Getting wife to become Primal. page 3

[amycann]

It actually took my husband seeing someone else doing it and having amazing results (at a restaurant no the less). To him my results were a fluke and he was not interested in reading nor doing anything that had to do with primal. Before he got on board he would go to buffet and binge eat until he made himself sick because in his mind I was being to restrictive (I don't allow bread in the house, bread was his drug of choice). I would make slow changes and maybe meet up with someone living the lifestyle too.

[oxide]

She has digestive problems so she stays away from foods that in today's conventional wisdom will tell her to stay away from, ie. bananas. She basically eats any "food" that's bland in taste and color and high in carbs. She'll go to town on rice, PNB sandwich, pasta, potatoes, etc. She gets 'hungry' every 2 hours or so and complains to me when I say I'm not hungry... I believe eating better can most likely take some of those away.

You SERIOUSLY need to read "Wheat Belly" by William Davis. The carbs that she "goes to town" on are probably what's causing her digestive issues.

[magicmerl]

Has anyone else been in a situation like I am? Did you change your partner's mind somehow?
I have and am in a situation like yours. I have not had much success and if anything any effort to change his mind has been more of a set-back than an advancement so I don't try anymore.

What I do is this:
- Cook low and moderate fat foods (chicken, fish, lean steak, steamed vegetables) most of the time and serve butter on the side. I like to watch him take the butter when sometimes I don't even take any. I just smile to myself on the inside.

Yeah, having sides where people can customise their options works well. We still let our kids eat ricies and cornflakes for breakfast. Better to lose the battle and win the war, ya know?

- When I do cook something fatty (lamb, pork) I let him select the portion size. He always takes the smallest amount. He's not too upset because I always make steamed veggies so that makes him feel virtuous.

I would make a big steak and a little steak. Then let him choose the little steak

- If he serves things I don't want to eat, I don't eat them. I don't eat the pasta but I eat the sauce over a sweet potato, for example. I might take ONE of something I don't want to eat so he doesn't get his feelings hurt, and then I make something else to eat later. I also will eat the Indian food (lentils and chickpeas) and I'm okay with the big cheese and cracker nosh-sessions he's fond of. I'll have the cheese, herring, olives and he can have the crackers and hummus.

Sounds good, although I wouldn't even take the 'ONE of something' you don't want. If he knows you don't want it in advance, he's being a bit of a control freak trying to get you to do something he knows you don't want to do. Just skip it and move on. If he mentions is, points out that you don't make him eat the things you think are good that he doesn't like.

- Now and then I'll make two separate meat items. A big steak or hunk of liver for me and a leftover chicken breast for him. He doesn't mind at all. He thinks I'm being extra NICE to him. Can you believe it? I'm getting the steak and he thinks I'm being generous. Ha ha!!

See, that's just win-win there.

I noticed he almost always breaks out his nuts and chips after dinner for a giant pig-out session, so it's not like he's truly satisfied with the low-fat menu he demands, but I just go along with whatever inconsistencies in his totally dug-in position to keep the peace. Slowly I'm winning, though, and I don't think he's noticing.

Indeed.