Helping or Hurting

It's hard to believe that any husband (or wife) would deliberately sabotage their mate's endeavor to lose weight and become healthier but it does happen.  I watched a T.V. show where the 600 lb. wife knew she had to lose weight or die and her husband was a complete jackass, insulting her and shoving food in front of her.  That's abuse.  We could say she should leave him but she loves him and will put up with it.

I have been on many diets during my middle and later years having put on a lot of weight due to my time of depression.  Anyone who is overweight is an unhappy soul who eats to relieve the unhappiness.  Gaining weight from overeating creates an even deeper depression so it's a no-win situation.

It took me years to recognize that, every time I went on a diet, my husband would bring home a dozen donuts.  I wondered why a man who could eat only a half a donut and walk away would buy so many but I didn't recognize it as sabotage for a long while.  Now, understand that he NEVER brought home a box of donuts at any other time.  I could resist those damn donuts for a couple of days and then my lack of will power would drive me to the donuts and end my diet.

One day, on a brand new diet, my husband brought home another box of donuts and a light went off in my head.  I told him I was finally on to his strategy.  He said nothing but that was the last time he tried to sabotage my diet with donuts.

I've always wondered why he would do such a thing and have a few ideas.  The one that makes the most sense is that he felt safer with a pudgy wife than with a slim one.  I can only hope that he operated unconsciously and didn't do it deliberately.  I'll never know.

These days, I have nothing but support and praise from my family and friends when I do well on a diet.  It helps so much to overcome excessive and unhealthy eating when no-one is working against you instead of with you.  We dieters need all the support we can get because most of us just aren't strong enough on our own to do it all ourselves.

My weight loss for 12 months of healthier eating is 20 lbs.  Maybe not a lot but it's a big step in the right direction.