The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[StrivingSister]

Newbie just_julie stated in a different post:

"Of course I make the family's other meals, but I've always made them healthy things that are not tempting to me. Funny how I would always take care of them with healthful food, but I didn't take care of myself."

This interesting comment (thanks, just_julie! ) got me to thinking about how many posts I have seen that while WE are "resisting tempatations" doing great sticking to program, I have seen this "resistance to temptation" within the context of us cooking/baking (or ordering) tempting, potentially unhealthy foods for our families.

For example, the other night, following my medifast L&G meal, I made my husband a very unhealthy meal consisting of white pasta, a lot of oil in homemade sauce, breaded chicken and NO VEGETABLES! I didn't even think to modify my food preparation to make it more healthy for him! I also bought him chips and puddings for a snack...wouldn't low salt pretzels and SF jello suffice? Especially when I know he likes them or is willing to try new things?

Now, on the one hand, he is VERY physically active (more than me, I'm afraid). Also, making ANOTHER big change in addition to me just getting adjusted to MF may be too much for me to handle at this initial stage. "...baby steps..." quote Bob's Therapist (thanks again, Dayna! )

However, I want to make the transition into maintenance successful. I want my husband and I to make better choices with food and its preparation. I want my family to CRAVE the tastes of healthy food and snacks and CRAVE foods prepared in a healthy manner. I want my family to eat "goodies" (or should I say "baddies") in moderation. I also do not want my children (that I do not yet have ) to grow up with poor eating habits and a bad relationship with food like I did.

Any Thoughts??

[just_julie]

Are you feeding the L & G to your hubby? That would be a baby step.

I fix oatmeal and yogurt for the family's breakfast. Hubby's lunch is packed with a sandwich (turkey, mustard, and cheese on whole grain bread) or dinner leftovers, 2 pieces of fruit, a single low-sodium V8, a Zone Bar, and some trail mix. He eats this box of food throughout the day eating part at lunch and the rest for snacks (mid-morning and afternoon.) I usually fix fruit, cheese, & whole grain crackers/bread for my 4 & almost 2 year olds for lunch. They snack on fruit and other healthy foods resulting in smaller, more frequent meals. We all have the L & G for dinner. I add other veggies/fruit that are not on the MF list for them, but I stick to the program.

My husband is 6' 2" and about 190 - 200. He's slim and active. He always ate healthy foods growing up. I did not. I got to where I needed MF by going out to eat too much, overeating, and grazing throughout the day - on foods that I wouldn't feed my own family! My two pregnancies and thyroidectomy due to cancer haven't helped things, but they certainly are not excuses.

I think this is a good time to take baby steps for our whole families. Like you said, I don't want my daughters to inherit my bad relationship with food either. We've talked about McDonald's and other unhealthy eating. My being on MF will halt trips to McD's, but I don't want them to create new food anxieties as a result of my "dieting." Does anyone know what I mean?

I don't know if I've helped or hindered, but thought I'd share more since you quoted me.

[DogMa]

I was just talking about this with a friend the other day. She's on Weight Watchers, and was commenting that her 11-year-old daughter is thrilled with the meals she's been making, "because they're so colorful" with all the fresh veggies.

[Dayna]

My being on MF will halt trips to McD's, but I don't want them to create new food anxieties as a result of my "dieting." Does anyone know what I mean?

I know exactly what you mean. While my immediate family has struggled with the over-eating side of the food-issue coin, my cousin's family has, I think, struggled with the other side. Unbeknownst to most of the family, my cousin struggled with bulemia for many years. When my aunt told me this summer how she'd lost weight through not just exercise, but also skipping dinner a few times, it gave me a little clue as to where some of my cousin's food issues might come from. There's got to be middle ground, but I think that ground is hard to find!

I'm speaking as a teacher of middle school students (which I have been), and not as a parent (which I am not) when I say this, but it seems to me that if the emphasis with kids (especially girls) is on health and not weight, then it's easier to find the middle ground which keeps the kids in control of food, instead of the food controlling them. It's not so much good vs. evil as it is healthy vs. unhealthy. Showing the kids that healthy food needs to dominate their diet (because they'll feel better!), but that unhealthy foods in moderation can be a part of special treats (I find myself thinking of Pa on Little House on the Praire bringing home a peppermint stick for Laura) might help kids keep the pendulum from swinging too far in either direction. But raising kids with healthy food-relationships an awfully difficult battle, especially when we've got so many young actresses and singers parading around in their unhealthy skin-and-bones bodies.

As to feeding my husband - my preparations for dinner certainly have improved; I'm cooking healthier leans, and am more conscious about getting him some greens (which is sometimes difficult, since corn does not actually count as green veggie). However, his ability to run by the store and pick up chips and jalepeno poppers has not in any way been impeded by my program. My hope is that eventually he'll follow my example and start limiting most of his snacks to healthy choices. I suppose I could always tell him that having those things in the house is just too hard on me (even though it's been fine) . . . or would that be too sneaky?

This is a great topic for discussion. Thanks for bringing it up.

- Dayna

[HOPE]

I get your point exactley!!!!!! I felt at first I was on double shift with making everyones meals to theri liking.... FORGET THAT!!!! hahaha The family eats a sesible meal with me every night.. Basically the lean and green and I reward them with something extra... mac and cheese or something... No one has complained and believe it or not hubby was happily surprised he has dropped ten lbs without dieting since october!!!!! He was thrilled!!!!
We need to remember to take care of ourselves first...... it will benifit our family in the end!!!
Hugs!!!!

[FluffyNoMore]

If I cook they eat what I eat...they don't like me some days, but oh well. If dh cooks they eat junk.

About a month ago, I rid my house of any and all junkfood(except what dh brings home...but that's a whole other story). The kids ask for an apple for dessert, or a banana now though...it took about 2 weeks of them hating me, but they've finally given in. LOL! The junkiest thing we have is yogurt covered raisins.