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Conference rocks::weight_control

Title: Weight Loss and Maintenance
Notice:**PLEASE** enter notes in mixed case (CAPS ARE SHOUTING)!
Moderator:ASICS::LESLIE
Created:Tue Jul 10 1990
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:933
Total number of notes:9931

644.0. "DIET SABOTAGE BY MY HUSBAND! HELP!" by FDCV14::WHALEN () Mon Feb 04 1991 21:48

    I have been on WW for 4 1/2 weeks now and have lost 15 pounds.  I need
    to lose 37 more.  I'm doing great on the plan (Level 1), I find it
    easy to follow and I'll finally found the strength to REALLY stick to
    it 100%.  Here's my problem:
    
    Although my husband was VERY supportive in the beginning (he also began
    a diet at the same time with me), in the past few weeks he has gone off
    his diet (I mean TOTALLY off, eating anything he wants).  Lately, he
    brings all kinds of junk food into the house (which is his priviledge
    if he wants to), but he trys to push to food on me too.
    
    Saturday night my girlfriend was over.  She lost 22 lbs on WW just
    recently and is now at her goal weight.  Her and my husband sat there
    and ate Doritos, potatoe chips, candy bars, and dairy whip ice cream.
    No problem.  I understand that just because I'm on a diet doesn't mean
    that everyone else is, but my husband keeps saying "ah, a few chips
    won't hurt you" or "just alittle ice cream". AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH
    My problem is I can't just stop with "alittle".  I'm better off to
    just stay away from junk food TOTALLY, which I told him.
    
    Well, this morning he brings home 6 dunkin donuts (my weakness!!) and says
    "I bought 2 plain doughnuts for you".  I thanked him but said I'd have
    to pass on them - they just don't fit into my diet plan.  He got
    alittle insulted and said "well, I stopped there 'just for you' and
    you're not even gonna eat them?"  Meanwhile, he's on his 2nd cream-filled
    doughnut.  How can he say he stopped there "just for me".  HE KNOWS
    I'M ON A DIET!
    
    Sometimes I feel like he's just trying to sabotage me because he can't
    stick to HIS diet.  It's really starting to get to me, and having all
    the junkfood around the house makes it alittle more challenging,
    although I'm doing it.  I know he loves me no matter what weight I'm
    at, but why can't he help me and not try to sabotage me?   
    
    Sorry this was so long, but I feel better already.    
    
    Linda
    15 down, 37 to go
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644.1One bite leads to the nextMILPND::PIMENTELMon Feb 04 1991 23:3615
    Linda, I feel for you.  I think you are right.  He can't stick
    to his program so he's trying to get you to break yours.  I think
    he may be scared.  He doesn't know what will happen when you get
    thin because other men may be interested in you and then he may
    loose you.  He feels with you being "fat" no one will look at you!
    
    Something I had to say to my husband was "You don't understand, but
    I have to do what I have to do for me.  Perhaps someday you will
    understand."  My husband is totally supportive now.
    
    Good luck and keep on program.  You are right, one bite leads to the
    next.
    
    Mary
    
644.2Explain how you feelSSGV01::VERGETue Feb 05 1991 01:1016
    Just keep telling him that YOU need to control and choose what you
    eat; and that YOU are going to stick with it.  
    
    Also, in a calm(er) moment, ask him if he realizes that he appears
    to be sabtogaing you, and tell him that you really need the support,
    even if that means not pushing food at you.  Show him the program,
    how it works, what you are allowed.  If you plan a special treat into
    the week, tell him about it - what it is, why you choose THAT treat
    (be it food, or otherwise - a manicure, a bubblebath, etc.)
    
    Enlist his help in a strong way - and try NOT to refer to his
    not sticking to his diet. 
    
    Hope all this helps - keep up the good work - you're doing great!
    
    Val
644.3VAXCAT::RKEPolysyllabic PussycatTue Feb 05 1991 14:1528
	I can tell you, it's very, very difficult being on the recieving end
	of somebody else's diet. Gail, has been on several 'sensible' diets
	(low fat high fibre, Weight watchers) often for several months at a 
	time, she often loses quite alot, but in so doing, it can really stress
	the household. Gail has usually given up her diets when the stress 
	becomes intolerable. She is currently pursuing wieghtwatchers, and she
	is loosing, 30 lbs to date, still someway to go, but she is positive
	and achieving, and there is little stress. Why?

	It isn't too hard to understand, one, she give me the mental picture of
	the sexy slim woman that would rise phoenix like from this beachball
	like person that I live with now. Two she pursuaded number two daughter
	and then me to do wieghtwatchers with her.
	Once I had the vision, I wanted her to be slim as much as she did, that
	ment that I had to swallow (no pun) some of the differences in our 
	lifestyle that WW imposes. (like starvation 90% of the time 8^).
	Now that I am doing WW at work, I understand all the trials and 
	tribulations that both Gail and daughter went, and are going through.

	The bottom line is that you have to do something different if you are
	going to lose wieght, you will have to keep doing something different
	if you are to remain slim. Every change causes stress, not only
	you, but the people around you have to cope with that stress. It 
	sounds like you're doing the right thing, he'll get there in the end.

Richard.
	
644.4JANUS::JUBBAlison, DTN: 830-6779, REO2-GD8Tue Feb 05 1991 18:1928
    Hi Linda,

    Congratulations on losing those 15 pounds, and keeping to plan in spite
    of all that temptation!

    I think you are right when you say your husband is sabotaging you because he 
    can't stick to his own diet.   There is something about succeeding in losing
    weight that makes those around you who would like to lose weight, but are
    not succeeding feel bad, and trying to sabotage you is one way of trying 
    to make themselves feel better...  

    Presenting your husband with a vision of the future you, as Richard
    suggests, may well help.  I have done this with my boyfriend, (I only
    realised what I had been doing when I read Richard's note).  Like your
    husband, he "likes me as I am", so I have told him that I will be much
    sweeter tempered when I am getting ready to go out if my favourite outfits
    FIT!  That seems to work better ;-)

    In the past he has helped me lose track, by bringing me sweets and cakes,
    so at the beginning of the year, I told him how much I like it when he
    brings flowers, books, etc.., and although I like chocolates, I would like 
    his help to stop eating them (except on very special occasions).  I think
    it helped that I asked him this outside the context of him giving me sweets.

    I hope some of this helps (it has taken me several attempts to find the
    best ways to deal with saboteurs... I know it is not easy!).  Good luck,

    Ali
644.5I know the feelingLUNER::MACKINNONFri Feb 08 1991 19:5732
    
    
    Linda,
    
    Pat yourself on the back for remaining on track and loosing the 15.
    
    When I was on WW my boyfriend was very supportive of me.  By the middle
    of it though he started giving me some pressure.  I did not let him get
    to me with it.  Sure it was hard, but I did it for ME.  
    
    One of the things I used to do when he would bring home junk food which
    was a red light food for me was to throw it away.  Sure it is wasting
    food, but it got it out of the house.  Luckily I only had really one
    red light food which was and still is chips.  Once he realized that
    I was throwing out the chips and the money he spent on them, he stopped
    bringing them into the house.  I will still find chip wrappers in my
    car, but at least I was not the one to down the bag.
    
    Exercise really is where he prefers to sabotage me on.  He is very fit,
    plays hockey every day, referees hockey 5 days a week part time.  I
    on the other hand am just not as fit as he.  So when I get on the bike
    and stay on for as long as I can without really dying, he tells me that
    I do not spend enough time on it.  Nothing I do in a form of exercise
    is good enough exercise for him.  It gets annoying constantly having
    to remind him that I am not him, and that my body is not his.
    
    Hang in there.  You will succeed if you just keep reminding yourself
    that this is something you want to do for yourself, not for anyone
    else.
    
    Take care,
    Michele
644.6ACESMK::CHELSEAMostly harmless.Tue Mar 05 1991 08:582
    You might want to look up a book called "Weight, Sex and Marriage."  I
    forget the name of the author.
644.7He's Learning (and so am I)SWSEIS::WHALENMon Mar 11 1991 23:0114
    Well, I'm happy to say things have gotten better.  Since I placed
    this initial note, I've learned to say "no" and not be resentful
    about it.  Also, my husband has eased off on pushing the food on
    me.  He still brings it into the house, but it doesn't bother me.
    He no longer says "oh, you can have this".  He respects the fact
    that I've stuck with it, and he's proud of me.
    
    He still hasn't started his diet yet, but I don't say anything
    to him about it.  It's his body, his choice, and no matter what
    choice he makes, I love him!!
    
    Linda
    Down 25 1/2
    26 1/2 left to lose!