How to encourage someone else's dieting

High five for what Grim said....  Let him pick what he thinks will work for him and "he" can do it.  As we all know, we can lead a horse to water but they have to drink it.  I can't tell you how many emails and calls I get from loved ones wanting to get their "loved" one help.  I tell them that person has to call me, they have to want it.

Good Luck!  

Your Weight Matters (the Obesity Action Coalition OAC runs it so all science based trustworthy no diet scam info) sends a weekly email with fun tips and info. They send you a great nutrition guide (it's awesome) all free. You could sign up for that.

Yay for your husband!  I agree with the other advice regarding tracking.  I also like the suggestion to have him just track how he normally eats and see what he comes out at.  That will serve two purposes--an eye-opener and to see where he can make easy cuts.  

He has an advantage in that he's tall.  Depending on his activity level, his TDEE could be around 3000 calories which is an enormous amount of food.  I would caution against him trying to make too drastic of a cut at first--shoot for the old -500 calories a day at first.  Chances are when he sees a result, he'll get more enthusiastic.

Lemme tell you about my dad.  He is 67 and was hovering around 278 lbs, T2 diabetic, high BP, aches and pains, short of breath, the whole bit.  He'd been expressing the desire to lose weight and a couple of years ago I showed him the Lose It! app on his phone and he did some half-assed tracking, but wasn't serious about it, but then he gained more weight.  And started needing insulin.  So he asked me about tracking again earlier this year and we set small goals for him.  This man is religious about tracking now and weighs himself every morning.  I first set a goal of 260 lbs for him and then 250.  He was very doubtful that he could get down to 250 and I said, "Let's just see how you do."  Well, yesterday he told me he's down to 240 and set a goal of 235 for himself.  I am over the moon.  He's been able to reduce his insulin and metformin, his face looks thinner, his aches and pains are less.  Last night he had a snack of cashews and he actually weighed and logged them.  I am beyond impressed.

Your husband may take a few tries before it sticks.  Don't be impatient.  You have an advantage in that the sort of things you eat (protein forward) will also benefit your husband, so that may make things easier.  :D  Keep us posted on how things go!

Jen

I Learned the hard way - tell him to ask you  questions..

• what does he needs to know? 
• what exactly he expects of you? help with planning meals? exercise?
• don't be his food police - even if he goes on a diet - but decides to eat a piece of cake or pizza -  don't comment, don't roll your eyes, don't try to take it away from him... or even tell hi he does not need it.... 
• try to restrain yourself from talking about "The Diet" at every meal...(my problem  when my sister was visiting and wanted me to put her on a diet)

I cook and serve food that is good for me... Honey got heavier at one point... I stopped buying milk and waffles for him, and I stopped baking muffins for him.  I would forget to give him bread with breakfast...(we did not have it in the house any way (we had frozen or rolls or biscuits that needed to be baked - or reheated). We got more active- more walking when we went out... I always "needed to walk after dinner"  and he walked with me... we often walked downtown or in the park..in our town..

My guy has a permission to question my food choices or qty.  i.e :"are you sure you want ABC? " or "looks like you may be full - would you like me to tell them to bring a takeout box?"

but he never tells me that I "can't" or "shouldn't" have anything... 

Often his question makes me stop and think about it- instead of grabbing something and eating it ..(like bread?) . And often - when I stop and think- I  don't eat that...... but sometimes I really want something and I get that...(like a 1/2" sliver of pizza. or a glas of wine , or a bite of a dessert..) 

That sounds challenging.  

Did he ask you for help?  I can't tell from the post.  

He didn't specifically ask for help, he brought the subject up to me at dinner. That's a good point - I don't want to pu**** and I would never be like why are you eating that, aren't you on a diet? 

Yeah.. I asked because my partner will occasionally tell me that he wants to lose weight/work on losing weight, but he's just telling me to let me know and not to ask for help.  I think that, if he hasn't explicitly asked for help, your best course of action is just to lead by example.  

Which can suck :P

I like the idea of cutting out one thing. As others said, what does he like to eat that he may eat too often: chips, pizza, beer, etc.? Oftentimes, cutting out one unhealthy item can really spark some weight loss (as long as he doesn't substitute that unhealthy item with a different one). 

I second the advice about unsolicited advice. I've received a lot of unsolicited advice from people, while that advice might come from a place of love, it's hurtful, sometimes. Always be careful.

Has he had a full physical recently? If so, was there anything to be concerned about? Did his doctor tell him he should lose weight? Approach it from a health perspective. You are obviously a lot nicer than I am. My boyfriend had a stroke a year and a half ago. He was about your husband's size. I told him he had to take better care of his health because I would not be able to enjoy my retirement if he were DEAD!! Since then, he has lost 40 pounds, gets in 13000 steps a day, and swims an hour every day. I hope it does not take a health emergency for your hubby to do something. Just little steps can improve his health a lot.