The Home Front

I'm always curious about the effect of people's spouses on their weight loss. My husband has had a big impact on my weight, both for good and bad. For example, right now I have pumpkin pie in my refrigerator that would already be in the garbage if not for my husband. He loves it, and we have it once a year. I had some Thursday and yesterday, and the rest is going to be for him.

I'm realizing that it's all a balancing act. Hubby knows not to bring home crap that I'm going to eat. If he wants chips and cookies and snacks, he keeps them at work or hides them if he really has to have them around. He's way taller than me, so he has lots of great hiding spots that I can't reach. I'm an out of sight, out of mind type of person so I don't feel the need to drag out a step stool to start hunting for snacks, but he also very rarely brings them home.

Today we headed to downtown Seattle to do a bit of shopping and general sightseeing. We hit the Pike's Place market and looked at all the different foods out there. In the past, hubby would've wanted some organic donuts and a sandwich from this Italian shop. But today we actually skipped it all, and came home to eat. I've become more and more resistant to eating out, and he's actually been okay with it.

It's not always this easy. Sometimes I feel really guilty because I know that he just really wants to go out for Chinese food or BBQ the way we've always done. I try to go and just make healthy choices, but I struggle. I'd rather not have it at all than have a healthy option. They're just not that great. If I go out for chinese, I don't want stir fried veggies. I can make them at home. Since I hardly ever eat out anymore, I usually feel okay letting myself indulge a bit when we do go. I just worry because once I have a little bit, I want more and more and more.

I've also tried to get him to work out with me more with very mixed results. I got him a membership to my gym that required a year commitment. He went once. ONE TIME. I was so pissed about that. It was just a big marriage learning experience period - leading the horse to water and all that. Now we go for a run together every so often, but I mostly work out on my own. Again, it's a balance.

So I think we're still figuring it out. Overall, I do feel supported. He eats the healthy meals I cook and enjoys them. If he wants to go out, he'll go with his friends. In fact, the biggest issue with my weight loss is the one that makes me feel the most loved - he just doesn't understand why I'm doing it. He loves me no matter what size I am. But he also respects that it's something I'm doing for me. I can't ask for much more than that.