Husband Resistance to Keto

I have attempted keto a few times before, and had to stop after only a month because of issues with my husband or because there were too many family events with non-keto food. It got discouraging when week after week, because of an event I felt like I had to restart keto and considered myself lucky when I had 2 perfect weeks in a row.

Since it's fall now, I decided to start up again. It happens that a relative of ours has to eat a keto diet to manage seizures, and our BIL also went on it and shared his results with my husband. NOW my husband is considering it a legitimate diet with real results and health benefits...he didn't before (shakes head).

We talked recently about how we need to get in better health and shape because we want to have a family. I told my husband I've done keto before and didn't want to make a thing out of it because he hates diets, hates not being able to eat what he wants, etc. When I told my husband I wanted to do keto again, and I needed him to be understanding the first thing he said was "this better not be expensive." I told him all diets can be as cheap or as expensive as we make them. I don't need to eat college educated meat, I just need fatty meat (like chicken thighs). He's not quite on board because he knows that it means HE might need to eat differently since I am the cook. 

My husband primarily eats lots of carbs, like bread, chips, crackers, processed red meat (which amazingly has a lot of carbs!), etc. He knows I need to be healthy and my digestive system simply can't handle eating the way he does. He's still being resistant, and I don't know how to approach this because I'm tired of getting into arguments with him over why he won't do the grocery shopping because I need keto food to cook with, or why I have to track my carbs (he finds food tracking annoying), etc. 

I do feel like throwing in the towel.

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    • karen
    • karen.55
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi I mainly cook same food for family eg roast chicken but then change mine into a keto meal so will omit potatoes and add cheese sauce and some olive oil mayonnaise. side salad with oil dressing etc and it works and everyone is happy .  It takes some planning but becomes a lot easier . 

    Like 1
    • karen
    • karen.55
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    With curry they have rice I have cauliflower rice , spaghetti bolognese I have courgetti  they have pasta . Sometimes they try and actually  like eg now my husband has keto curried cabbage .  Dont pack in the towel - it's just finding things you can adapt and you can follow keto and he can still have his carbs etc 

    Like 1
    • Ketocurl
    • Ketocurl
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    That means I'd have to cook twice as much food. The amount of time I spend cooking sometimes bothers him, because then there's "too much food" in the fridge. 

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    • Sandy
    • Sandy.49
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I agree that it is challenging because I am in a similar dilemma.  Have only been on Keto for about 3 weeks, but I am learning to adapt meals for both of us.  Making one meal, and cooking the same amount of food, just doing his normally and making mine Keto.  Start with a meat dish and just separate sides.  Spaghetti is a good one.  Pasta for him, thin sliced cooked cabbage or spiral  zucchini for you.  Hope all goes well for you.

    Like 2
    • Ketocurl
    • Ketocurl
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    What happens when you run out of keto food? My husband didn't want to grocery shop and I needed to eat today. It's not going to be a keto weekend :/

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    • migsmom
    • 655721be553932629b01
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    No meat, no eggs, no cheese, no nuts or seeds, no nut butters, no vegetables??  Fast until you get to the store?

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    • Ketocurl
    • Ketocurl
    • 4 yrs ago
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    655721be-5539-3262-9b01-1953484d9fa5 What we have at home is the peanut butter that's already got honey in it, lots of bread, crackers, chips, honey roasted peanuts, and frozen food. There's meat...and that's it. Meat's the only thing that isn't full of sugar, but I'd have to eat a ton to feel full and I've been feeling light-headed all day.

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    • migsmom
    • 655721be553932629b01
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Ketocurl 

    Go for the meat cooked in real butter or avocado/olive oil. Meat and fat  are very satiating.  If you have frozen  or canned non starchy veg like green beans. I’ve done carnivore and you fill up fast on meat, especially red meat.  

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  • Ketocurl  shop yourself? Why does your husband have to do it for you?

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    • Ketocurl
    • Ketocurl
    • 4 yrs ago
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    maryanntherese1e22 We have 1 car and commute to work and home together. Sometimes my husband doesn't want to go grocery shopping when he has the car, or it's bad timing to go before other activities during the week.

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    • Ketocurl
    • Ketocurl
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    This week, my husband offered me chips while we watched a football game and I said no thank you. He said "you can't even have ONE?" He also asked me if I'd eat mac n' cheese, to which I also said no. He was absolutely floored. To him, anything that's restricting preventing him from being able to eat foods like bread, chips, soda, crackers, and cereal-- is a bad diet. Those are all go-to foods for him that are quick, easy, and cheap. 

    We did end up going grocery shopping, and he pointed out the foods that were all high-carb and I reminded him, no I will not be eating that. I can tell it's bothering him. To be clear, I'm not expecting him to eat like this. I'll still make foods that he likes (meat, steamed or stir-fried veggies, curry, etc.). 

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    • karen
    • karen.55
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi lots of suggestions below on how to do one meal and adapt yours - it is down to you - you  just need to plan your food and meals for the week , buy the food and  decide to do 

    Like 3
    • Mommyk8
    • Mommyk8
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Have you tried online shopping at the stores and then just pick up the food.  I do that and it allows me to stop on my way home from work and pick it up. It also gets you away from  throwing things in the cart that you would not normally buy.

    Like 2
    • Ronford
    • Fin’l Advisor
    • Ronford
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    My spouse isn’t doing low carb or keto... I successfully complained about her high carb casserole dinners & the 2 days of eating leftovers to the point that now ...‘I get to cook my own damn dinner.’  Thus, I’m doing less bitchin and more kitchen!
    I grill the protein & she cooks the sides... I only eat the low carb sides. Should my charming spouse not have a low carb side, I  quickly steam broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower while the meat is resting.  After a few times of doing this, she started actually steaming sides because she liked it... Sometimes, training a spouse or persuading one is simply done by example. Good luck on your strategy. 

    Like 3
  • I’m thinking if your hubby can’t help him self , he should at least do his own cooking . 

    If I were you I’d buy bulk and prepare meals ready to go ,either cook re heat or in casserole dishes ready to cook or in bags prepared for the crockpot . Freeze portion sizes chilli, soups etc 

    can you get your groceries delivered that way you don’t have the excuse. Or buy a bag of frozen cauliflower, Broccoli & beans that you can whip out on the go . 

    Buy snacks and stash them so you have an emergency stash . 

    My hubby and I are both doing Keto , he wouldn’t dare complain as he knows he’d be cooking lol . And I track everything he doesn’t , I’ve lost more than him so its his choice . After all we all lose differently .

    GL and keep moving forward just don’t give up you can do this 😊

    Like 1
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