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Posts: 1,468
11/21/09 11:55 A

This can be really, really hard. But since they have agreed to buy what you need you have conquered the first hurdle. Then as you show your family that you are really enjoying your healthy choices you may be surprised if they begin to follow along!

Posts: 5,154
11/21/09 11:14 A

Michele,

This might sound radical, but what if you volunteer to take over cooking and shopping for the whole family? If you're living with them and not paying rent, you can say that you want to do something to help pay your own way. Then, if they still insist on having junk food in the house, you can pick things they like and you don't. If they accept that they should lose a little weight, too, you can slowly wean them off the junk as you learn to cook healthier foods that they like. You need to learn to do these things for yourself, anyway, and it's no more trouble to shop and cook for 4 than to do it for one.

If there's no way that's going to work, then another option is to ask to have a "roommate plan" where they give you your share of the grocery money, and you do your own shopping and cooking and keep your food separate. It sounds like your family wants to be supportive, but if not, if you feel like they'll be offended that you want to eat better than they do, you could say instead that you just want to learn to manage money and food for yourself. You could even have some agreement about what will be done with any money you save.

current weight: 134.5

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Posts: 808
11/21/09 1:33 A

Thanks for the suggestion about making healthy food more visible. In my snack food area I removed a lot of the sweet foods and now I have a lot of Jello cups, which are only 5 calories! My dad is moving our fridge back downstairs so I can pack it with all healthy foods. That way I'm less likely to see the unhealthy foods in my parents fridge when looking for snacks and meals.

current weight: 288.0

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Posts: 17
11/20/09 3:16 P

Aside from hiding junk food make healthy choices clearly visible as much as possible. Ie. always push the cottage cheese to the front of the fridge, place the canned fruit on the desert shelf (I'm assuming you have a cookie shelf). That way at least you will see your healthy choices and have to ignore them to fall of the wagon. The other thing is that if you keep with it your family will adapt. Healthy eating is just as contagious as unhealthy eating IMO.

Good luck.

current weight: 508.0

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Posts: 41,259
11/20/09 1:04 P

Hang in there, Michele! You can do it!

Coach Jen

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Posts: 808
11/20/09 1:03 P

Thanks everyone for your responses. Moving out is not an option. Neither is buying my own food. I have spoke to them about it but they think that when you want to lose weight you should magically be able to resist all temptation. I did get them to compromise a bit though. I made a list and got my dad to take me out and he bought me the groceries on the list. He said as long as it's within financial limits it's okay. My mom said that I can continue to make a list and she will get me what I need when she shops. My other main problem was that they has take-out every Thursday. So I researched online the nutritional information for the restaurants we usually get food from and made a list for my mom to follow so I'm not tempted to get big sized potions or things really high in fat.

There is a ton of junk food in mine and my brother's living room (my brother and I share the basement which is huge and basically an apartment)but I think I might get a tote and put all the junk in there... if I can't see it all I won't be as tempted...maybe...

current weight: 288.0

298 285.75 273.5 261.25

249

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11/20/09 9:26 A

i'll tell you what i did...i'm 26 and in grad school, so i've been away from home for years. when i do go home for holidays or summers, i buy my own groceries, and i tell them why. eventually my dad felt guilty, and he'd give me 30 bucks for some stuff since he understood they weren't really helping me stay healthy. after years my family now knows that i won't just eat anything they feed me, and that they have to understand. they're pretty understanding now, after time. also, i've basically told them that i can only come home if its a good environment for me. school is so stressful, I can't come home and develop bad habits. so now they'll do anything to have me home, and they're willing to negotiate.

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11/20/09 8:21 A

I think ignoring the junk food comes with time. It is hard and I don't think it can happen overnight. My family eats junk too, but apparently I'm the only one with a weight issue.
If the junk food is out in the open like on the counter or something, then try putting it away. Sometimes I forget about things if I don't see them every second. Or if you do eat some of the stuff, then be certain to measure out 1 portion and not have any more for the rest of the day, just tell yourself it will be there tomorrow and you can have more then if you want.
Talking to your family may also help, if they're willing to listen.
Best of luck!

current weight: 178.0

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Posts: 41,259
11/20/09 6:05 A

Hi Michele

Have you tried talking to your family about what's going on and how they might be able to support you? Whether or not they have weight to lose, eating better would be a good thing for everyone living in the house. Have you considered shopping for your own food?

Coach Jen

Posts: 17,326
11/20/09 2:24 A

Move out?

It's very difficult to not eat something that's in the house, and it sounds like the rest of the family don't have healthy eating habits, while you do when you're left to your own devices. What if, when you're back home again, you rented a room somewhere and only saw the family for a little bit each day? I'm assuming if you live away from the family at some points that you're financially able to afford that, of course.

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11/20/09 1:14 A

Hello.So here is a quick version of my problem. My family is really unhealthy. I am 21. I went away for university and lost 30 lbs. I came home for 3 months and gained 10 lbs. I then went to Korea for a year and lost 40 lbs. I've been home for a month and gained 15 lbs and counting. I'm trying to stop myself from going the wrong way but every time I think I'm getting somewhere my family pushes me further back. I understand that my mom has to buy food for everyone in the family (even though they are obese too) but I find it hard to resist cravings when there is so much junk in the house to munch on.

Any suggestions on how to stay focused, ignore the junk and focus on eating healthy?

Thanks.

--
Michele

current weight: 288.0

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