How To Deal With A Non Supportive Partner
It seems fairly common in the Paleo community for people to have a significant other, or family, who aren't quite as supportive with the whole Paleo diet thing. At least not yet…
So if you’re convinced that eating Paleo is right for you (and right for most people!) how do you deal with a non-supportive partner or family?
Do you try to convince them and force them to buy into a Paleo diet? Do you relent and go back to your old ways, as it’s just too hard to fight? Or do you carry on regardless?
Are They Receptive?
If your partner is interested in what you’re doing – lend them your Paleo books and show them your favourite sites. Be on hand to answer their questions – and show case some great Paleo meals to demonstrate how well you can eat.
Are They Hostile?
Unfortunately, often partners and family can be less than enthusiastic about a new diet. They might be jealous, feel left out, not want to change the status quo – or perhaps just completely against it!
When faced with a lot of resistance at home, a good approach seems to be to not even try to change their mind. Keep doing your Paleo thing – and hope that by being a good example, eventually your good health will speak for itself.
If you do the cooking, you have a far easier job. You can continue to cook – but just keep it Paleo. If they object, they’ll have to make their own – it’s their choice. If they usually cook and aren’t prepared to make it Paleo, you’re going to need to start cooking and preparing your own food.
Do you have a supportive partner? Did you come to Paleo at different times? Any tips you have for dealing with a none supportive partner – please share in the comments below and help someone out!
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I do the shopping and the cooking for my family so there was no choice for them. Eat what I cook and what is in the house or go hungry.
My husband doesn’t eat paleo or primal by choice but I make him eggs with veggies cooked in coconut oil every morning for breakfast and dinner is usually a meat and veggie scenario. We don’t have rice or pasta. He still has sandwiches, muesli bars etc cause that is his choice. I eat how I like and if I’m cooking a meal them I cook paleo for him and he loves it. I don’t cook separately ever cept his lunch he still has to have his sandwiches made with wheat and grains. but I give him organic salad ingredients and pan fry the chicken or bake cuts and put in his lunches. I think alot of people freak out when the see butter and coconut oil but I slather my food in it and I feel better and keeps me fuller for longer. If I’m losing weight I’m doing something right! I feel that I cannot force my lifestyle onto others and better to lead by example and let the evidence speak for itself! If people are interested then I’m happy to share.
My partner is supportive but not paleo….yet! I am working on him 😉
He loves his bread, and milk & sugar in his coffee and I get told off if I ‘forget’ to buy it for him (I’m the one that does the shopping in this house). However, I am slowly converting him and our 4 year old daughter. It just takes patience and time.
I usually do the cooking so I make mostly paleo meals but allow a little white potato or rice pasta if I need to keep them happy. The best meals I find to make are meat and veg – plenty of variations on that theme. I am also experiementing with paleo snacks and treats to find what works.
I buy the food and do the cooking, I think my partner is about 80% paleo as he has things like sugar, ice cream, milk. I just accept that he is not as determined as me! I’m just happy he is ‘mainly paleo’.
Out for a meal, with friends, at the weekend it just struck me as odd the way they were trying to pick calorie controlled low fat foods rather than whole foods. (I must admit I kept quiet though)
I’m lucky, I have a receptive and supportive partner who has been willing to ride the paleo train right from day 1. I do most of my reading in the living room while she watches tv, and I think it was helpful that, when I would come across some especially interesting bit of research or well-written summary of some paleo principle, I’d ask her to pause and then read just that bit out loud to her. That way I could pass on tidbits of information without overwhelming her with my enthusiasm for hard science and raw data.
Now that we’ve been paleo for a while, when one of us starts to feel bad or have skin or digestive problems, we start with a discussion of what in our diets could be causing our symptoms, have we been making less-than-ideal choices or not sleeping enough, etc.
My husband is a certified junk food junkie, and unfortunately our young adult children have followed in his footsteps. I started eating better a few years ago but didn’t start Paleo until this past spring. Of course I’m the butt of the family’s jokes. I don’t cook grains anymore. If they want them, they have to cook them for themselves. They eat some of the things I prepare, other times they make their own. My son is vegetarian but eats WAY too many processed carbs. I don’t push my way on them. I’ve learned it does no good. I hope my example will rub off on them sooner than later. I have lost weight, my GERD is totally gone as are my severe sinus/allergy issues.
I am like kathe in that my husband and children eat the processed sugar cereals, foods, pasta, Kool-aid – you name it. I tend to be the butt of their jokes or was until I lost almost 50 lbs- and other guys started looking at me. Now he is at least verbally supportive, but says that he does not know how he can do it. We try making little changes every day… It’s harder with my older daughter and easier with my younger one.
One day at a time