Help, My Husband is Out of Control!

Mint Chocolate Covered Oreo Blizzard.

That's what my husband would like to eat. Every day of his life.

Sounds kinda strange, being married to someone whose lifestyle choices aren't quite in alignment with yours.

I'm a coach. My job is to give women (mostly moms) the tools to set simple holistic lifestyle goals and achieve them.

But I'm starting to think I'm a fraud.

While I've been able to sway my children toward healthier eating habits, give perfect strangers advice on the best ways to use coconut oil, my husband remains in the world of craptastic foods.

How can I teach others to live better if I can't get my own husband to join in?

Here I am, trying my damnedest to make healthier, more natural choices for my family, and all my sweet husband wants to do is chow down on artery clogging burgers and sleeves of cookies.

This is especially ironic because HE’s the one who really prompted changing the way we eat.

He's the one that told me the dangers of aspartame and was PISSED about High Fructose Corn Syrup, way before it was all over the media.

He made us switch to real maple syrup (which I now love) and discovered the perfect balance of tastes and nutrition in Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze Milk.

3 years ago he's the one who drove 30 miles to a farm so we could buy raw milk and grass-fed beef.

So how could a man so in-tune with proper nutrition practices, fall SO far off the wagon?

How could he eat things he KNOWS are unhealthy, toxic, or even downright dangerous?

"I hate that its poison. But it just tastes so good!" ~ Brian Walsh

And there you have it ladies, mystery solved!

It sucks, but I know Brian is like many of us, at one time or another. He wants so badly to fully embrace a life that make him feel better, inside and out. But the temptation to go the other way is so strong.

At some point we hit a wall. We realize we can't go another day feeling the way we feel. So we decide to make a change.

Unfortunately it takes more than just a decision. It takes dedicated action, each day.

As with many things in our life, my husband sometimes needs a gentle nudge (or swift kick in the ass, depending on the situation) to get him going.

But I can't monitor EVERYTHING he eats nor can I force him to exercise.

He has to WANT it.

I've tried a few techniques to urge him in the right direction, but honestly I'm running out of ideas, FAST!

I've tried being the example I wish to see. This means I can't beg him to pick up a caramel cookie dough brownie sundae from our favorite ice cream shop. (What up Holy Cow!)

Yes, every once in a while we deserve to indulge, but on a day-to-day basis, meals should consist of protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and whole grains. 

Sometimes a cookie or two can get thrown in the mix, but you gotta be able to step away from the box before you lose count.

Sure, my husband won't make green juice or a healthy lunch on his own, but if he sees me eating this way, I think he'll be less likely to grab that unhealthy snack.

If you can't beat em, trick em! 

Do you know how many ways you can sneak milled flax seeds into other dishes? That was a trick question, because the answer is as many ways as you like!

I realized a long time ago the less my family knows about what's in the food I'm cooking the better.

When Brian’s curiosity peaks about particular ingredients I just include the ones he's MOST comfortable with.

The other night we had "Sloppy Joe's". Well, that's what I told him anyway.

See I knew if I said, "I made this amazing meal with ground turkey, ground beef, mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes on top of garlic seasoned whole wheat bread." I would've gotten a funny look.

Yup, Sloppy Joe's works just fine.

My fiercest enemy however is not the hubster. That honor goes to my angel-faced 7- year-old son.

Together, this dynamic duo stops for Mc Donalds' Shamrock Shakes and Apple Pies on their way home from hockey practice. 

They don't even try to hide the bags of evidence... amateurs. 

What's a crunchy mama to do?

How do you get your spouse to adopt healthier eating habits? Leave your comments below, cuz I really need help peeps!

Posted in: food