Diet/Recipe source to end me vs. them
I'm an aspiring triathlete and IM...my wife and 4 yr old are not. I know I'm not the only one to have to deal with this. I looking for anyone's suggestions of avoiding parralel diets in my house. We can all benefit from eating healthier, but it's unrealistic I think for me say to "go paleo" unless the family does it too.
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I agree with what John says, eating a little something every 2-3 hours. Whole grains, fruits, greek yogurt, veggies.
We also bought smaller plates. It sounds silly, but it works.
For family dinners unless it was around the 2 hour pre/post workout window I would just avoid the starches that I made for the rest of the family. In other words I made a single dinner but I might just eat the protein, veg and skip the rice but the rest of the family had a full normal meal they were expecting. Over time I would use less unhealthy items and try to sneak in healthier substitutions and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't (wheat pasta was an epic fail). I found that as long as I kept cooking a variety of meals my family didn't miss some of the things I didn't make any longer. I actually got my boy hooked on Farro and Quinoa and he doesn't even know it's good for him and I'm not telling.
(1) Lean Meat
(1) Starch
(1) Veggie
So if I am not have a B.A.S. for myself (Big Ass Salad, usually with lean meat on it), then I make a second veggie and forgo my portion of the starch. Done.
I don't think it's totally unrealistic to try to maintain a certain way of eating if the rest of your family doesn't east the same way. Meal time is a bit of a free-for-all in our house. Our boys eat dinner at a "normal" time, before John gets home from work. They rarely eat what we're eating for dinner. I didn't like salmon and broccoli as a kid and I really don't expect them to at 4 and 6 years old either... but that's just me. So I make them their pterodactyl shaped chicken nuggets and smiley fries, and when John gets home and the kids are in bed at 7:30, we eat our salmon and broccoli. I'll usually make some type of starch for John, but since I've trended a little more in the paleo direction lately, I often eat more vegetable in lieu of starch. I'd say I'm "Paleo lite." I still eat dairy and occasionally rice chips or rice based cereal, but have given up gluten altogether (except for the two weeks after Hurricane Sandy... and I REALLY regretted eating it again, but after feeling the effects it has on my body I think I'm 100% sold on not eating it at all anymore!). If I'm cooking something that has a starch in it, I'll remove my portion and add the starch for John last. Otherwise, dinner is REALLY easy when it's just a lean meat cooked on the Calphalon indoor grill dealio and a vegetable. If I'm super lazy, it's an Amy's gluten-free frozen pizza.
I think it was helpful for me to "define" myself as gluten-free. It's easier to pass up the stuff that I shouldn't be eating anyway when tell myself and everyone else that I'm eating gluten-free. I read The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf and started researching the effects gluten has on the body - after having all that info, I decided to give it a shot. Paleo is definitely a little more restrictive than I was prepared to commit to, but I find gluten-free (and mostly grain free) to be much easier than I expected.
I think you CAN do it without having your entire family on board, but it takes a little more will power and a little more work than if they were. Like John said - if you just start doing it, there's a good possibility that your wife might eventually follow suit.
AND! Lara Bars. Keep them with you at all times. They are delicious. Especially the blueberry muffin.
Dude let it go do your own thing, keep the peace and SAU or you in for some large DO DO...
Aspire all you want. nothing worse than an ex- alcoholic/ smoker that wants to change/save the world or someone who wants others to follow their new found sport..
If your going from eating a typical American diet which is not very healthy to trying to get everyone on board to eating "paleo" that might be unrealistic. how about some baby steps to eating how Coach P describes. Also, The best way for me to influence what goes on the table is to buy it and make it myself...My wife never complains when I make dinner pretty much REGARDLESS of what I make...
I live with an IM athlete who goes through his training cycles, and I have my own training/eating cycles, too. I also counsel a lot of triathletes and spouses. You've gotten a lot of good comments above. Here are my suggestions:
1) YOU chose to train and race. Take responsibility for your food. This means you may need to do your own shopping, planning and cooking. Yes, there are times John (hubby) and I are both in the kitchen cooking our own dinners and we sit down and eat together. Following this method has resolved a lot of food conflict.
2) At a minimum, make a list for your wife of groceries you need and ask her nicely to pick these items up for you. If she picks up the wrong thing, gently let her know next time that you need another brand/item/etc. Ideally, you would have pictures on your list so she knows exactly what you want. John and I use GroceryIQ app that syncs on both of our iPhones so we have one grocery list with the exact items needed. If this doesn't work, see #1.
2) Don't expect your spouse and son to change everything to fit you and your training. Haivng a spouse who is training adds a lot to your spouse's life and stress. You don't want to make it even worse with food issues. You can eat larger portions of what they eat. If your wife is doing the cooking, ask her to cook more to accommodate what you need. Fill your own plate and let her fill hers. If this doesn't work, see #1.
3) If your wife does cook and grocery shop for you, do nice things for her to thank her. Trust me. It is a lot of extra work to cook, shop, and try to keep up with an athlete who is training. Particularly during the build when you only see your training spouse when they are eating or sleeping.
4) If all else fails, see #1.