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2012-06-29 8:28 AM

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Subject: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory
I am thinking about kicking off a Whole 30 plan, but I have a teenage son and a former college decathlete/semi-pro football player husband, who are pretty set in their ways in terms of bad food choices.  For example - they prefer boxed mashed potatoes, and my husband tries to convince me that ketchup is technically a vegetable, so he doesn't have to eat broccoli. They both like soda, fast food, junk food, etc.  My husband is also southern and (no offense to healthy-eating southerners - I'm sure there are many) - but he thinks everything should be floured and fried, buttered and covered in gravy.  When I brought up paleo last night at dinner, they both made fun of me.  There is clearly no way that they are going to get on board.  How can I successfully do this without the support of the rest of my family?


2012-06-29 8:32 AM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory

Who does the cooking/grocery shopping?

2012-06-29 8:37 AM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory
I should have added that in there - and I know I'm making my poor husband sound pretty bad (he's a wonderful guy, really - just not into eating healthy whatsoever).  I am the sole cook and grocery-shopper.  If my husband ever cooks, he makes Hamburger Helper.  
2012-06-29 9:32 AM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory

This is an interesting question, and one that I can relate too.  My best friend's husband had a heart attack over 2 years ago now.  His eating was HORRIBLE....KFC, pasta from the box, etc.  After he was released from the hospital, she had to see a nutritionist and learn how to cook for him.  He was SO stubborn, he refused to cut out the cokes, fried foods, etc.  

So she came to me to devise a plan.  My husband is a Type 2 diabetic, and we had to change our whole eating to accommodate the right carbs, cutting out processed, etc.  We went with the sneaky chef method for awhile with her husband.  He wanted mashed potatoes, ok, but we would boil up some cauliflower, and mash them in with the potatoes.  Never knew they were there.  Brownies, ok, Gluten Free, Flax Seed, with pureed spinach in them.  I have to do this with my daughter who has SPD and autism.  She only eats about a handful of foods, so I have to sneak nutrients into her foods without her knowing.  

I will say this, it is very tough to just up and change someones concept of food overnight.  You have to introduce the foods slowly, so they just become a part of the menu.  Instead of regular potatoes try sweet potatoes, but fresh not from a box.  If he has to have fried chicken try whole wheat flour instead of white.  Just make small changes and then try and phase out the processed.  

Good Luck!!! 

2012-07-02 9:45 AM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory

I'm all for eating healthy and avoiding processed as much as possible, but paleo IMO is simply ridiculous.  I've read the book, learned more on the internet, etc and I still think it doesn't make sense.  So cavemen could eat vegetables but not potatoes?

And as far as changing your husbands eating habits, that's his choice.  You simply can't force someone to change.

2012-07-02 11:24 AM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory
RVachon - 2012-07-02 7:45 AM

I'm all for eating healthy and avoiding processed as much as possible, but paleo IMO is simply ridiculous.  I've read the book, learned more on the internet, etc and I still think it doesn't make sense.  So cavemen could eat vegetables but not potatoes?

And as far as changing your husbands eating habits, that's his choice.  You simply can't force someone to change.

Actually, the most recent paleo books do agree that potatoes are probably fine (ie, not damaging to the gut or nutrient-leaching) but that they are high in starch and can cause blood sugar spikes (and weight problems) in less-active people.  I eat potatoes (or I did before I started a Whole30) and had no issues with them except for the fat burn stall.  Honestly, any paleo proponent who only uses the 'cavemen' argument is missing the point.  It's not about what they ate or didn't eat.  It's about using their diet as a starting point from which to investigate what would be the most healthy and then using modern science to confirm it and refine it.

 

To the OP, your best bet would likely be to do the same as you might do on any other diet...just worry about yourself.  Yes, it's lots of work to have to do your own stuff AND theirs, but you can't force them to your ways if they don't want to go.  I don't envy you though.  One of the contributors to my successful switch to paleo last year was having my husband on board so that I could clear out the cabinets of all junk.

If you stick to your plan, start getting results, who knows...maybe they start to consider it for themselves.  At the very least, they'll hopefully start to think twice about making fun of you!  Besides who wouldn't want to eat a paleo meal when it consists of a gorgeous grass-fed steak and sides of grilled asparagus and garlic mashed sweet potatoes?! Wink



2012-07-02 9:30 PM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory
Thanks for all the input - I really appreciate it.  I also feel that trying out Paleo has nothing to do with wanting to "eat like a caveman".  I'm just tired of counting calories, trying to watch what I eat, and still having my weight stall at 150 because of stupid things like the creamer in my coffee and the oil my food was cooked in.  It makes sense to me to stay away from additives and sugary food.  I know that refined sugar and simple starches lead to a blood sugar roller coaster ride, and I just want to eat healthy.  I've never been really heavy, but I always seem to carry around an extra 10-15 pounds that I can't lose despite training and calorie-counting.  And its true - maybe the best way to switch to Paleo at least as far as the meals that I cook, is to just do it without calling it Paleo - you can make a pretty fantastic meal while staying within the guidelines, and they wouldn't even know the difference!  I'm not trying to change my husband - I just want him to be healthy, not to mention happy with his race times! (not such a fun post-race experience when he's frustrated and disappointed) - and my son has a tendency to get a little heavy if he's not careful - and again - I don't want to change him, but I do want him to be healthy and know how to make good food choices that will set him up for a healthy adult life.
2012-07-10 8:59 PM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory

What it all really comes down to is deciding what YOU can and want to do for YOURSELF.  It sounds, and will feel, very selfish at first.

I made a conscious decision over 4 years ago that I needed to be healthy.  Yes, my family loved my cooking, baking and all the desserts I made.  I did too.  It was easy.  It was convenient.  Not a single one of us was healthy.

Over this period I've refined and refined and refined and I've been Paleo for over a year now.  They had gotten used to my food "whims" and pretty much gone along with whatever I made for dinner (less cheese, less processed foods, no fast food), but when I dropped the Paleo bomb on them they freaked out - no WAY were they going to give up bread, dairy and sugar.

It was a lot of work in the beginning.  I frequently made two meals for dinner - one they would eat and one I would eat.  Then I started making them Paleo entrees (grilled/roasted meats) and I would have steamed veg and make a side of rice or potatoes for them.  After awhile, I phased out the non-Paleo dishes so dinner is pretty much Paleo at our house.

Try different recipes for new things that you think they might like.  Don't try to "Paleo-ize" a lot of dishes, because many of them are not successful.  Just use Paleo ingredients you know they like and put them together in new combinations.

You might not be able to turn them around, but if you commit and stick to it 100% through the Whole30 and they begin to see the success you are experiencing it will eventually catch on.  I think my husband is up to about 80% Paleo now and climbing every day.

2012-07-18 4:23 PM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory

auracynthia - 2012-06-29 8:37 AM I should have added that in there - and I know I'm making my poor husband sound pretty bad (he's a wonderful guy, really - just not into eating healthy whatsoever).  I am the sole cook and grocery-shopper.  If my husband ever cooks, he makes Hamburger Helper.  

Sounds like your solution right there.  Time for them to get on board or learn to cook.  Either way it'll help you out.

In reality though it can be tough and depending on how set in their ways they are it could make for a difficult transition.  Basically since you buy the food sounds like you need to go out with the Hamburger Helper, and in with the Paleo-fare.

Don't call it "Whole 30" or "Paleo" either.  Man it up for the and call it Caveman Grub, or Neandrathal Nutrition.

good luck in whatever you decide.

2012-07-18 4:49 PM
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Subject: RE: Whole 30 in "unfriendly" territory
I did what Di did, but I didn't even bother with the 2 meals deal. I just started cooking paleo entrees & steamed veggies or a salad for everyone at the table, and then I'd throw in a starch side for the rest of the family. No real complaints, except that occasionally they get a hankering for pasta - I cook that for them if I'm out of the house at dinner time. It's working out well for my "meat&potatoes" husband and my kids get their veggies because its just part of the meal.

There are lots of nummy things you can do to food without breading it - I haven't tried to paleo-ize anything, it seems to defeat the point to me. Tonight we had grilled salmon in chile sauce and raw carrots - and some parmesan flavored couscous for everyone but me. It was great!
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