazing tool. I have lost 20lbs since january with it. Maybe your husband will find it easier to count calories using this tool. Its a made my coheso. here is a link

http://www.coheso.com/caloriesmart-d.html

I believe the best way to sell others on being healthy are your personal results. We all know that for most people seeing it believing. I started on my journey to a healthy lifestyle and started seeing results almost immediately. My husband noticed the changes in me and joined me. He and I have been going strong for almost four months now. I have lost nearly forty pounds and he has lost 20 pounds. We both have lost quite a bit in our percentage of body fat. We have both seen dramatic changes in the way our clothes are fitting, and can not wear some articles at all anymore. We both have become label readers, water drinkers, and consistent with our workout regiments. I come from a family where every celebration has food involved. This past weekend my family celebrated my grandmother's birthday. The menu contained lots of grilled meat, salad, corn-on-the-cob, coleslaw, and my homemade pounds cakes. I was able to eat some the leaner cuts of meat, had lots of salad, and did enjoy a slice of my cake. I drank lots of water, and had a great time. My mom bought me a salad dressing that had only forty calories per serving, I did not ask her to do it. This shows me that she is watching my progress. My being healthy will help my mom begin to believe she can do something about her weight as well. The best way to sell healthy lifestyle is to be a walking, talking advertisement of its benefits.

I want a Star Trek tricorder that will scan my food and keep track of calories.

ALL women who have struggled with weight and had their husbands encourage them..PLEASE READ!!!! i have a question for my dad! my mom's feelings only get hurt by his efforts!

Okay I have a question about this i would really like some help with! my mom really wants to lose weight she talks about it all the time..she'll start to diet and then break it and give up..and then when you try and help her.she'll get defensive and say you know ive actually been doing good...i dont need help..but then no one notices any results. My dad tries to encourage her but trying to get her to walk with him..or asking her if she wants to do P90x.He just started it and hes seen great results. I think she is almost envoius of him. I also lost about 13 lbs and she constantly now tries to make sure im eating. Almost like she wants to sabbotage me.saying you know you can eat unhealthy sometimes. My dad wants to encourage her by buying the shorter 10 min p90x workouts and saying if she does five of them a week he will bring her to this nice restaurant they first celebrated their 1 year anniversary at. Everytime he goes about things like this though, i think it makes her feel like he doesnt like how she looks and that he thinks she needs to lose weight rather then he wants to help her because he knows it will make her happier. does anyone have advice as to what he could say to her. I try to help him..but I dono maybe advice from someone who is in a married relationship who better understands could help me? what do you thin guys?? PLEASE READ AND LET ME KNOW!!

ajohns- I'm not sure what your dad could do.  Sounds like your mom might be a bit strong-minded and stubborn like my sister, and she needs it to be her idea and she needs to see it through herself.  If you try and help her when she's not into it you're just going to annoy her and keep her from wanting to get back into it.  I'm not sure though.  Good luck!

A friend and I didn't have much success with achieving a better diet with our husbands.  So we decided to each bring a healthy dish to share at lunch, which we have done for three years now.  Many of our coworkers are now reading food labels, and ask us about our delicious lunches.  Some stop by our lunch room every day to see what we are eating.  At night we still cook the foods our families like, incorporating some healthy items into dinner as we can.  Our husbands are over 50, and neither one wants to eat vegetarian meals.  They both LOVE meat.  My husband selects his steak at the grocery store and says "Mmmmmmmmmm" all the way to the cash register.  Although our husbands are only mildly cooperative, we have influenced many people at work and in our community with our new book, Lunch Buddies, Buddy Up for a Better Diet, which is for sale at http://www.amazon.com/Lunch-Buddies-Lynette-Fleming/dp/05780 01365/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240356538& sr=1-1.  

I've been able to get my husband interested in healthy eating by getting him involved.  We plan our weekly meals together and he goes to the grocery store with me and manages the shopping list -- making sure we get everything on the list. 

He has even started to help with the cooking.  He'll chop vegetables, make the salad, etc.  I try very hard not to criticize his culinary skills (he never does it quite like I would) because I'm just glad he's helping and it all tastes the same even if the tomatoes aren't chopped as small as I prefer. 

I wrote a blog post on this topic awhile back -- how to involve your spouse or family members in your healthy eating plan.  http://tinyurl.com/d3tc64

Original Post by: ajohns514

 

ALL women who have struggled with weight and had their husbands encourage them..PLEASE READ!!!! i have a question for my dad! my mom's feelings only get hurt by his efforts!

Okay I have a question about this i would really like some help with! my mom really wants to lose weight she talks about it all the time..she'll start to diet and then break it and give up..and then when you try and help her.she'll get defensive and say you know ive actually been doing good...i dont need help..but then no one notices any results. My dad tries to encourage her but trying to get her to walk with him..or asking her if she wants to do P90x.He just started it and hes seen great results. I think she is almost envoius of him. I also lost about 13 lbs and she constantly now tries to make sure im eating. Almost like she wants to sabbotage me.saying you know you can eat unhealthy sometimes. My dad wants to encourage her by buying the shorter 10 min p90x workouts and saying if she does five of them a week he will bring her to this nice restaurant they first celebrated their 1 year anniversary at. Everytime he goes about things like this though, i think it makes her feel like he doesnt like how she looks and that he thinks she needs to lose weight rather then he wants to help her because he knows it will make her happier. does anyone have advice as to what he could say to her. I try to help him..but I dono maybe advice from someone who is in a married relationship who better understands could help me? what do you thin guys?? PLEASE READ AND LET ME KNOW!!

I think the answer is very simple.  Tell your dad to stop focusing on weight and start talking about health.

Your dad should tell your mom that he loves her very much no matter her weight but that he is worried about her health and that he wants to spend many more years with her.  I would guess that she probably has other health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.  Focus on getting those things under control rather than the weight -- I guarantee that the weight will start coming off.  The reason?  Because the answer to all of these problems is healthy diet and exercise. I have been absolutely amazed at how effective this strategy has been for me and I'm so much healthier now. 

Bottom line - focus on being healthy not on being skinny. 

My boyfriend has been supportive of my goals from day one which has been a blessing. Starting out, we had a tendency to eat completely different meals from each other which was okay with both of us. Then, I started looking for healthy recipes and alternatives to my favorite junk foods and found a lot of great meals are just as good if not better than the originals. As he saw my success and more importantly, my enjoyment of the food, he came on board and started asking me to prepare the same foods for him. We also do the same thing as tammymc3793 and her husband.... I'll eat a portion size and he eats as much as he wants. (Oh, how I envy the male metabolism, lol)

Another thing I've done that has helped, is I've slowly replaced the snack foods in our home to healthier choices, one-by-one.  Now instead of grabbing a Snickers bar to calm his mid-afternoon sweet tooth, he'll eat an orange or one of the low-cal pastries I've learned to make.

I've also caught him reading nutrition facts on food. It's too cute but it goes to show that good habits can rub off on others. :o)

I'm sorry if this comes off as rude, but really?  

Why would any rational, intelligent human being have to sell or be sold on being healthy?  Is the obvious obesity problem which plagues adults in America, which they pass on their lovely habits to their children, not be the first red flag?

Or the fact that our world is changing, so most people are sitting at a desk rather than working on a farm, so exercise should be a part of your regime, which brings me to my next point, breakfast is not the most important meal of the day, meaning, you don't work on a farm anymore, why in God's name are you eating 2,000 calories to sit behind a desk?

I graduated high school in 92 and the food pyramid (appropriate portions of food) and exercise was stressed in my schooling, can only imagine the copious amounts of research that has come out since my day, which all leads to the same rule of thumb.... eat proper portions, which is basically a fist, or a cup, and eat the right foods...

I bet it is difficult to lose 100 lbs when you sit on your bum all day at work, go home and eat fried, processed food and the only exercise you see is walking from your car to your front door.

I couldn't be more disgusted with the whining in this country about their weight. Look at every other country in the world and notice that we are the only country that deals with this moronic, lazy issue....  Nutrition is a very simple concept.  You are what you eat.  Put down the hydrogenized, processed crap your body doesn't know how to process and walk around your block at least once a day.  I'll bet your pet looks as unhealthy as you do....

Quit talking about it, blogging about it, waiting for your boyfriend to eat like you... blah, blah, blah-  Just do it!  It's sooo simple.  It's UNHEALTHY to be overweight, never mind the insecurities you feel.

I joined this website to learn about healthy topics, but looks like I already know about health... good thing you exist for these bloggers here, as if this isn't the same info that is accessible every where and has been forever.

The great thing about websites like calorie count is that it offers help to EVERYONE, not just those who already know what to do to lose weight.  Perhaps you should spend time on the calorie count sessions, exercise advice, and recipe selections.  Please don't attack those who need blogs to help reach their goals, Ana.

Yes, in a perfect world, we would all be drawn to simple, whole foods.  We would all be able to eat the same amount of calories and do the same amount of exercise to get the results we need. But people eat for more reasons than just hunger and physical sustenance.  We heard about the food pyramids, but perhaps went home to meals that didn't exactly fit the mold, due to economic restraints or different family values and beliefs.

Many of us need the blogging space to help us reach our goals.  There are many studies that show that sitting on our bums and blogging actually helps us change our habits for the better.  You call it whining-- I call it venting, and venting feels liberating!:)

Have a great day, everyone, and blog on!!

Personally, I think the reason most people have a hard time getting motivated to eat healthy is because we associate eating healthy with eating food that does not taste good.  Remember the card board foods we had several years back.  Yuk!  But now there are so many alternatives.  You can eat healthy now and still eat good food.  Last year I subscribed to Taste of Home Healthy Magazine and I've collected so many healthy recipes that really taste good.  My husband doesn't even know he's eating healthy anymore.  We recently went to the doctor for a checkup and was asked the question "What kind of a diet do you eat?"  He said I eat anything I want.  I then said, but I then chimed in and said he's on a low-fat, no sugar diet (He's diebetic).  I know he's eating a healthy diet because I cook all his food.  So my point is that he doesn't even know he's eating healthy foods.  That's how much better the foods are these days.  Now if you eat out at the fast foods restaurants, that's a whole other story  and I'm sure you know it's not healthy yet to eat at fast food restaurants.  They are getting better and do have healthy selections, but they aren't there yet.

this is to npmahan..

Really if your going to start out a blog saying i dono if this is rude or not? obviously IT IS... if you need to question it there is the red flag. AND secondly I am someone who eats right, exercises and also became a member so that I could get healthy tips on eating right and some other cool recipes...but for you to attack those who turn to others for moral support when they are struggling with weight is completely immature, and only makes you look like a jerk. You say that your tired of hearing people wine about their weight, and that the obesity epidemic is due to people just sitting at their desks all day and not exercising. well yes, that plays a large role but as Americans- especially those in the business world( the ones you call the over weight complainers that sit on their bums all day) we are demanded a lot of. The amount of hours at the office continuously increases because there is so much competition for jobs and a constant need to keep proving yourself. My dad for example, is a very fit man. He loved doing p90x but he works for microsoft and the are laying off people left and right and so there are weeks where he'll sleep 3 hours in two day nights of sleep. I honestly never see my dad move from his computer these days.. so I guess he's one of those bums that doesnt move from his desk...funny though cause I see him as an incredibly hard worker. You dont know people stories.  You do not know their personal struggles, their emotional, mental, and physical struggles. So before you point any fingers and call people lazy or complainers or any stereotypical names you can find for people that battle their weight rather then live in harmony with it, remember that at least they are fighting. The "complainers" on these blogs are trying to make a difference and do something about their weight so I see them as leaders because the more people try and better themselves..others will catch on. The United States as a whole is very large, but I think we've started to make strides with things like wii fitness..that instill the idea in young children that exercise can be fun and that it should be a part of daily activities.

Also you obviously have never had an unhealthy relationship with food..so your in no position to talk( if you havent) I am 5'7 1/2 and 122 I dont look like i have any problems with food and i love to exercise everyday..but in reality food is my enemy. it has been for the past year and a half..I battled anorexia and dropped to 96 lbs then i battled bulemia and got up to 145 a very heavy wight for my body frame..i am finally healthy...the mental aspects of weight issues are huge... i dont disagree that Americans need to exercise more.I completely agree with that statement. my major is dietetics and nutrition and i want to have a special focus in weight management and pediatrics..so i can help with this problem..also with other people that battle eating disorders.. but im sorry I am not on here "complaining" personally, but those that u feel are just KEEP ON COMPLAINING!!!! because  u are going out and trying to make a difference in your life..and if you have conquered your enemy..and reached your goal weight then keep tell your story so that others can turn to you for support when it gets hard and they want to give in!!! you are an inspiration to all those who struggle with weight and are trying to push through to their own personal finish line, DONT FORGET THAT! soo just keep on WINING and COMPLAINING...because at least ur taking a stand setting an example and trying to "change your stars." You understand the life that involves  a constant weight struggle, the self-esteem issues, and the guilt associated with food doesnt have to exist..so WINE about it all and tell others..giving them support..I know when i beat my eating disorder and lost the weight I had gained through binges..I became more confident, more motivated, i had more energy, my relationship with my family and friends increase, and even my boy friend, and my relationship with myself blossomed.. I was proud and i really appreciated everything I am..

so npmahan...think before you write a blog the next time... no one needs your remarks..especially if your just trying to bring people down..u dont wanna hear all the WINNING go to allrecipies.com...it has healthy recipes to..but calorie-counts purpose is to serve as a support group for weight lose and to help people reach their weight lose goals..maybe you should have read more into the sight before joining and especially before making such ignorant comment to people who try so hard everyday to better themselves...

sorry i dono if the blog is rude or not?

sorry that last comment wasnt not to npmham.....it was to anatharp

sorry npmham!!!!

I think anatharp has missed the point somewhat.
I've known for most of my life calories in vs. calories out (excercise) is what counts, but I still find this site invaluable for adding some more detail to this knowledge which was the last step to actually acheiving a fairly consistent and easy to maintain weight loss.

The posts that people make about their experiences serves to set the right expectations about what will happen while your cutting calories below what you "burn" each day to loose weight.

I didn't know that around 2 pounds a week is about the right rate of weight loss, sometimes weight loss will "plateaux" and you won't loose any for a while, then the weight loss continues.  A lot of people might get discouraged by this and give up if they didn't know that this is actually a normal part of the process so keep it up.

Like any annonymous forum you will get some "whiners" and you will also get some people who are rude and "grumpy" all the time.

Best way to be on any forum is to always keep your contributions positive, even if inside your thinking "lazy whiner".  You never know, you might help that person stop being lazy and stop their "whining" by helping them get their mind in the right place to acheive their goals.

I think it is hard sometimes for our partners/spouses to jump on board of our weight lost.    My partner kept hinting that I was putting on weight and he was correct.  Now that I have lost @16 pounds, he is hinting that I shouldn’t get too caught up in my calorie counting.  I will admit I check all food containers before I consume it, but that is only to make sure I don’t go over my set calories for the day.  I don’t believe he wants to sabotage me, but he may need to get on board to get in shape.  We just have to take them along with us on our quest, but remember their quest also.   But remember the individual has to make the first move.   

Its not easy to lose weight when your husband isn't supportive! I am still on my journey and I think it would be easier if my husband were on board with this.  I got tired of nagging him about what he eats, so I gave up with pushing him.  The number one thing I have realized is that the everybody (adults that is) is responsible for their own weight loss.  I cannot control what he puts in his mouth...I have a hard enough time controlling what I put into mine!

I do all the cooking and shopping in my house, so it's easy for me to control what goes in my husband's mouth.  I search for healthy recipes and cook them.  The recipes and the ingredients are so good these days you don't even know you are eating healthy.  Now getting my husband to stop is another problem, but I've solved that too.  I only fix enough for two people.  When the food is gone, it's gone, but I rarely get complaints because the new healthy recipes allow acceptable quantifies too.  Works for me. 

Hmm...I understand what you are saying and I too have some measure of control into what my husband eats because I too make all the meals and do all of the shopping.  The biggest point I was trying to make is that each person is in control of his or her own personal weight loss journey.  I cannot force my husband to work out and if he wants to stop for a burger he can stop for a burger, its HIS choice not mine.  I do however see your point very clearly, we as wives have a big responsibility to prepare healthful meals and help our husbands make smart choices.  Maybe if I take more of an effort to make lo-cal meals his sodas and burgers won't be so bad.  Time to start using that biggest loser family cookbook I bought!

tammymc3793 - that's what I do and it works fabulously!  Also, it works well on social occasions as there are still plenty of healthy food that taste great!  Good on you :-)  Well done in your quest for further knowledge and self-improvement - glad to read about your experiences...

npmham - I wholeheartedly agree with ajohns514!  I have seen so much distasteful and unpleasant comments on various websites, and find it rather sad that you are gunning for people on this site; who are merely trying to help themselves.  I don't understand why you seem to have so much anger at people who have joined this site to educate themselves!  It's really quite mean.  We are not hurting anyone but we are helping ourselves.  For myself, before you write me a caustic attack, I am not technically overweight as I am below 25% bodyfat, but I am someone who strives to keep healthy and who would like to lose those extra lbs of fat, as well as gain additional insight to my dietary/ emotional habits.

I have knowledge; not just of nutrition but of etiquette, manners and general public decorum.  Now THAT is something I fear that you need to learn about...

Please cease and desist from writing such scathing attackes on people - it simply isn't kind!!!!!!

Original Post by: anatharp

I'm sorry if this comes off as rude, but really?  

Why would any rational, intelligent human being have to sell or be sold on being healthy?  Is the obvious obesity problem which plagues adults in America, which they pass on their lovely habits to their children, not be the first red flag?

Or the fact that our world is changing, so most people are sitting at a desk rather than working on a farm, so exercise should be a part of your regime, which brings me to my next point, breakfast is not the most important meal of the day, meaning, you don't work on a farm anymore, why in God's name are you eating 2,000 calories to sit behind a desk?

I graduated high school in 92 and the food pyramid (appropriate portions of food) and exercise was stressed in my schooling, can only imagine the copious amounts of research that has come out since my day, which all leads to the same rule of thumb.... eat proper portions, which is basically a fist, or a cup, and eat the right foods...

I bet it is difficult to lose 100 lbs when you sit on your bum all day at work, go home and eat fried, processed food and the only exercise you see is walking from your car to your front door.

I couldn't be more disgusted with the whining in this country about their weight. Look at every other country in the world and notice that we are the only country that deals with this moronic, lazy issue....  Nutrition is a very simple concept.  You are what you eat.  Put down the hydrogenized, processed crap your body doesn't know how to process and walk around your block at least once a day.  I'll bet your pet looks as unhealthy as you do....

Quit talking about it, blogging about it, waiting for your boyfriend to eat like you... blah, blah, blah-  Just do it!  It's sooo simple.  It's UNHEALTHY to be overweight, never mind the insecurities you feel.

I joined this website to learn about healthy topics, but looks like I already know about health... good thing you exist for these bloggers here, as if this isn't the same info that is accessible every where and has been forever.

 

 

Yeah its rude!   Of course we all KNOW what eating healthy is but not everyone has followed that all our lives.  We have chosen the bed things to eat in the past because they taste good and sometimes we use them as an emotional crutch.  We like this website bc it encourages us.  If you are so perfect start your own website!  We don't want you here!  We know our own faults and don't need you to point them out!

Yeah, it is hard when my husband does not care about eating as healthy as I do, but somehow, when I've seen the weight come off, it is all worth it. I am more concerned about his health than anything. He is a thin person and has always been, so he thinks he doesn't have to think about it. But he eats sweets almost all day long. I cook healthy for him for dinner, but he packs his own lunch and eats sugary cereal for breakfast. So I don't know how to convince him to eat less refined sugars for snack, but eat fruit and veggies instead. Hopefully some day I will rub off on him.

Original Post by: nojo509

I want a Star Trek tricorder that will scan my food and keep track of calories.

ME TOO!!!

I am proud of all the people who are taking the many small steps to make their lifestyles healthier. You do not only benefit yourself and your loved ones by enjoying a longer and happier life; but you benefit your community and society as a whole by being more productive and less of a burden on an overtaxed healthcare system.

Possibly setting a good example is one of the most important things one can do to persuade friends and loved ones to live healthier.

All changes start with the mind and following the many blogs here can be a great way to gain knowledge and to reenforce good behavior. Anatharp's rave about the obesity crisis is simplistic and naive. 

First the problem is not limited to the US or North America. It is spreading around the developed world. Even countries like Italy with its famous mediterranean diet is not immune. The causes are complex and seem to be at their root socioeconomic. The obesity "epidemic" is much more than a question of education or parenting.

Healthcare professionals, sociologists,  psychologists, economists, nutritionists and politicians are all grappling with the price modern society is paying for obesity and seeking out cost effective and democratic ways to change millions of peoples behavior.

There is no question in my mind that sites like this one are making an important contribution to the challenge of making us a more fit and health conscious society.