What's helped you eat healthier?

[Maria]

So, The Husband needs to lose... ehh. A lot. His entire family tends to eat with the mindset that moderation is for losers, and it's definitely been a lifelong habit for him, but it's finally become a life-threatening situation. He knows our doctor's goals and expectations, in terms of calories, weight, and other test results, but he's got no idea how to make that happen. So I'm looking for ideas and suggestions to pass along. He likes websites and Android apps, but I don't know if that's really enough, and I have no experience in this. So, what works for you? What didn't work? Is there a really great program that I've just never heard about, or something?

[Bronzebow]

For me, it was two parts. One was educating myself on my food choices. I've been in the middle of my own journey in losing weight, and I'm actually doing a diet right now called paleo. Although I have had great results with it, I recognize that it's a very large jump from eating a western diet and is controversial. It may be a bit too much for the moment. I will, however, recommend reading books from Michael Pollan, namely In Defense of Food. Omnivore's Dilemma is great too, as is the documentary Food, Inc. These are books that I wish everyone in the country could read, and I think they would go a long way to helping out.

What I will say outright, though, is to avoid anything labeled "Low Fat" like the plague. Your body needs certain fats, and removed fats are replaced with other less pleasant things (namely, carbohydrates) when processed out of food. You're much better off sticking with real stuff and it's easier to avoid processed sugar that way.

The other big help was learning to cook. It became a small hobby that gave me a chance to experiment with a lot of ingredients that I wouldn't have played with otherwise. Instead of picking up a box of Hamburger Helper, I found a similar recipe and made everything from scratch. Not only did it end up tasting better than the boxed stuff, but it gave me an opportunity to add in flavor-enhancing vegetables that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. A good cookbook and Google-fuu help a lot here.

That lead into other things. Gardening was one. Starting up a small vegetable garden did two things: it gave me exercise and sunlight, both of which are absolutely necessary to a healthy body. The other was that it taught me about foods coming in seasons. This alludes very heavily back to the aforementioned books. I don't know if gardening is an option for you, but it would be a great idea if you can. On top of having your own fresh produce, you'll be able to plan meals around what is ripe.

While I didn't have a smartphone, this may be a great idea for you to try: look into what sort of fruits and vegetables are supposed to grow in your season and area. Make a list. Your goal to check off each one as you cook a meal with it. That way, you get variety in a game-like goal oriented format. For an example, here's one I just came up with while browsing a list of springy goodness: beef cooked in carrots and caramelized onion.

Mince carrots and onion. Brown beef in a skillet with some pastured butter. Remove beef and add carrots and onion to pan. Stir and cook in pan till onions are transparent (longer to caramelize, if you like that). Add beef back in and add water as necessary. Stir and cook till carrots are softened and beef is cooked. Salt, pepper, and garlic cloves would make great spices to add to this. Oranges for dessert would knock out three spring foods!

For one last note, a lot of people have trouble when changing their diet thinking that they will have to give up their favorite foods and desserts. I think it's very important to have dedicated "cheat days" where these cravings can be enjoyed in some degree without the sort of guilt that would plague someone going cold turkey. It's a mental relief that goes a long way to help you stay on track every other day.

I hope some of this helps. I wish you and your husband the best of luck!

[Mytical]

No one diet will work for everybody, people are too different. Moderation is a major key..eating what you want, just smaller portions of it. Try having them drink a 16oz glass of ice cold water at least a few minutes before eating or drinking anything. Helps send the 'full' signal to the brain earlier. With zero calories..cuts down on calorie consumption.

[csquared]

My trip to the hospital.

More importantly, The Wife is now on board. It is almost impossible to eat healthy/lose weight when no one else in the household is doing so. Don't think of it as dieting. It is a lifestyle. Get the junk food out of the house. Server proper sized meals. Don't cook more than you can eat (leftovers are for snacking).

As I am also borderline diabetic, we are going with the the ADA Exchange diet. If anyone is interested, I'll be more than happy to share the details.

I am already down 15lbs.

ETA: One more thing I am doing... I am making up "menu cards". So instead of just grabbing things form the fridge to eat, I put together a proper meal.

[Slayer]

I used to like workout vids, Tae Bo in particular (my sis is getting a dvd from her friend since ours are waaay old, I think it's called Insanity) so I'll be starting that again soon.

For me, it's mainly just having two goals in mind:

1. Saving over $10 a month on my life insurance
2. Getting my photo taken with James Marsters in the fall at ComicCon

I know, I know, girly #2 reason. My mom is a diabetic (grandma died from it), so that's always in my mind, too. I just like to keep happier thoughts in mind.

As long as I remember those two things, I'll actually feel guilty if I do something I shouldn't.

My biggest suggestion is for him to try everything out at least once. For some people, they just start walking outside, then jog, then run, etc and that's their exercise progression. Bicycles are awesome, too. Other people prefer going to the gym versus primarily being outside. Others prefer to be at home with workout vids and free weights.

A combination of workouts at home and outside (soon-to-be videos at home, bicycle outside) seems to work best for me. I'm not comfortable yet with jogging outside yet because of my knee. I keep delaying getting a better brace. I did have a gym membership, but I found I couldn't get there often enough to make it worth the money.

For foods, salads are something I really love. Regular leafy salads, chicken or tuna salad, etc. I try to stay away from carbs as much as I can. I do like my meats so I'll have a smaller portion with a larger salad portion. I've changed how I cook certain things, too (in the oven instead of frying, steaming veggies, stuff like that). Instead of mixes, I'll make it myself from basic ingredients. I didn't used to eat breakfast but now I'm trying to take the time to make eggs (one whole and the rest whites) so I'm not hungry by lunch (which is usually a type of salad). Sometimes, just fruit instead. Oh, and I drink a ton of water which is something I rarely did before, and I cut down on my sodas even if they are diet and caffeine free.

If I'm craving something sweet, I'll make my own ice cream with just milk and splenda in a maker. Air popped popcorn. No sugar added freeze pops. Sometimes a piece of no sugar added chocolate during certain times of the month lol. My cravings are less and less now. Though those easter egg chocolates are giving me some problems XD I do have a small stash of dessert items that I will make when I reach a certain weight goal. It may be dumb to reward with food, but what else will work for me? LOL. I don't really buy myself material things.

Also, I drink decaf coffee in the morning (a thermos full) and I find it really suppresses my appetite. For some, this is true, others maybe not. Definitely works for me.

I hope somewhere in that long post you can find something useful Good luck and have fun with it!

[ArcticChicken]

One thing that really helped me get a grip on things like portions sizes was Weight Watchers. One the WW program, you can eat absolutely anything you want, just not in any portion that you want. The weekly meetings are a good support program, and you can also do it online, including a smartphone app.

The thing that got me liking healthier foods was starting to eat foreign food. There's something about entirely new flavor combinations that lets me look past my preconceived notions about what's good and bad tasting. I used to eat barely any veggies at all, now I'll eat them cheerfully, though I'm still having trouble including them in my everyday diet, due to years of refusing them all together.

[Seshat]

He's also going to need to exercise.

If it's at all possible, get him sweat-wicking exercise clothing. It does NOT have to be spandex! He may feel a lot more comfortable in workman's clothes - by which I mean the sort of gear made for people doing heavy work (carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers). Much of that is made of cooling and sweat-wicking fabric these days, and if he decides to take up gardening as a hobby, it'll also protect his skin from the nastier sorts of weeds.

Monitor his health as he exercises. I get intertrigo when I exercise, if I'm not careful. The inexpensive solution for me is actually nappy (diaper) rash ointments! Intertrigo is caused by the skin being soaked in moisture - diaper rash ointments protect the skin from moisture. Sure, intertrigo's moisture is sweat, but it still works.
If your husband gets intertrigo and diaper rash ointments don't help, see the doctor.

Anything else medical which puts him off exercise can also be treated, or can be prevented by stuff that sports-enthusiasts know - and many of the rest of us don't! Find a sports enthusiast friend, and enlist their help: not so much to do the exercise, as to help manage blisters, buy appropriate shoes, prevent the preventable conditions, find out how much sweating is 'normal', help explain the 'normal' feeling of muscle development and a higher metabolism....

Both the diet and the exercise will cause your husband to feel different from what he's always taken to be normal. Once he gets used to it, it will probably be a good change. But 'different' is scary at first.

[Food Lady]

I have a lot of motivators. One is diabetes; both my parents have it. I strive to eat almost as much produce as other types of foods, though it's difficult. Another motivator is that I don't want to be the unhealthy vegetarian. If people criticize me for not eating meat, I don't want my lack of health to be ammunition. Another thing is how I feel. Now that I've been eating more produce, drinking water, eating healthy fats, and cutting down on sugar, I feel bad when I eat unhealthfully. I actually have produce withdrawls. Economics play a part, too. Frozen appetizers and boxed foods seem to be a good deal, but basic igredients are cheaper, usually. For instance, I could buy individual sugar-laden yogurt cups, but I can get 2 quarts of yogurt (which I strain myself) for $4.49. I add my own fruit and stevia & a bit of sugar. Plus, Yoplait had gelatin, which I don't eat. And my way wastes less packaging. If I want restaurant food, I make it. That way I can control the type of fat, amount of salt, etc. I can bake an appetizer instead of frying. And again, it's cheaper.

[Parrothead]

I've just started with loseit.com. It's got an app associated with it, so that works for me. It's free and easy.

As for motivation, I can't get into my new corset if I'm wearing a shirt (it's an underbust, so the shirt is mandatory).

[Rapscallion]

Motivators for me: knees aren't great, death of a colleague from cardiac arrest, and generally not wanting to grunt when I pull my clothes on.

Methods - I went for hypnotherapy recently. I'm documenting elsewhere. The course I'm on is basic dieting (actually, healthy eating) advice with a fair amount of sense in it - almost all of which I knew, but wasn't doing - with some reinforcement from the hypnotherapy.

I'm halving portions, or even lower than that. For instance, I had a takeaway curry (something now rare for me) and only had half the curry and half the rice. The rest went in the fridge for the next day. I was content. Your stomach tells you you're full about twenty minutes after it is, for example. I'm down to what I imagine to be standard portions. It costs energy to maintain the size I am, so eating normally and keeping up the exertion will reduce excess weight.

Being willing to eat sufficient and push the plate away - be willing to throw food away, or store it for later consumption at another meal.

Remembering that it came on slowly, and it's only going to come off slowly.

Drink lots of water. Cut out sodas/soft drinks and tea/coffee - hit water instead. Cut out alcoholic beverages. A UK pint (20 fl oz) of beer is about 200 calories.

Don't cut things out completely. Have a bit here or there. Occasionally (once a week) have a larger meal - it will help replenish your leptin levels (a hormone that helps regulate your weight gain loss). Don't think in terms of denying - think in terms of having a small amount later, but not just now.

Read labels very carefully. Low fat usually means high sugar, and vice versa.

Avoid sweeteners if possible. If your tongue tastes something sweet, it will get the body ready for digesting sweet things (see Pavlov) and thus you can experience cravings for such as that.

Rapscallion

[Food Lady]

I don't experience that effect with the sweeteners, but unfortunately it makes me then want salty.

[auntiem]

Yoplait has gelatin?! Ewww. I'm not vegitarian anymore, but I didn't think I'd have to check my yogurt.
OP - if portion control is a battle can I suggest buying smaller plates? I know it sounds silly, but it really does work. Smaller portions practically "swim" on regular plates, but on 8" plates look like a big meal. (This month's Cooking Light* has a pictorial of this).
Or use part of dinner to control the portion - like by making zuccanoes (yum!) or make a yummy topping for a baked potato.
If you can't or don't want to garden - maybe look into a farm co-op association. Those are seemingly expensive, but they deliver seasonal produce to your house (or you go pick it up) and it is kind of fun figuring out how to cook some of the veggies - that is how I found out I liked kale - a friend got a ton of it one week and couldn't use it all up in time.

*BTW I highly recommend picking up a Cooking Light to see if you like it. I'm not that great of a cook, but everything I've ever made from it has turned out great and healthy. They are also starting to pay more attention to the sodium levels and flag the dishes that have high levels for those of us who have that concern.

[ArcticChicken]

A couple things I forgot: you might want to think about having him see a nutritionist, or dietician or whatever it's called. Someone with professional training to help him figure it out.

The other thing is, broad, sweeping changes all at once almost never work. You have to do it gradually, otherwise it's too hard and you give up too soon.

[Andara Bledin]

Something that's helping with our eating habits around the house is to make proper shopping lists. If we plan out meals in advance, we can shop for it all at once, and then we don't have to worry about missing ingredients, so we're more likely to make meals as opposed to eating junk.

^-.-^

[trailerparkmedic]

Weight Watchers has done wonders for me (and, by proxy, my husband). If he's going to lose weight, either he will need separate meals or you will both be eating healthier. Gina's Skinny Recipes is my go to "I don't know what to cook tonight" site. I like Weight Watchers because of the support and the smartphone app and online tools.

For motivation, take before pictures and measurements. Keep track of measurements every month or so and watch them go down.