small changes

[mysticmomma]

We are trying to go to a more tf way of life. I need help. Currently readng the makers diet. We have eliminated pork now (excpet my husband that needs bacon or sausage every once in a while). What other small changes can we start to make around the house. My dh is a very picky eater. Think... ham and macaroni and cheese.

[summerlilies]

I would start with cod liver oil. Then it's all about eating more of the right foods and less (or none) of the wrong foods. Start by shopping the perimeter of your grocery store.

Check your pantry and refrigerator and get rid of any food that has MSG (stated as 'hydrolized protein' or 'natural flavoring'), high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and dyes (as a start).

Instead of reading a million lables, buy foods that don't have lables.

I think the most important thing when getting started is to ADD things -- get a source for raw milk etc. instead of TAKING favorite things away.

[thedomesticdiva]

We did this more as ADDING super-healthy items rather than taking away. As time passed, I found that I could no longer tolerate the junk food, and my body did not crave it because it was so full of good things.

It is so overwhelming that you really have to pace yourself... I would try to add one new thing each week. I wrote a list of what was the most important based on what we ate the most of before TF...
For example, if your family eats a ton of cheese, go with that first...

The Makers Diet is great, but a lot of people here do not do a ton of supplementing like he does. I go back and forth, but they all agree on CLO (like pp said).

After reading his book (and for religious reasons) I no longer eat pork, but a lot of people here do.

The two most important things for our family have been coconut oil (CO) and Kefir....

My kids love the tons of fat and chicken skin and smoothies - other times they miss things - and I try to find good substitutes... We always vote on things also - did you like the mayonnaise? or the cake?

HTH

[gardenmommy]

I second the PP about making the focus adding good stuff rather than taking away bad stuff. It is easier for many people that way, because then they don't feel deprived.

1. Add CLO, good butter, and CO to your diet.
2. Add plenty of protein: grass-fed meats, good eggs, raw dairy.
3. Add lots of lower sugar fruits, and fewer higher sugar fruits.
4. Add plenty of veggies, whatever you like, and then try to add one or two new veggies every week (or every other week here, because that is how I grocery shop).
5. Find lower sugar desserts/treats, and gradually reduce how often you eat them. Try to find things that are lower/no grain recipes as well.
*a note on desserts: I find that, at least for my family, it is important to still have desserts/treats, otherwise people start to feel deprived and resentful. At that point, they start looking for and bugging me about unhealthy stuff when we go out. If I make it at home, at least I can control the amount and type of sweetener in the treat.*

6. Take out junk by not replacing it as you use it up. Replace the junk with a healthier option.
7. Find acceptable substitutes for things you are taking out. For example, we do not eat any pork at all, but DH LOVES his sausage and bacon. I have found some really good chicken sausage (some is organic, and some isn't) and turkey bacon that fills this craving. We don't have to have it all the time, but if he wants it, it is nice to know there is an option.

As far as addressing the pickiness, I would just try to add one or two new things each week to expand his repertoire. All I can say is just keep trying until you find some new recipes that he likes. Don't get frustrated about what you *aren't* doing, focus on the small things he will tolerate. If he likes ham and mac-n-cheese, try using better cheese and milk, sub turkey ham, and see if that works. It is ok to just do small steps in the beginning. You will find that the start is slow, but picks up speed as you go along.

I also think it is perfectly acceptable (maybe not ideal) to have one or two meals a week (esp. during the transition) that are just junk, if that makes it easier for your family to make the switch. The goal is to get everyone on board, not to turn them off healthy foods, so do what it takes.

As far as you are concerned, I would really focus on eating the best foods you can, so that you feel your best. It is easier to deal with other people when you feel good. That can help encourage your DH to eat better/try new things as well, as long as you aren't nagging about it (ok, at least that helps with my DH!).

BTW, I just finished TMD 40-day plan (my second time), and DH is nearly 1/2 way through it as well. This is a major breakthrough for us, because previously, he just wouldn't do it at all. It has taken him 2 years to get here, so don't give up hope, just take it slow!

[gardenmommy]

Oh yeah, I forgot to add that I always ask DH what he thought about something new that I've made. Sometimes it is just a matter of tweaking a dish to make it into something that he loves, versus something he just tolerates. I always ask him to be honest, because if he hates it, I don't want to make him suffer through it for the next 40 years! Also, I tell him (and the DC) that it may be something we love, may be something we hate. If we hate it, I'll not make it again. That way, everyone feels like they have some say in what appears on the table. The DC are way more likely to try something new with that caveat as well.