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Weight Problem

post #1 of 15
8/10/07 at 4:11am
Thread Starter 
My father has a weight problem but overall is pretty healthy at 53. He is 30 lbs overweight. My mom is no help. She feeds him the same stuff as 20 years ago. I tried to sign him up for Jenny Craig but he wasn't for it because of the expense. He doesn't care to learn about nutrition but he's willing to follow a plan if its relatively cheap. He exercises pretty regularly. He is also vegetarian. I'm thinking something like Slim Fast but I'd like to hear some thoughts.
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post #2 of 15
8/10/07 at 10:15am
Eat less. Walk more. The rest is optional. Bananas, fruits, veggies, olive oil, red wine. What's so difficult?
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post #3 of 15
8/10/07 at 10:18am
It is easy to be a fat vegetarian; does he eat a lot of cheese and simple carbs? If he can cut out the carbs and go more towards protein / fat he'd probably drop it naturally without much work.
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post #4 of 15
8/10/07 at 10:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheHoff View Post
It is easy to be a fat vegetarian; does he eat a lot of cheese and simple carbs? If he can cut out the carbs and go more towards protein / fat he'd probably drop it naturally without much work.

Agreed. Give him walnuts and beans. Cut out flour. Cut out processed soy. Eggs for breakfast instead of pancakes (if he eats eggs). If not eggs, cottage cheese or nonfat, plain yogurt and blueberries. Put flaxseed on everything.
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post #5 of 15
8/10/07 at 7:03pm
It's much harder to lose weight at that age, but it's really hard if he doesn't want to lose weight or he doesn't care. Smaller portions of whatever he's eating now may help. Calorie count is more important than types of foods.
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post #6 of 15
8/10/07 at 8:00pm
Just out of curiosity, is he a vegetarian due to religious, humanitarian or health reasons?
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post #7 of 15
8/10/07 at 8:03pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you for advice. I know know it is not hard to figure how to lose weight. Cottage cheese sounds like a good idea. We own a store that sells trail mix kind of stuff so I can get him to eat that. The problem is I need something very regimented and simple. That's why I was thinking Slim Fast. Is there a breakfast,lunch and snack he can eat for three months straight? I don't care for variation just something he can straight follow.
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post #8 of 15
8/10/07 at 8:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by quevola View Post
Just out of curiosity, is he a vegetarian due to religious, humanitarian or health reasons?


Religious, my parents are Jain, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism. It shares a lot with Buddhism. For all intents and purposes, he doesn't eat poultry, fish and meat. He eat dairy and has a omelet once in a while but doesn't like eggs in the house.
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post #9 of 15
8/10/07 at 8:12pm
Just curious, as someone close to your father's age, why is it up to you to decide what he eats? Is he impaired in some way?
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post #10 of 15
8/10/07 at 8:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by California Dreamer View Post
Just curious, as someone close to your father's age, why is it up to you to decide what he eats? Is he impaired in some way?

LOL, no he's not impaired. He just doesn't take health seriously enough to take initiative. He will listen and follow if someone guides him
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post #11 of 15
8/12/07 at 11:49pm
Thread Starter 
So does have a simple plan he can follow? I want him to try something for 3 months.

Something like:

Breakfast - Protein shake, cup of bran cereal with soy milk, OJ

Snacks - Cup of Trail Mix (walnuts, almonds, pecans, raisins, granola, pistachios)

Lunch - Veggie Burger cut up in Salad.

Snack - Cottage

Dinner - Typical (less portions)

Snack - Apple or Banana & Milk

Yea, it' pretty bad but it is a start.
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post #12 of 15
8/13/07 at 2:05am
Has he tried keeping his diet the same but reducing the portions and the amount he eats?
I'm not sure if I'd have my dad on protein powder, seems unnecessary.
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post #13 of 15
8/13/07 at 2:17am
Thread Starter 
He doesn't eat meat so I would think the protein would help.
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post #14 of 15
8/13/07 at 1:58pm
It probably would help. Cheap, easy-to-implement ideas such as more attention to sleep and vitamin D almost certainly would help. The aging body doesn't do either as well, and older people generally seem to not get as much sun exposure as younger people. Periodic positive reinforcement - "You're looking good, Dad" - is advisable.
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post #15 of 15
8/13/07 at 2:03pm
You might also try to get him to join a local gym. A lot of older guys seem to like going just to get out of the house every night-- they end up becoming friend with the other like-minded types there who play racketball or whatever, sit in the hot tub or the sauna and talk about sports.

Also try getting him interested in a sport he's never done before: buy a new bicycle, get him to play golf (and walk). Any kind of physical activity helps.

Keep in mind almost all men of a certain age start to put on a certain amount of weight, but good to see you are looking out for your pops.
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