How to live with a boyfriend who has the metabolism and palate of a fifth-grader without gaining one million pounds (but maybe ten).

If I weren’t around, my boyfriend’s diet would probably consist of cocoa puffs, captain crunch, pizza, “beanie weenies” (hot dogs and baked beans), brownies, and lots of Taco Bell.  Luckily, I do almost all of the cooking (and he does almost all of the dishes, an excellent system that keeps us both happy), so I make sure he gets some fruits, vegetables, and generally healthier foods in his system.  However, I’m a firm believer in everyone’s right to choose what they eat, so cocoa puffs, pizza, beanie weenies, brownies, Taco Bell, and the like all find their way into our apartment from time to time.  And although I haven’t developed a taste for beanie weenies, I haven’t met a slice of pizza I didn’t like.

Further aggravating the problem (or maybe just aggravating me), he seems to be able to eat basically whatever he wants and remain as thin as ever, while I’m fairly certain the same does not hold true for me.  So here are four tips I’ve adapted to keep us both happy and relatively healthy.

1. Find a few healthy meals and desserts that you both enjoy.  We both love Asian flavors, so vegetable stir-fry, vegetable dumplings, and this salad (or this salad) are on regular rotation.  Other favorites include these turkey burgers, and various renditions of black-bean chili.  On the dessert side, I’ve recently been on a cookie dough kick, and we’ve both loved these vegan cookie dough balls and this vegan cookie dough fudge.  Other favorites are these cookies and any kind of fruit smoothie.
2. Supplement with vegetables.  If we’re having pizza for dinner, I try to make a salad, or cook up some broccoli or spinach so I can ensure that we eat at least something green.
3. Take advantage of his boundless energy.  Lately, with the weather getting nicer, we’ve been taking really long walks all over the city.  Another all-weather favorite is the post-dinner clean up dance party (so at least I’m burning off some of those pizza calories).  We’ve even started working out together, which keeps us both a little more accountable and motivated.
4. Eat the brownie, and like it.  If there are brownies in the apartment, I am going to be eating brownies.  So, instead of feeling guilty, I just enjoy them for all of their chocolate-y goodness.

Anyone else have a partner who can eat whatever they want with no apparent consequences?  Have any tips to share?