How to encourage my wife

Suggest things like going for a walk, it's exercise and you get to spend time together or offer to take over cooking duties (if you can cook!) then you can make sure that it's healthy things that are being served Unfortunately until she decided that she's ready to loose weight it wont happen, it's taken until now for me to find the motivation to shape up.

Then don't bring it up!!!

No seriously, my mom has been like this ever since I was little. The best way that my dad has been able to incorporate a healthy lifestyle into their lives is to do it in ways that are completely obvious. The hopes are that she will start feeling better and then want to be more open about it. Suggest that you cook dinner... Or if she is the chef - Explain how important it is to you that you start eating more healthy. Print out recipes for her... After dinner, suggest a walk! Enjoy each others time walking and she wont even realize that she is getting in exercise! Small steps. Oh and as a married woman myself if my husband brought up my weight/health I would automatically get defensive about it. You have to be delicate about it... Why? Because she is delicate and her feelings can get hurt easily.

GOOD LUCK!
Kait

Don't bring it up if she's sensitive. That won't change. Just try to lead by example, and talk about your own weight loss journey as much as you want. Try to make healthier choices, invite her to exercise when you do.

Whenever you mention exercising ask her for her help. If you're going to do some weight lifting ask her to spot you. I used this method with my daughter and before I knew it she was working out right along with me.

My husband is also sensitive about his weight. I too am worried because where my BMI was in the overweight catagory his was in the Obese I catagory. When I first started I made comments about healthy food habits which he did not want to address and was angry if I brought it up. I stopped. I realized this is my journey and I cannot be responsible for his weight loss because he can only do it himself. I have since lost 25 lbs and he has said he is proud of me and as of the last few weeks has begun to restrain from certain bad food habits. He has gone for a couple of walks with me but not many. It's a slow process but he is finally listening to me talk about calories in vs weight gain... and yes he does a lot of physical labor but when you walk in the house and down about 600-700c in snack food (breads, cheeses, dips & chips, etc.) that any weight loss is pretty much gone.
My suggestion is to concentrate on yourself but be open to those moments when a walk, talk, or action by you can make a difference in how she sees the overall picture of herself. I guess that's why they say patience is a virtue because sometimes it is hard to hold your tongue.

Best of luck to you both

You don't have to mention it but there are ways to get her to be more active without her even knowing the underline reasons you are doing it. I understand that you love your wife and you want to make sure that both of you have many years together...I'm with you. So my suggestion is start dating again...with her of course. Surprise her with dancing lesson where yall can go together. Invite some friends and have a fun filled night to the bowling alley. You might not know how to bowl but I have fun laughing at how many gutter balls I bowl. Have a picnic in the park and then take a stroll around it and admire the beauty. The point is to get her moving without her even knowing it. Now the operative word is "surprise". If you ask her to do these things she may come up with a whole bunch of excuses, but if your dress it up and say hey look what I got or guess where we are going or just tell her hey lets take a ride and have everything plan...there is no backing out for her. She will probably see it as fun as long as you don't mention anything regarding health. So keep it lite, airy and fun.

Good luck!!