I had the menu and grocery list for the next two weeks all done and ready for shopping on Friday and Saturday. Then, Christopher says, "If you could get me the stuff to go on that detox diet, that would be great." I did a doubletake. He never volunteers to go on a diet. So, I immediately changed the menu and list. I figured if he could do the detox for a week, then I could get back on my Slim Fast diet. When his detox is over, he can join me on the Slim Fast diet and we'd have salads for dinner every night. That left just making meals for the girls for lunch and dinner. Since there are only 3 of them, I could cook normally and get two meals out of each dish, so cook one night, leftovers the next etc.
I checked out the stores I knew had great markdown deals on produce and was able to get him tons of stuff for half price or less. This is a link to the diet: http://www.my7daydiet.com/before_7_day_diet.html . Day one was a lot harder for him than it had been for me. Of course I did it in the summer time, so there was lots of fresh in-season stuff available. I basically lived on watermelon which thrilled my soul. I LOVE watermelon. He complained I was trying to sabotage him by making such wonderful food for the girls. I reminded him they do have to eat as well. Sheesh. I got some markdown steaks and stuck them in the crockpot with off-brand mushroom soup and onion soup pkt and water. Let that cook on low for the evening and most of the night and then serve with egg noodles and green beans. Even though we had 2 friends over for dinner last night, there was still enough to pack up for dinner tonight. I just need to make more noodles and more green beans. Christopher wanted some so bad he couldn't stand it. I was fine with my slim fasts and big salad with shredded chicken breast in it. Of course even that would have been great when he could only eat fruit. He survived though.
Today has been veggies only. He's already irritable. He woke me up and asked if he could have cooked veggies. I said yes, but no more than 1 tsp of oil all day. He was like, "I already blew that!". I did get him a butter flavor spray for his baked potato since he could have one for breakfast today. When I was on it, I just put salt and pepper and a little tsp drizzle of olive oil on mine and it was great.
The problem is, we have different eating habits. I don't over eat that much as far as "real food", I pig out on snacks and sweets. He doesn't usually eat sweets, but he can eat 2 pizzas or an entire lasagna, no problem. I make enough for all of us usually, plus extra for lunch the next day and in case anyone comes over. But if I don't pack it up and tell him not to touch it, he will eat all of it. Sometimes, the girls have been in their room at dinner time and not come out til it's too late, and he's eaten their serving too. So, this diet is really a HUGE shock to his system. But it's one he needs. He has to relearn how to eat and he needs a kick start to weightloss. To look at pictures of when he had the heart attack compared to how he looks now. I think he's gained at least 40 lbs. He used to wear size 38 pants for YEARS, he did get down to a 36 after the first health scare in 1999 when he had a small stroke and found out he had high blood pressure, and he started eating better... but he loses interest and healthy food is expensive, so he'd gone back to a 38 by the time he had the heart attack. Now, he wears a 42, and I'm going to have to buy him suspenders, because his pants ride so low below his bells that they are dragging the ground and ruining the cuffs. Something HAS to change. His cardiologist just shakes his head. No one can MAKE him lose weight if he doesn't want to.
That's why I was so shocked when he volunteered for it this time.
We don't have a working scale since the battery died in ours, so we're going by waistline measurements instead. We both carry most of our weight at our waistline, so it seemed good. Some days when I've over eaten or eaten something really unhealthy, I an honestly look 8 months pregnant. I HATE it. Of course it's the most unhealthy place to carry weight.
He's currently out at the park with the girls. Maybe being away from home will keep his mind off of it. Tomorrow he goes back to work, and I'll pack his lunch bag as full as I can with fruits and veggies and bottles of water. It'll be hard work, but I know he'll feel so much better when he gets through this week. I can't wait to see the weight fall off of him and find the old Christopher underneath. He never used to be such a couch potato. He loved getting out and going hiking and tubing in the summer. Hoping we can get back to those days.
I checked out the stores I knew had great markdown deals on produce and was able to get him tons of stuff for half price or less. This is a link to the diet: http://www.my7daydiet.com/before_7_day_diet.html . Day one was a lot harder for him than it had been for me. Of course I did it in the summer time, so there was lots of fresh in-season stuff available. I basically lived on watermelon which thrilled my soul. I LOVE watermelon. He complained I was trying to sabotage him by making such wonderful food for the girls. I reminded him they do have to eat as well. Sheesh. I got some markdown steaks and stuck them in the crockpot with off-brand mushroom soup and onion soup pkt and water. Let that cook on low for the evening and most of the night and then serve with egg noodles and green beans. Even though we had 2 friends over for dinner last night, there was still enough to pack up for dinner tonight. I just need to make more noodles and more green beans. Christopher wanted some so bad he couldn't stand it. I was fine with my slim fasts and big salad with shredded chicken breast in it. Of course even that would have been great when he could only eat fruit. He survived though.
Today has been veggies only. He's already irritable. He woke me up and asked if he could have cooked veggies. I said yes, but no more than 1 tsp of oil all day. He was like, "I already blew that!". I did get him a butter flavor spray for his baked potato since he could have one for breakfast today. When I was on it, I just put salt and pepper and a little tsp drizzle of olive oil on mine and it was great.
The problem is, we have different eating habits. I don't over eat that much as far as "real food", I pig out on snacks and sweets. He doesn't usually eat sweets, but he can eat 2 pizzas or an entire lasagna, no problem. I make enough for all of us usually, plus extra for lunch the next day and in case anyone comes over. But if I don't pack it up and tell him not to touch it, he will eat all of it. Sometimes, the girls have been in their room at dinner time and not come out til it's too late, and he's eaten their serving too. So, this diet is really a HUGE shock to his system. But it's one he needs. He has to relearn how to eat and he needs a kick start to weightloss. To look at pictures of when he had the heart attack compared to how he looks now. I think he's gained at least 40 lbs. He used to wear size 38 pants for YEARS, he did get down to a 36 after the first health scare in 1999 when he had a small stroke and found out he had high blood pressure, and he started eating better... but he loses interest and healthy food is expensive, so he'd gone back to a 38 by the time he had the heart attack. Now, he wears a 42, and I'm going to have to buy him suspenders, because his pants ride so low below his bells that they are dragging the ground and ruining the cuffs. Something HAS to change. His cardiologist just shakes his head. No one can MAKE him lose weight if he doesn't want to.
That's why I was so shocked when he volunteered for it this time.
We don't have a working scale since the battery died in ours, so we're going by waistline measurements instead. We both carry most of our weight at our waistline, so it seemed good. Some days when I've over eaten or eaten something really unhealthy, I an honestly look 8 months pregnant. I HATE it. Of course it's the most unhealthy place to carry weight.
He's currently out at the park with the girls. Maybe being away from home will keep his mind off of it. Tomorrow he goes back to work, and I'll pack his lunch bag as full as I can with fruits and veggies and bottles of water. It'll be hard work, but I know he'll feel so much better when he gets through this week. I can't wait to see the weight fall off of him and find the old Christopher underneath. He never used to be such a couch potato. He loved getting out and going hiking and tubing in the summer. Hoping we can get back to those days.