How to Discuss Weight Gain with Your Husband or Wife

Weight gain is a touchy subject to bring up with anyone, and the touchy scale goes off the charts when the overweight person is your spouse. However, if your spouse has begun to sport an unhealthy amount of excess weight, it is necessary to look past any awkwardness you may feel over the topic and address the problem with your partner.

Fix your spouse a cup of coffee or tea and broach the subject. Ask them if they have any idea why their weight is on an uphill climb, and if there is anything you can do to help them out with dieting or exercise. You may find out the root cause of your husband or wife's weight gain is mental. Stress forces many people to the cupboard in search of relief, and your spouse may have fallen into this routine. If so, offer to become their release valve.

Whenever they are feeling overwrought, encourage them to come to you for a talk or for help with their problems. Suggest that the two of you join a local gym as a couple or invest in some weight loss equipment to help both of you begin a workout plan together. Not only will the extra activity give them a head start on shedding any weight gained, but it will also help relieve them of the excess stress which led to comfort eating in the first place.

Should your spouse become defensive when you offer up your thoughts on their weight gain and ballooning body, be considerate when making further comments while holding your ground. An obese spouse is not only opening themselves up for a higher risk of various health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes, but they are also creating a wall between themselves and you.

This wall starts out as an emotional block, but it can become a physical barrier in time. A husband or wife who married a healthy partner is not unfair in expecting to see a close approximation of the person they married for years to come. Unexpected health problems are one thing but massive weight gain is a problem.

If your husband or wife is unsure of what triggered their weight gain, then it is especially important for you to suggest they speak to a physician as soon as possible. A variety of issues, including thyroid problems, can lead to inexplicable increases in body mass. Your encouragement may be just what your spouse needed to call the doctor and make an appointment.

Sudden weight gain can be a sign of many larger problems, both mental and physical. By broaching the subject of increased body weight with your spouse, you are allowing them an outlet to further explore the root causes of their increasing size and deal with it effectively.

Source:

http://www.womentowomen.com/hypothyroidism/weightgain.aspx