Husband Help - Brighton,CO

I'll bet if he just stopped eating out, he's drop pounds quick!
Also, make it easy for him to get work-out time, and do healthy family activities together.

You can't ever say...I want you to lose weight. It's a HUGE no-no! Over the years, my hubby has had the issue and I have as well. When I was really overweight, he never said I want you to lose weight. We are concerned for each other's well being and health. I cook healthy meals, that is 1 way to start. If you both quit eating out and start making meals, not out of a box, at home...it will start to help. Also, get rid of junk food, not everything persay....you will need to have a small break periodically, so only a little. If you drink soda, do the diet way or eliminate...or greatly reduce. Same with alcohol, you wouldn't believe how much weight is gained drinking alcohol.
Exercising is a pain for those that don't do it...start small, walking everyday is something that will help.
Lifestyle changes are hard, but in the end you will see a result!
Good luck!

send him to a sleep apena website and let him see the dangers that re associated with it. my boyfriend developed it as his weight slowly climbed up and when the machines wouldn't work he had to get his soft palette scraped and his tonsiled removed but the surgery didn't go right and he ended up in a coma for a week because he couldn't breathe on his own! but had he lost that weight he would not have had to have the surgery! sleep apnea is very serious and weight plays a huge part in it. 90% who have accidents with sleep apnea didn't even know they had it. they usually fall asleep at the wheel! so please stress the weight loss! good luck and your in my prayers.

Well, it all starts at home. Stop buying junk food. Make iced tea instead of buying soda.
You can go work out with him. Maybe start playing something like raquetball? Also, has he been to the doctor for a check up lately? The doctor will talk to him about weight issues and general health.

My BF's husband struggled with this exact thing for years, ever since we met in '01 actually and always lamented his weight but couldn't keep motivated. He has a sit down office job and often has to go to executive lunch or dinner meetings or business trips and you can't be the only guy at the table to order salad... or so they tell me.

About a year ago, a friend of ours fell on tough times and needed a place to stay so they let him move into the guest bedroom in their home and he became a permanent member of the family. Being a boxing enthusiast, the new roomie introduced all kinds of protein shakes and work out videos to the house which had an amazing impact on my BF's husband.

He finally had someone on his "guy-ness level" to challenge and motivate him. The guys started going to the gym together and on business trips, her hubby would bring along some weight loss shakes to drink before business lunches so he didn't overeat. He didn't do it to lose weight, he kind of did it for the bonding experience and it turned into a lifestyle change.

So to make a long story short (I know - too late!) Maybe your hubby needs a buddy to work out with. Someone to play racquetball at the gym with or play ultimate frisbee with, etc...

Losing weight is one of those things we can't actually help someone else to do. They have to monitor their eating and exercise for themselves and work at doing the difficult. You can be of help by maintaining an upbeat or positive attitude with him. Be careful to not criticize or say anything judgmental. Keep remembering it's his project. Praise him when he succeeds. Be his cheerleader but not his coach.

Being over weight is related to several issues which he'll need to deal with before he's able to stick with healthy eating and exercise time. Perhaps he could join a Weight Watchers group if they have them for men. Or have time with a counselor who has training in the emotional aspects of weight loss. It might help both of you to take a nutrition class so that you know which foods are helpful and which aren't to losing weight. You could then make more informed restaurant and menu choices. Hospitals have nutrition classes and they are very reasonably priced.

if you bake, subsitute xylitol for the sugar.

If you cook, use raw virgin coconut oil instead of manmade oils. In fact, raw coconut oil can be taken from the spoon. It increases metabolism.

Increasing water is SO important because you can't disolve fat without a solvent. Water acts as a fat solvent.

Stop the eating out and cook at home. You have lots of control to cook healthy meals for him! If they are not full of fat- he wont overeat.

Most fat people are addicted to carbohydrates. I came from a family where the first 3 kids are alcoholics and the next three are fat. The correlation? both of these problems are due to a wheat fixation/and intolerance with wheat. Beer is made with wheat and feeds fungus. Gluten is like a FIX for those who don't process it well. You can try to go gluten free and see what happens.
Gluten and high estrogen feed yeast issues in the body. So does pasturized milk products.

Magnesium citrate 500 mg daily, and b complex vitamin drops under the tounge should be given daily.

Just wanted to tell you that you're not alone, except my hubby's low motivation spills over onto me and I can literally feel the wind being taken out of my sails. I don't have advice, but I'm looking forward to reading your responses.

Hang in there.

Do more as a family. dont just change is ways, change everyones. Cut down on eating out, dont buy junk food. Buy fruits and veggies so thats what you have to eat. Pack lunches and make dinner to have leftovers for lunch. Go for walks togeather or get a gym membership that you can go do togeather. If you want to encourage him then join him and just start eating healthier foods and limit the portions. My husband lost a fair amount of weight on his own by not eating out making fruit smoothies in the morning, eating healthier foods and smaller portions and working out a few times a week. good luck!

Talk to him and tell him he needs to workout and eat very well because his overweight and yes the truth does hurt, but he has to understand that sometimes being overweight can lead to diabetes, heart disease and some other diseases!!!! Once you are able to exercise, i suggest you and him go for a walk. First things first gotta stop eating out too much junkfood is also bad, too much grease!!! Hope this helps!!! Good luck!!!

I'm not really one to give advise since I am also overweight but Weight Watchers has lots of info on eating healthier including cookbooks and calorie info on many restaurant meals. Also the Eat This Not That series has ideas on substituting better choices if you are eating out.

How about working out with him? Ask him to go on a walk at night with you, or when you both have time. Join a softball league together, or a gym. You don't mention how much you work out, but doing it yourself, and with him, is a great way to encourage. I would let him know what your fitness goals are, then ask him if he has any. Also, open up to him about why you want him to be healthy (so he'll be around for a long time, for the kids, etc.) so he knows why it's important to you.
My husband is very similar. We worked out together before the kids came along, and it's something I'd really like to get back to doing. We both need it!

Good luck!
T.
Barefoot Books Ambassador
www.ReadandGrow.com

What if you take walks in the evenings after dinner on on weekend afternoons through your neighborhood or at a local park. You would be spending time together and getting some exercise as well. If he has trouble getting motivated to work out, sell the walks as simply an activity to do together not as workout time.

Restaurant food has unexpectedly high calories, fat, sugar, and sodium. Even seemingly innocent things like salads can be waistline bombs. Check out the Eat This Not That series for both a shock and some helpful suggestions.

You don't say why it is you eat out so frequently. If it is a matter of time to cook (long work hours, too-full schedules) there are good recipes for meals that you can make all at once and freeze in meal-size portions. You can also find brown bag breakfast or lunch recipes that are far more interesting than the standard sandwich. You can find these online. If it is a matter of cooking prowess, start with one of the Rachel Ray cookbooks - both fast and easy. I bought one for my best friend, a self-declared non-cook, and she has loved it. If it is because your family doesn't enjoy obvious veggies and fruits, I highly recommend a book called Deceptively Delicious. It has recipes in which you can "hide" veggie and fruit purees, such as coffee cake with butternut squash, or mozzarella sticks with cauliflower. I got this book to help get my kids eating better, but the truth is, it has probably helped my midwestern meat-and-potatoes hubby the most.

If his schedule allows, perhaps you could get your hubby involved in food preparation. It's much less of a chore if you do it together. My hubby and I have actually used date time to take cooking classes, and we've had a blast. And he actually cooks now! (We're still working on the cleaning up after part...) Being more aware of what is in the food he eats and how it is prepared has helped him to make better choices without me needing to say anything.

I hope this helps.

The fast food needs to go. My husband has put some on too. His doctor said his body could not handle it. I plan meals and cook more at home. I pack left overs for his lunch so he has healthier stuff while at work too. The fruit works great if it is dried into chips for people who are not big on fruit. That is because it brings out the natural sugar in it and makes it seem like they are eating something they should not. Maybe getting out and going for a walk together would help you both stay healthier. Do not call it a work out or anything like that, call it your time together to talk the day over. You do not have to do a fast pace walk for it to be good for your body. I hope you two find things that work for both of you. Hang in there.

Hi K., my hubs who is half Latino amd half African american has always cooked amazing spanish food and rice was always involved in some way. He gained about 50 lbs sine we've been married. About 4 months ago he said that his stomach always felt uncomfortable and he always felt a little too full. So he kept making his pork chops, steaks chicken the same way he always did but instead of rice or other carbs he had a huge salad. He never skimped on the oil and vinegar, or what he put in the salad, loves feta cheese. For lunch he ate whatever he wanted and added 3 pieces of fruit. Seriously in less than 4 months, and no gym, but he walks alot he lost 50+lbs. Best part and the reason I hate him in a loving way(lol) was his intention wasn't to lose weighht but to feel better. You got to remind hubby that one of the most annoying things about men is when they make the decison to alter their eating habits they lose weight fast unlike us women!

There are several things you can do to encourage him and help him. Cook meals that contain lots of veggies and/or are low in calories. Keep the snack foods in the house to a minimum. Keep low calorie healthy snacks around the house that are easy to eat, like fruit and cut up veggies, yogurt, low fat pretzels. Cut back on eating out. Does he eat lunch out? Make him a healthy lunch that he can take to work. Exercise together.

Good luck.

I think supporting by going along with him in healthy eating, and encouraging him to be active, but not in a nagging way. Do it because it is fun and good for you, but don't keep saying that he will lose weight, that can get frustrating for him.

Jonathan Roche said on his website to motivate men by challenging them to a contest. Like sit ups or push ups. Most guys he said think they can still do as many sit ups as they did back in high school or college. When they realize that they can't it can motivate them to start working out more.

Check out his website: noexcusesworkouts.com

I am trying to motivate myself to exercise more and think that his philosophy is great, although I admit I haven't changed my habits a lot yet.

Good Luck.

It is hard. I've struggled here and there too. I had a friend that cut out all surgar (that means any food that has sugar in it at all) and lost 50 lbs. I've also done weight watchers and healthyhcg.com. Both worked amazingly. (I have to repeat after I have a baby... lol) Good luck!

Hi. One thing that might be helpful is if you say "Honey lets take the baby for a walk" after dinner every night. Get rid of the soda and junk food in the house and replace it with healthier options, I actually love ice water with a lemon or lime wedge in it. You would be amazed at what just cutting soda can do. Stop eating out and make sure you cook healthy food for meals and you should be good to go. Good luck! And don't wane from this and you'll both find sucess :)

some of the things we have done to help eachother battle the weight: 1. change our nighttime snacks to something healthier. for instance we found a brand of flan we really like that comes in little cups so we only eat that portion. it's much less calories than a bowl of ice cream, which i always want more of. 2. find activities we enjoy doing together and do them often. right now it's frisbee and going for walks. in the winter we will be rock climbing at an indoor climbing place. 3. find vegetables and fruits we like and eat them often. experiment. my husband loves fried zucchini (without batter). if i use a nonstick pan i don't need any butter. just cook the zucchini slices on medium until they are spotted brown underneath, flip and do the same for the other side. i used to make one veggie per meal but now i do at least two for every dinner. we get the 5.5 oz V-8 cans. they are small enough that even if we're not in the mood to drink it, it's easy to get down (like medicine). 4. limit eating out or choose healthier restaurants. 5. learn to make at home some our favorite fast foods. for instance my husband is crazy about Carl's Jr portobello burgers so i figured out a similar recipe but added shredded veggies into the meat like i would with meat loaf. they turned out so good! 6. we try to keep our comments to eachother positive. good luck!

It is easy to give up if you only have one big final goal, it seems it can never be reached. Try both of you setting small goals that can be reached in a week or two. Maybe not focus on the weight but on changing to a more healthy life style. Goals like working out three days this week, eating six servings of fresh fruit and/or vegitables every day this week, or drinking 8, 8oz servings of water every day this week. Also with goals set rewards, small and not food related - if we both do this then we can watch a movie together, have a date together, you get the idea. What is great is you are both doing this and team work can be a great motivator. My daughter is now 15months old and I am still trying to get rid of the weight and my husband does not need/want to loose weight so it's a little harder to get him on board. Don't push let your husband know you want to help and ask him HOW he would like your help.