More than one in three Americans are either on a diet or adhering to a specific eating regimen. While Americans love to eat, we also love to watch what we eat. Unfortunately, the people we love might not feel the same way as we do.
If you’re trying to adhere to a healthy diet in order to change your weight or feel better about yourself, it’s extremely helpful to get support from those you spend time with. But that’s not always the case.
If you’re wondering how to diet with an unsupportive spouse, we’ve got the information you need. So keep on reading and we’ll take you through everything that you’re going to want to know.
1. Be Clear About Your Goals
It can be difficult to get anywhere in life if you don’t know where you want to end up. Stating what your goals are will help you organize your weight loss diet action plan. It’s also going to help your spouse understand what your new needs are.
You should explain to your husband or wife that you’re not judging them. Instead, they just need to understand what your goals are and why you set those for yourself.
You should know how much weight you want to lose. You also want to know how you’re going to achieve that weight and what changes to your daily schedule you’ll have to make.
2. Get Your Partner Involved
As you get more involved in your new diet, your spouse might feel unneeded or abandoned. You should ask them to help you as specifically as possible. Clearly state the ways in which they can show you their support.
Share your favorite quotes, inspirational photos, food log, and anything else that is helping to keep you motivated. Even if these tactics don’t work to convince your husband or wife to join in your weight loss journey, he or she could help show some encouragement.
3. Keep Bad Foods at Bay
If your spouse continues to bring unhealthy foods or tempting desserts into your home, then you should make a separate pantry shelf or cabinet where you can store it all. Ideally, this place will be out of sight and hard to get to. And you should make sure to stay away from that space.
You also want to keep snacks in the kitchen. It can be hard to spouse brings a big bowl of popcorn for movie night. Consider making a new rule where everyone only eats in the kitchen.
If candy isn’t floating around the rest of the home between meals, you’ll be less likely to eat unhealthy foods.
4. Order Takeout From Different Places
There are a variety of ways to find healthy compromises. Ordering takeout from different places might be inconvenient, but if it can help save your relationship then it’s worth it. So the next time your spouse wants to get takeout, don’t feel like you can’t have too.
If they decide to get pad Thai or a burger and fries, you can go ahead and get a healthy salad dish from a different place. You’ll still be eating together and spending time eating together, and that’s more important.
5. Bond Over Things Other Than Food
There’s nothing set in stone that says that you have to eat whatever your partner eats. It’s okay for you to have a glass of water or a cup of coffee while your spouse eats, and you two go about talking about your day.
You can also find another way to bond. That might be playing a board game or going for a lovely stroll around the neighborhood.
In our culture, people love to bond over food. We’re taught that eating together is an intimate time. However, there are other effective ways of connecting.
6. Praise the Positive
Sometimes, your husband or wife might be unsupportive because they have a need for reassurance. Instead of criticizing all of the things that they do wrong, it’s best to focus on what your spouse does right. Let them know that you appreciate all of the things that they do for you.
You should express that their support would be very helpful and thoughtful. And that it would help get you through this challenging time.
Consider making a list for your spouse where you tell them about all of the things that you appreciate and love about them. Write about the most important and helpful things that they do and that you want them to continue to do.
You should point out that you’ve changed and are becoming a healthier and stronger person. And tell them the things that you wish they could do for you now, too. However, you should make it clear that it’s up to your spouse to perform these tasks and that you’ll still love them either way.
7. Separate
Sometimes, an unsupportive spouse just can’t be helped. And you don’t need to accept that kind of negativity in your life.
If your spouse refuses to be supportive, or they try to sabotage you, then you should separate from them. And if the negativity gets too much to handle, then you should even consider divorcing them.
You can find out more about divorce and see if it’s right for you.
The Importance of Knowing How to Diet With an Unsupportive Spouse or Family
You hopefully now understand how to diet with an unsupportive loved one. The most important thing is to communicate what you plan on doing and how you intend to achieve your goals. This way, you can live a healthier life and, hopefully, your loved one will be able to accept the new you too.
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