Getting family on board with eating changes

I am 17 days pre-op and am concerned about getting my partner on board with my long term eating changes. I am confident that she won't directly interfere with what I need to eat, especially in the beginning, but she is a snack and sugar binger. I anticipate that she will still want lots of tempting food in the house. We've talked about it but she has a history of eating tempting foods when I was on previous diets, so I am concerned about a repeat.

How have you vets encouraged your family to reduce tempting foods and even join in healthier eating?

I'd love your suggestions so I can work on this ahead of time!

I just accepted the fact that other people did not have surgery and are not going to change their eating.  I found things that I could eat for snacks. 

For example, Quest Nutrition makes protein bars and protein chips that are expensive, but doable because I eat only a small serving at a time.

Weight loss and maintenance of weight loss are my responsibility.  I have ice cream, crackers, chips, cake, candy and cookies in my house for others and I don't eat them.  I always have things available that I can eat.

My partner eats a lot of foods I don't.  I buy that - and with most of them I have no problem unless they are "in my face". 

We keep those foods- snacks in pantry, cabinets or in the fridge in the garage.. Wrapped. 

I have "my legal snacks ".  There are some foods that are my triggers so we seldom have that in a house.  He is 100% on board with that.  For us is more of "not making me sick" . I am below my personal goal but some of those foods could make me really ill. We both hate when I get "a reaction" .... 

One way to manage that would be to dedicate one cabinet to her snacks. When she eats - she can take that from that cabinet - then put the rest back... Easier said than done when people are not used to that.  You are choosing to have surgery. They are not.  Expecting them to change because you chose to is unrealistic - IMO. 

You may need to be the one who constantly put things away - "out is sight - out of mind.." I.e I often move things from main fridge to the garage, or even freezer if I need to. My BF does not even remember he had the cake unless I remind him. Even though I don't eat that, nor I even like cakes anymore (they are super sweet for me - bleh) - and it could possibly make me very sick - I KNOW where the cake is... And how much of it is there.  

I met my current partner after my WLS - and his eating habits and his respect for me and my eating ways was one of the factors that made him great for me. I can't imagine living with someone who snacks all the time, or leaves food all over the place.... Or "needs" to have food at home that I shouldn't be around.  

I am currently on day 4 of my liquid preop diet, and my family (we being me and my 3 year old girls... live with my mom and brother) and for the most part have been extremely supportive. However, I know that they're not going to change their eating habits because I am here drinking liquids nonstop. If I am hungry or starving I make sure that I have a preop appropriate snack that I can grab quickly. 

You cannot force others, especially adults, to do change. Just figure out ways to keep yourself on the path to success. Eventually, they may try to do the same, but right now, focus on you. 

I still buy the snacks my family (kids)wants. We have a snack baskets with chips, honey buns, pop tarts. My parents hid food, and that led to me sneaking food and feeling shamed because of it. I want my kids to know they have free access if they want it. Since I don't limit- they don't make a big deal of it and it takes a while for the snack basket to empty. I just deal with it-- constantly reading the labels when I'm tempted. I'm just not willing to dump a days worth of carbs into a pop tart. 

The only thing I've put my foot down with my family over is juice. After surgery I told them I'd have no parts in making juice/buying soda since I wasn't drinking it (and it's a trigger for me).  For a while I continued to keep juice mix around- but then I just stopped buying it. My one son drinks only water now- the other is finally trending towards the same. 

Unfortunately you can't change other pple just yourself.  My husband has a sweet tooth like nothing I've seen before. I don't buy any of it, he buys it. Currently I have a 6pk of blueberry muffins, 6pk of pecan butter tarts and enough flavours of ice cream to open my own shop!!  It's up to me to say no. (Which is hard right now because I want that cookie from the bakery beside me)!!  When I want a treat I get Greek unflavoured yogurt, mix it with chocolate protein powder and add some frozen fruit. Hang in there! 

I mostly do the shopping, so there are fewer snacks around. If I get a special item for the boys, it goes into their rooms. I know my husband feels deprived, while balancing the checking account I found stops at a bakery that's on his way home from work. Nothing entered the house, so he must have downed what ever on his way home  LOL !!

My wife has lost over 140lbs and has been able to maintain it but she is able to eat foods that I absolutely can't touch. She has a cabinet that she puts her food in. Really, it doesn't bother me to see or smell it at this point but I know it is tough for many people. She is such a great support for me so she still keeps the foods I can't eat in a separate area.

My wife bakes and the house is FULL, FULL of cookies and cakes all the time.  I just need to keep saying that she isn't baking those things for me.  I know that on holidays I'll nibble a bit, so I don't feel like I'm deprived from never tasting her stuff.  Whenever I get a sweet thing going I just have a couple of Healthwise Biscotti.  15 calories each and not so good you'd eat the whole bag.  They've kept me sane and I haven't had a slip yet.  The surgeon's PA has never been happy about my enviornment, but there is food everywhere at work all the time.  I just have to learn that I control my own environment.  I keep stuff in my drawer if I'm going to face a big cake event.  (nuts, jerky, protein pretzels, quest bars, etc).  I grab something and keep it with me - just in case on those days.

Wow, Alan. I don't think I'd have the control to resist long term. From the beginning of my WLS journey I've asked DH to hide stuff like cakes and cookies when he has them (which is rare). They just call to me when I see/smell them.