Spouse Not Understanding My Lifestyle Change

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  • nammer79
    nammer79 Posts: 707 Member
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    hes not trying to sabotage you he is being supportive in his own way and you need to be in yours. I'm not saying your not but don't chastise the man for eating what he likes your both on a healthy trip together. Just last week my roomie baked three whole cakes I gave he a little bit of grief for fun but shes not the one that needs to drop the pounds (plus I'm diabetic and she cooked my favorite old school carrot cake-not from box ) I didn't have one slice and instead while she baked those yummy cakes I grilled up some chicken breast and ate a salad. Sure your going t be tempted but you said you had strong will power so you should be okay; your both going about it in a healthy way just different ways to get to the same goals.

    In the end hes not trying to sabotage you and like my roomie I'm sure he is supportive of your goals just have different views ...

    (on a side note the roomie cooked Red Velvet, Carrot, and German Chocolate Cake and now I'm craving cake just thinking about it lol )
  • sexyrosey
    sexyrosey Posts: 137
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    Let him know what your triggers are and be honest. My boyfriend is on here with me, he gets way more calories than I do do do and sometimes it is tough. I let him know he can have his treats but something’s are a huge no, no to me. I want him to enjoy his calories but just do not bring a cheesecake to my door. I will knock your *kitten* down and take it from you!
  • LindaLouLu
    LindaLouLu Posts: 271 Member
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    @, stop making cheesecake" and then start with the funny retorts about cheesecake and his waistline for the next 4 weeks, non-stop. Lol.

    :laugh: Must be why my husband and I get on so well. I tell him stuff that way all the TIME!! I never hint. :wink: Takes too long for him to figure out if you don't break it down Big Bird right out the gate:laugh:
  • kimimila86
    kimimila86 Posts: 424
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    My husband and I fought about this for years... I've been told low carb diet by my doctor for years because of insulin resistance and PCOS, but it's so hard to execute this if you aren't living alone. Until recently, there were always treats, tortillas, breads... you name it. You can blame willpower to a certain extent, but the reality is that there needs to be some sort of middle ground. I ended up showing him some literature as to WHY low carb was so important for me to do and he started to understand. He's even on board with me and he's lost weight and looks great too!

    I wish you guys luck!
  • cjmom1005
    cjmom1005 Posts: 5
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    Going through the same thing here. I started going to bed earlier and my husband says that I'm ignoring him. I'm trying to better myself and get more sleep.
  • NiSan12
    NiSan12 Posts: 374 Member
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    I TOTALLY understand what you are going through. Before I lost the weight, that's all my husband talked about was me losing weight. Now that I have he doesn't totally understand why I have to go to the gym so much and why I get mad at him for eating all kinds of foods in front of me. He doesn't understand that I still have tempations even though I have lost weight. But just continue to kindly remind him
    what you are going through and sooner or later he will pick up on it. :-)
  • NiSan12
    NiSan12 Posts: 374 Member
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    Let him know what your triggers are and be honest. My boyfriend is on here with me, he gets way more calories than I do do do and sometimes it is tough. I let him know he can have his treats but something’s are a huge no, no to me. I want him to enjoy his calories but just do not bring a cheesecake to my door. I will knock your *kitten* down and take it from you!
    LOL
  • ameena76
    ameena76 Posts: 18
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    I would talk to him about it. Men think differently than we do. He may assume that you can eat treats in moderation, since that seems to be what he is able to do. Explain to him that having these treats around is too tempting for you. Good luck!
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
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    I feel a little bad saying this, but my point of view is that you just have to deal with it. If you're really making a lifestyle change, this is going to happen for the rest of your life and it's not just going to be your husband. I've been eating strict paleo for a year now, and pretty much every time I'm at a restaurant or at someone else's house, they beg me to "just try this" or "just have one, how much can it hurt?" I generally smile with a small laugh and don't respond. If you don't respond, they can't argue with you. Again, IF this is a lifestyle change for you, you need to get used to being able to see the cheesecake and grab something else without even considering the cheesecake as an option.

    If anyone else has given up alcohol, they can probably attest to this as people always want you to "just have a drink".

    If it helps at all, after 3 or 4 months of really following the diet, it's not about willpower anymore. You just don't consider the other items food anymore.

    That said, I do agree that you should straight up tell him "I'm not going to eat those foods and it bothers me that you're trying to get me to eat them. I let you eat how you want to; you need to let me eat how I want to."
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Again, IF this is a lifestyle change for you, you need to get used to being able to see the cheesecake and grab something else without even considering the cheesecake as an option.

    If anyone else has given up alcohol, they can probably attest to this as people always want you to "just have a drink".

    If it helps at all, after 3 or 4 months of really following the diet, it's not about willpower anymore. You just don't consider the other items food anymore.


    Yours is certainly the most elegant solution, but it may not work for everyone. It's important not to let the best be the enemy of the good. I'm sure some alcoholics can have liquor in their homes and others can't.

    Personally, I have more willpower when everything's in sync, I'm trim, working out, feeling energetic, have a good general sense of physical well-being and am body-conscious in a positive way. There's good reinforcement from all sides. Then I'm a bit more likely to resist ruining it by bad eating.

    But even though it isn't strictly logical, if I'm feeling down or bored, out of shape, and stuck in an environment with tempting, high-calorie treats it's harder to ignore them.

    At least the OP is honest: She knows that at this point she can't resist cheesecake and she needs to banish it from her midst. This process is hard enough without adding more difficulties.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    I would talk to him about it. Men think differently than we do. He may assume that you can eat treats in moderation, since that seems to be what he is able to do. Explain to him that having these treats around is too tempting for you. Good luck!

    It's not a male/female thing. Like gratuitous gendering much?
  • hkevans724
    hkevans724 Posts: 241 Member
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    I'm still trying to believe my eyes..........a man made cheesecake? Awesome! :smile:


    ^^ this!!! I couldn't pay my hubs a million bucks to cook!! lol

    But on a serious note - Men don't always understand how difficult it is for women to loose weight because it comes right off them so easily. You could have cheesecake every night it you save up your calories and have just a tiny piece , But I understand, and like the rest said you need to just sit him down and tell him exactly how it feels, (and if you gotta cry to get the point over then cry) He can't truly know how you feel until you are just flat out open and honest, sometimes feelings get hurt but that's part of every marriage. Marriage is not about saving your spouses feelings while you are hurting inside. If he can't understand that then I agree with the guy who said throw the junk in the garbage.. ( by the way I too am a sucker for cheesecake. I can't even make it to take somewhere anymore because my weakness is licking the bowl)
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
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    I think the biggest thing to understand is, you trying to change your lifestyle does not mean he has to change his. I agree with him that you can eat anything as long as it is in moderation - it takes time to change all eating habits completely.

    Let me give you an example in my house... my most 100% favorite food is chinese but I have been choosing not to eat it, however, now it is the #1 take out food my hubby gets. It isn't because he isn't understanding my eating habit changes it is because he enjoys chinese take out - it is completely my choice on whether I eat it or not when he brings it - I am responsible for my choices.

    We cannot expect all around us make adjustment to our changes, but we can train ourselves to make the best of choices for ourselves regardless...
  • dkoroschetz
    dkoroschetz Posts: 67 Member
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    Just talk to him about it....my husband commented yesterday that the guys at work keep telling him that I'm getting trim and fit and gearing up to leave him. That's not what it's about at all but I'm sure that struck a nerve in him. However, he has been pretty supportive - grilling meat for me and helping me with the kids a lot so I can workout more.

    I wish this would resignate with him but right now he's not interested in making any changes. I'm working out for two hours and coming home to pizza at my house. It's hard but I'm in this to make myself healthier and for me feel better about myself.

    I just have to stick to my guns and do what's important to me. If I want to have pizza, I can make the choice to have one piece and stop or have none and eat a different meal. Same thing with my kids, I love cookies but I can't tell my kids we can't buy them ocassionally just because I don't want to eat them. I have to buy them and prove to myself that I don't have to eat them or that I can eat one and stop.
  • cmp_denver
    cmp_denver Posts: 44 Member
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    I know for me if I eat something with lots of carbs in it (like cheesecake), I start craving them all the time which causes me to overeat and slide backwards with my weight loss. If that's true for you as well, maybe explain that to your husband. I don't think there's anything wrong with him losing weight his way; however, the same thing doesn't work for all and he should understand that. Perhaps when he makes cheesecake or something else like that, he takes it to work with him. That way he can still enjoy his treats, but so can his co-workers. That seems a win-win to me, he builds relationships with his colleagues by feeding them yummy food, and removes the temptation at your house. He could maybe keep a small piece at home, but not one that will be as tempting to you.
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
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    However, I think it's a bit selfish of you to assume he will give up foods he loves just because you are.

    I've been told that I'm selfish for having things in the house that tempt my husband. Which is it? LOL
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
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    I know for me if I eat something with lots of carbs in it (like cheesecake), I start craving them all the time which causes me to overeat and slide backwards with my weight loss. If that's true for you as well, maybe explain that to your husband. I don't think there's anything wrong with him losing weight his way; however, the same thing doesn't work for all and he should understand that. Perhaps when he makes cheesecake or something else like that, he takes it to work with him. That way he can still enjoy his treats, but so can his co-workers. That seems a win-win to me, he builds relationships with his colleagues by feeding them yummy food, and removes the temptation at your house. He could maybe keep a small piece at home, but not one that will be as tempting to you.

    I was thinking along these lines, myself.

    When I tried to eat "everything in moderation" all I did was obsess over CAKE. Oh, man, I wanted CAKE. I worked out all the time in order to be able to eat CAKE. I would "bank" my extra calorie deficits so that I could have CAKE.

    I drove myself crazy and didn't lose any weight. Gained a tiny bit, in fact.

    I don't think I can handle sugar. I don't know if it's an addiction thing or what. I just know that when I eat it, I crave it. I crave it and I binge on it. And I get mood swings as an added bonus. Now, if I said "When I have a beer, I crave more beer. I think about wanting more beer ALL THE TIME and I end up binging on it and then I get mood swings...." Well, you'd say I had a problem with alcohol!

    But, I haven't eaten any sugar at all for a few days and I feel pretty good. I don't even crave it all that much. I just tell myself. "I don't like sugar. Sugar makes me feel sick." I do this almost as an affirmation. I repeat it whenever I am tempted by sugar. It dispels the temptation. Meanwhile, I'm eating a lot less calories than I did the last time I tried to monitor my food.

    So, I like the suggestion of explaining to your husband that you are different from him and this is just how you need to do it. Ask him to not consciously tempt you and to maybe try and keep temptations out of your sight.
  • Elf_Princess1210
    Elf_Princess1210 Posts: 895 Member
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    I compromised by telling him he can buy junk food I don't like. Mostly he buys dr pepper ( which I hate )
  • SusanLovesToEat
    SusanLovesToEat Posts: 218 Member
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    Yes this is a difficult issue to address effectively. My husband doesn't eat sweets so thats not a problem here but he does drink wine and is always offering me a glass, or two, or three, at dinner.

    I've said to please don't ask and I'll pour what I want but he keeps asking-to be polite? (I don't know, but I really do think that deep down they want us to stay the same.)

    So I'm thinking that perhaps setting a specific time limit (like 6 months) and rules and ask that he please respect them to support me because it really important to me-and this time I won't accept excuses.

    And BTW-we all give up things we love in marriage in order to support each others dreams, aspirations, and life goals.
  • Laoch_Cailin
    Laoch_Cailin Posts: 414 Member
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    I'm one of those that has problems with self control, my hubby on the other hand just has something if he fancies it then can leave what he doesn't want. So I've got him a box for his stuff, he keeps it at the top of the larder, I never go there. That way he can have what he wants and I'll have what I want. Works for us.