| I really didn't mean to be devious. I was worried | | | | sounding soups like Cauliflower au Gratin and |
| about his health and mine. I finally went cold turkey | | | | Vegetable-Cheddar Soup. |
| and gave up my two pack-a-day cigarette habit and | | | | That's where it all began. The first meal I served was |
| put on 40 lbs. He weighed 241 lbs. and tried every | | | | the Chicken with the Creamy Mustard Sauce. We |
| diet in creation. After being on that famous | | | | thought we died and went to heaven! When Chubby |
| high-protein diet, bacon and eggs every morning and | | | | Hubby raved I just played it cool and told him I |
| steak for dinner, he wound up having a triple bypass. | | | | purchased a new cookbook. No talk about healthy |
| I'm usually not a nagging wife, but I knew this kind of | | | | cooking, not a word about low fat and heaven help |
| eating couldn't be right. He would tell anyone who | | | | me if I mentioned the dreaded word 'diet'. |
| would listen how he was losing weight and I wouldn't | | | | Two weeks passed. I noticed my husband was |
| leave him alone. | | | | depressed and seemed worried about something. |
| Not being a motivated person, I knew I needed help | | | | He's not one to pour his problems out easily. It took |
| from a support group. How ridiculous to think my | | | | time to finally get it out of him. "I'm really concerned |
| husband would join with me. Do you know how hard | | | | about something" he said very seriously. "I've lost a |
| it is to find men at these meetings? I couldn't imagine | | | | lot of weight for no reason and I think there must |
| him getting on a scale every week in front of all | | | | be something terribly wrong with me." |
| these women, so there I was on my own. | | | | Now I know it was cruel for me to laugh, but I had |
| The most important fact I learned from my group | | | | to. When I told him those meals that he was raving |
| leader that day is that (we hope not intentionally), | | | | about nightly were low in fat and portioned correctly, |
| husbands, friends and family will try to sabotage you. | | | | it took a while to sink in. His plate was as full as |
| "Have another helping, it's good for you!" Sound | | | | always. The difference was that now it was filled |
| familiar? I realized this was true when I got home | | | | with normal portions of meat and more with |
| and with renewed excitement I rambled on about | | | | deliciously seasoned vegetables plus either rice, |
| my meeting, the interesting diet plan and how they all | | | | potatoes or pasta. |
| laughed when I said my goal was to find my | | | | We continued to eat well. No gimmicks, no pills, no |
| cheekbones again. He had this blank stare that said | | | | cabbage soup or grapefruit diets. I relearned the art |
| I'm happy for you but if you're going to do this, I | | | | of cooking and we both have a new respect for |
| don't really want to hear about it. He's not usually the | | | | food. We're both looking great. I lost my 40 lbs and |
| kind that tunes me out like that so I was a bit upset | | | | more, he now weighs 178 lbs. Please understand that |
| but I knew he really meant it. | | | | unlike the diet ads on TV, we did not do this in 6 |
| At the next weekly meeting, I thumbed through the | | | | weeks. It's unhealthy to yo-yo diet. Have patience! |
| cookbooks for sale. I purchased the one that had | | | | After a while we realized that we would also have to |
| quick and easy menus and lots of comfort food. My | | | | change our lifestyle so my svelte husband is out on |
| thought was that it wouldn't be necessary to cook | | | | the treadmill almost every day and I take aerobic |
| something different for the two of us. He would love | | | | classes twice a week and instruct line dancing three |
| things like Creamy Broccoli-Topped Pasta, Chicken or | | | | times a week. By the way, we're in our 70's still |
| Veal with Creamy Mustard Sauce, and luscious | | | | eating right and still going strong. |