What do you say to those doing fine on an average SAD diet? page

[nutritionut]

My boyfriend eats a mostly carb diet filled with wheat, fruit, dairy, sugary bars. He does get a good amount of protein from good meat and milk. He likes mostly low-sugar fruits like berries and doesn't eat HFCS. I've gotten him to make more of an effort to eat more veggies on his own, but my attempts to communicate that eating too much sugar causes damage in the long run doesn't really get much of a rise out of him.

He's got plenty of energy, can sleep like a log, has no digestive dysfunction or food intolerances aside from tomatoes giving him heartburn. He's not overweight.

What can I say (without being too preachy) to maybe get him see that making changes would benefit him? I don't expect him to go full-on primal, but less sugar would be lovely!

[BarbeyGirl]

I want to do better than "fine."

I want to be ripped, not merely "not overweight."

Most of all: Grain and sugar do their damage over time. Many cancers, autoimmune diseases, and heart disease develop gradually as a result of excessive carbohydrate consumption (in addition to other factors). The fact that you aren't experiencing a disease state now, today, doesn't mean you aren't eating yourself into illness. Few people are born with heart disease, but millions die of it. They didn't get sick overnight, but over years. Consider.

[katzilla]

I'm kind of in the same predicament with my husband. He's in the army and spends a good deal of time working out. He also drinks like 3 mountain dews a day and eats muffins and other shit. Still he rocks a six pack, sleeps like a log and is a fast-as-heckl runner. I cook, so he eats a primal dinner, but damn his diet is terrible.

I don't push it though. I figure eventually he will see how happy I am, and drink the kool aid, so to speak. If people don't want to see the light, they won't. The best thing you can do is show them how well you are doing, and maybe they will come over to the dark side.

[Grumpycakes]

I wouldn't say anything. What are the chances he's going to fix what ain't broke, as he sees it? Have a talk with him if you're still together when the problems start.

[supersellen]

I wouldn't say anything. What are the chances he's going to fix what ain't broke, as he sees it? Have a talk with him if you're still together when the problems start.

+1

[Karma]

Challenge him like Loren Cordain did with Joe Freil. Bet him that if he goes paleo/primal for a month that he won't feel better. Offer him sex every day for a week straight if he is 100% complient. I don't know a guy alive that wouldn't take that bet!

[charlie7]

if he doesn't take you up on that, then I will

[Grumpycakes]

I would also require the promise of sexy costumes and role playing. Plain ol' sex gets boring.

edit: and by "role playing," of course, I mean Dungeons and Dragons.

[nutritionut]

We have discussed trading sexual favors for healthier habits. He's open to that. He has been making efforts, which I appreciate. I guess I have to acknowledge that I cannot instill genuine interest and if something starts to go wrong, he will be more motivated. Hopefully I will be around to offer an educated opinion.

[nutritionut]

if he doesn't take you up on that, then I will

haha, thanks for making me smile