No Longer a Joke

Well, if you've been reading this blog at all you know that I'm always trying some new diet, and I am constantly falling off the wagon.  One of the biggest reasons is that my husband and I totally bond over junk food.  Seriously, I think if someone would ask, what would you rather do, go to Disney World  with a close friend or hang out with your spouse watching a crappy movie and eating Doritos, we would pick the latter. (Feel free to insert some other fascinating place if you're the kind of asshole that would say Disney is lame)

  It was clear that last year we both let ourselves go.  My husband pretty much eats what I feed him and he's never going to complain that the food isn't healthy enough.  If anything, the healthy food I feed him never seems to agree with his system.  I blame his Grandmother. She actually used to feed him all yolk scrambled eggs when he was little because he liked it.  Thanks Grandma!  Now I have to undo all this shit! 

My husband, we'll call him Bob from here on out, (because that's his name) was in the Marines and so, he was basically forced to be in good shape when he was younger.  Also, during the years that he was 25 - 45, he put on local Elvis shows. Not corny ones (unless you think all Elvis impersonators are whack).  He was really good and his shows were always sold out.  He taught dance at Arthur Murray for a while as well.  I tell you this to explain why my husband could get away with eating crap and staying thin.  He was pretty active.

Last week my husband had his scheduled physical. At just under 260 my husband was looking pretty huge.    His EKG was not normal, he is borderline diabetic and he is at risk for kidney disease.  She also put him on medication for high blood pressure.  Not good.  The doctors orders were low carbs, low fat, low sodium, eat three different fruits per day, and eat fish at least 3 times per week. 

I have to say, the biggest challenge here is the low sodium part.  Veggies have to be fresh or frozen.  The soduim content in a can of anything is outrageous!  I bought every kind of Mrs. Dash there was.  We cannot use salt substitute because it will react with his blood pressure medication.  I cannot use soy sauce or Warchestershire because it is way to high in sodium.  I use a little olive oil, but cannot cook with butter like I used to. 

Bob and I have been losing about a pound every day.  My next several blogs will be on recipes and products I have found that fit out diet.  I had so much fun shopping with Bob last night.  He is basically a nutrition idiot.  I've never met anyone who knows less about nutrition than him.  Yesterday we read the back of everything before we bought it.  Not just the nutrients, but the ingredients.  We were totally bonding over health food!!!

This time, not sticking to our diet is not an option. 

How to Get Hubby on Board.

Weight 201.
I suppose we all have reasons why we keep failing.  It seems to be the same thing that makes us give in.  For me, it was my husband.  I could be good Monday through Wednesday, but Thursday, when my husband was home with me, all bets were off.  Why?  Because he was always in the mood for yummy food - to sit with his wife, watch a movie and have some Chinese.  Why didn't I just put my foot down?  Because I missed him, and quite frankly, movie night and Chinese with my hubby is too awesome to resist. 

So, to keep from falling off the wagon on Thursday, I decided I have to get this man on board.  How?  I listened to all of his excuses about how this or that was inconvenient to eat at work.  I said, "Why don't you just count calories with me.  Then we can eat whatever, just within the calorie limit. . . "  His problem: "I don't like the burden of having to enter it.  I just don't do it."  Lightbulb. 

"How about if I preplanned our food for the week?"  "Let's try it." he says.  I find out what is easiest for him to eat at work.  Turns out, he can do wraps pretty easily (as long as they're not too messy).  So, all week, we've been eating as follows:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Morning Snack: Fruit
Morning Snack: Banana

Lunch: Wrap (Hummus, Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato) - This recipe will change next week to keep us from getting board.

Dinner:  For Bob Sun - Wed- can of soup, For me, every night, 8 oz meet and a bag of steamed veggies. I cook the meat in water instead of oil.  It's not boiling.  It's a technique I made up.  You have to be on the ready to add more water when it dries up,  but it turns out great.

Total calories for this day is right around 1500.  Perfect!!

We've both been steadily losing weight. 

Tonight is our first Thursday.  Why am I not worried?  Because, when my husband asks, "What are we doing for dinner?"  I can tell him, 8oz meat and a bag of steamed veggies.  He might complain a little that he's still hungry, but, if so, he can have some fruit or popcorn w no butter. Because he's been seeing results on the scale, he's excited, which makes it easier for him to play along.  

Wish us luck!