Should You Tell Your Partner They Have Gained Weight?

Weight is a very sensitive issue, most especially for women. If you feel that your partner has gained too much weight, should you tell them? The most obvious answer to this question is no. Mentioning to anyone that they have put on weight is considered rude, but when it is someone you are sharing your life with, it can make them feel unattractive and unloved.

However, if you are in a relationship with someone who has gained a lot of weight and you are concerned, bringing it up is not completely out of the question. There are ways of doing this though. The biggest thing to remember is that they are completely aware of the situation and talking to them as if they are clueless will only make the situation worse.

One of the easiest ways to delve into the topic of a partner's weight gain is by suggesting the two of you begin a healthy eating plan. The likelihood is, they will quickly become defensive about their weight but it is up to you to explain that healthy eating is not all about weight loss. It is beneficial in many other ways including making sure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need and a mood boost from all the fresh food goodness! The discussion will quickly open up your partner's feelings about their weight and give you an opening to talk about it more.

In the event that your partner seems to be gaining weight due to emotional eating - you may be best avoiding all talk of weight gain completely. Instead, do all you can to ease any stresses they may be facing and take time every day to talk to them about their day. The less stressed they are feeling, the less they will feel the need to eat when things get on top of them.

If you have a partner who is putting on weight because of lack of exercise, it is easy to get frustrated with them. While you think they are just lazy, there may be a deeper reason. Suggest a walk and try to get a conversation going while you're out together. The benefits are that you aren't stuck in a confined space so you are less likely to argue, and your partner will realise that walking isn't nearly as boring as they may think!

It is important to remember that in any cases of sudden weight gain (or indeed weight loss), you should seek professional medical advice in case there are any underlying problems, but most of the time there is an obvious reason for it.

Discussing weight gain with a partner is never a bad thing to do, as long as you approach it with sensitivity, kindness and understanding. Anything less will only result in making the problem worse.