Convincing your partner to be a little more, uhm, moderated with their food?

littlegreenparrot

Having read through the thread, I feel for you.

When I first got together with my partner he was very similar, litres of coca-cola, takeaways several times a week, etc etc.
13 years later we are married, and have found a way around it.
These are suggestions from what I have found works.

Of course your concerned, but sadly it isn't up to you. Any attempt to tell him not to will probably lead to arguments and won't work anyway (I'm the same, tell me not to and I'll go straight ahead, even if I don't want it anymore!)

Watch some documentaries (supersize me, recent programmes on what makes us thin etc) it doesn't matter what I say, but a man in a white coat saying it, that must be true.

Ok, this is the bit that many find strange (and yes, I know costs more), but works for us. Put him in charge of his food shopping. You just do yours. This means you should always have available what you want, and can leave him to his own devices. For ex, tonight I am cooking up a batch of paprika chicken. This will feed me tonight, tomorrow and DH can have some if he wants. All remainder will be portioned up in the freezer. His health, his money, his choice. Cook nice healthy things and encourage him to try. After that, its up to him.

This came about because I was fed up of expectations of meat every night, complaints about my cooking and choices, and various weird diets (atkins anyone?) we are much happier now, all the tension has gone out of it.

As to the other stuff, relax, you've got time
I'm in my mid thirties now and not where I thought I would be, but somewhere just as good! x

VJsmum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM


Watch this, seriously, "Sugar, the bitter truth". it is an hour and half long (I listened rather than watched, while I spring cleaned the kitchen). It's not fat that makes you fat, it is full sugar coke (& etc) and squash.

It would explain the biscuit cravings too.

Oh, and artificial sweetners make you crave sugar also.

HappyMJ

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

Why would your wife tell you to do anything? We use a bottle of Rocks a week between the two of us. Do you eat alot of salt? Is that why you need so much fluids? You can get water bottles now with filters in the lid. So each glass tastes better.

The principle is the same as anything - the cheap stuff is usually full of cr.ap and the more expensive stuff is usually better for you. Not always of course. So either spend more and get a better product or accept that you could be consuming things that are not actually good for you. Or grow and make it yourself.

*usually, not always of course.

She wouldn't but that's what this thread is about. The OP is getting into arguments because the poor bloke is being told he can't have an extra digestive biscuit, taking yoghurts that didn't have his name on them and he's getting through too much squash amongst other things.

I don't think I have a high salt diet. I do add salt to my cooking but not very much. The salt I bought well over 2 years ago and there is still a lot left. I have been told by my doctor to drink no less than 2 litres of non alcoholic liquids per day. I've had kidney stones before and been in hospital for several days and I don't want that experience again. I walk a lot and that makes me feel dehydrated. I don't feel that 3 pints of squash is enough but it's close enough.

I have a limited budget. I cannot spend much more on food and drinks. I don't have the land to grow anything myself.

culpepper

Would it help to make the things he craves,yourself?
You can make lemonade etc and you could use Stevia for the sweet part (plant based sugar alternative),it is something like 6 times sweeter than sugar so you use a tiny amount in place sugar.
If the biscuits were homemade, the same could apply.
Fruit isn't really that problematical then because the sugar intake would be lower from other things.
The yogs can be home made too and you could make two batches and label each container eg. 'Man yog', 'woman yog'

Could he try one of those smokers chewing gums? Smoking is often to relieve stress and he might just be substituting one thing to hold in his mouth for anything else(food or drink), so gum could possibly fill the gap instead of food .

Can he look into the open university for degree courses?
OH has just completed his law degree with them while working full time and 2 of my SIL's have degrees through the OU and better jobs now.

glitterkitty

Speaking of healthier drinks, when I got told I wasn't allowed caffeine due to heart problems, I started drinking flavoured fizzy water. Most supermarket have loads of flavours and do 4 for £1.50 offers. Although I can have caffeine again, so I do treat myself to a can of coke a couple of times per week (rather than a couple a day previously) I still drink loads of the fizzy water. Much better for you than squash etc and a bit different to just plain water.

redcard

kiss_me_now9 wrote: »

Kboss - He goes through about a litre of (full fat) coke a day too.

There's no fat in Coke.

Sugar makes people fat, not fat

aliasojo

redcard wrote: »

There's no fat in Coke.

Sugar makes people fat, not fat

Most people call it full fat even although they know fine there is no fat in it, it's kinda like a casual reference to the fact it's not the diet variety.

paulineb_2

If hes stuck in a job thats making him comfort eat, Id be supporting his decision to go back to uni. I went back to uni for the 3rd time when I was 34 and a lot of courses are full time, but require only a certain amount of time at uni and he could easily work around his uni hours, I did, I worked 4 12 hour shifts on and 4 off for a year while I was there.

I do think if this eating is becoming an issue, he eats things that you want then you agree to buy your own or you agree to buy food and as much as you can, split it down the middle, like if there are 6 yoghurts, you have 3 each.

Communication is whats needed, better than being irritated at him.

kiss_me_now9

Just wanted to say I will go back and read all the latest responses properly later (I guess) but I have to go take a very poorly elderly cat to the vet in a mo and my OH has decided he doesn't want to come with me (would rather be with his friends) so I'm not really rational enough to reply to you all without a few expletives

aliasojo

Aw, hope kitty is ok.

Men are useless sometimes, they do seem to have their own scale of what's important and often it doesn't gel with ours. I expect he thinks you'll be in and out so what's the point in both of you going.