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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

He wouldn't let me eat because "I'm on a diet?"

202 replies

FluffySlippers21 · 14/09/2017 18:23

Hello!
AIBU?? Or am I completly in the right to feel so hurt 🙁
I'm 5'10 a dress size 12/14 with a healthy bmi but am currently following slimming world to lose my last 7lbs of baby weight.
Today I was out shopping with DP when I mentioned I was starving, he also said he was hungry and that he was going to nip in Burger King. When we got to the till I asked if he could order me such a thing and he replied "no you're on a diet" at first i thought he was joking but it became apparent he wasn't.
He basically expected me (knowing I was hungry) to sit there and watch him eat. I just find this so bloody cruel and nasty.
He even had the flaming liberty to sit down and offer me a CHIP after telling me I couldn't order anything.
I wouldn't mind if there was a health concern surrounding my weight but I'm a healthy weight!!
I am so upset and am currently sulking upstairs 🙁

OP posts:
pennysnow · 14/09/2017 21:25

I'm not having a go about people slating my hubbie at all. I'm referring to the posters saying he was right to deny me food cause I've choose to be on a diet. Or it's my fault for not having a backbone. Those are the posters I am slating.

But you are still miffed that people are having a go at your (very unreasonable) DH.

Here is your post from page 5...

Have spoken about it and have both explained our points of view. He understands why I was so upset and apologises for how how he come across. I don't think he was purposely being awful, he's just a bit of an idiot and was (badly) trying to help seeing as we go on holiday in three weeks and he wants me to feel comfortable within myself .

He is a controlling and bossy partner who is TELLING you that you cannot eat, and this is what you said in your first post one page 1. Then by page 5, you're being jovial, and light hearted, and laughing it off as him 'just trying to help.' Sorry, but you are in denial and PROBABLY being gaslighted by him saying he is 'just trying to help......'

And what difference does it make if someone is a mother? Are they not allowed to be arsey? Do we all have to be quiet and meek little mice with no opinions when we have given birth?

As someone above said, women become MORE feisty and gobby when they have had kids, because we have to defend our children.

Lovingmybear2 · 14/09/2017 21:26

To eat dinner in front of someone who has told them they are starving is just wierd.

Wierd and creepy

Mumof41987 · 14/09/2017 21:26

What on earth did you hope to get out of posting this ? People have told you their opinions and you are now making excuses for your dhs behaviour ! Sorry but I don't understand at all what you want out of this thread

MothratheMighty · 14/09/2017 21:28

Not blaming you for his behaviour, it's his responsibility and his choice to be a manipulative adult. Telling you that as an independent adult, you shouldn't tolerate being treated like that is a different point.
If you were 14, the advice would probably be more moderate but along the same lines, telling you that it's not ok.

ChasedByBees · 14/09/2017 21:31

Have you moved on from this with him OP? I don't think I ever could. Confused

I would have got the car keys and driven off ad left him there. The wall would be good for his figure.

But seriously, just a talk and all is OK? He expected his hungry partner - who he knows has no money on her and so is temporarily dependent on him - to watch him eat while refusing her food? Does he realise what how bad his behaviour was?

JonSnowsWife · 14/09/2017 21:32

who seem rather nasty

I must be reading a different thread. I see people blaming him for his behaviour, and rightly so too, not you.

pennysnow · 14/09/2017 21:53

As an aside, a burger from BK or Maccies, is not 'bad for you,' and is not 'breaking your diet.' Too much food, too many calories, and too little exercise is what makes you fat/keeps you fat. 'Having a burger' is not going to make anyone gain weight. Eating ANYthing little and often, and in moderation doesn't hurt anyone. (Or make them fat!)

So the 'why are you eating at Burger king if you are on a diet' comments are completely uncalled for and daft. What is she meant to be eating while she is 'dieting?' Just lettuce leaves, tomatoes, sticks of celery, and slices of apple? Confused

GabsAlot · 14/09/2017 22:28

defensive much?

They were sticking up for you for the way your dh behaved not havng a go at you!

WorraLiberty · 14/09/2017 22:31

Who eats lunch 20 minutes before a dental appointment anyway? Confused

You'd have to sit there having bits of meat and pickle scraped from between your teeth.

HolgerDanske · 14/09/2017 22:32

True, Worra!

WorraLiberty · 14/09/2017 22:35

And yes, I totally missed the point of the thread - sorry Blush

WellThisIsShit · 14/09/2017 22:42

I don't think it's helpful to jump on the OP when she's explained she wasn't even objecting to those posters or for that reason?

I also see people telling the op that's it's her fault because she didn't react 'right' in this situation, which is rather mean after the nth time in one thread.

Perhaps people don't realise how harmful it is to be told off for reacting wrong by 'letting' your partner be mean/ control you / treat you badly.

It does all rather smack of 'it's your fault for letting him treat you like this', which would make someone feel even more rubbish, especially if the OP is in a relationship that isn't a healthy one.

I have no idea if the OP is in a relationship that is slowly eroding her sense of equality and right to govern her own actions.

However I do know that when I was in my abusive marriage, I found it really dispiriting when people don't 'get' why I couldn't reverse the abusive relationship dynamic by simply saying no in a fiesty way.

It doesn't work that way unfortuneately. And the blank incomprehension isn't terribly motivating as it shows the gap is so large people can't empathise or reach out into that gap to show the OP how to get out and cross the gulf.

As someone controlling goes beyond the social norms people are used to, and people in controlling relationships can't just grab back power unless they are willing to go nuclear and walk out of the relationship.

It takes a while to get to that point and it's not fair to expect the OP to do that unless she has plans in place. And having an exit plan fully in place is a very different situation from slowly awakening to the idea that all is not peachy in your relationship. A person who's willing and ready to leave has already has insight into the abusive nature of the relationship, and wants to get free, and is willing to disrupt the relationship dynamics significantly in order to either see if there's a chance of reshaping the relationship or to leave.

In this case I think the OP really did feel powerless as she hadn't got her own wallet and her partner refused to buy her any food. So what if she kicked him up the arse or tried to order food to be part of his order somehow, all depend on the partner reacting in a way that acknowledges the normal power balance in a relationship. Where showing upset or anger results in consideration and re-evaluation of a decision. A reality where each partner has needs and a voice, where one partner wouldn't really deprive the other of food, or even dream about eating food in front of his hungry partner who's already said they are really hungry and need to eat. In a controlling situation, how can the OP force her partner to acknowledge her needs as equal to his own, and how can she force him not to believe he can control her eating, hunger, weight or basic body autonomy? Saying no just isn't enough. It doesn't matter that its joint money or not, if she has no physical access to money in that moment, and her partner simply refuses to spend any money on buying her the food he wants to deny her. Pointing out the morality of a situation (i.e. It's both of our money, so you have no right to withhold money from me etc), simply doesn't work if the partner doesn't give a shit.

Of course she could have gone back to the car to reclaim her financial independence. Assuming she has car keys and doesn't have to rely on her partner giving her the keys. But then she would have to cancel her dentists appointment and / or trek around with a buggy and child etc. So she was put in a position of put up or the whole day ends up dissolving around this events, and she will need to expend more time & effort to replan everything, I'm pretty sure the partner wouldn't be bothering to wipe up his own mess!

She's put in the position of accepting his shocking unpleasantness, or derailing the whole day, and possibly being tipped into a confrontation she's not mentally ready for. It is, in fact, a very good way of controlling someone!

And each time this happens, the person being manipulated in this way loses a bit of self esteem, independence and equality in the relationship, and the control is normalised.

DeadGood · 14/09/2017 22:46

Sorry OP, I was too harsh and I had a different car-distance-to-Burger-King scenario in my head.

FluffySlippers21 · 14/09/2017 23:10

@WellThisIsShit I've private messaged you xx

Just to clear one thing up, cause it's bugging me lol, where in this thread have I stated the dentist appointment was for me? It wasn't, it was for my daughter her first tooth has just come through and without going into too much detail it's causing her a lot of pain and our gp recommended an appointment. So please shove ur "ew who eats a burger before a dentist etc etc" comments up you're judgemental arses

OP posts:
over40andpregnant · 14/09/2017 23:18

I really think you do need to have a talk with him about controlling behaviour especially as it was joint money but even if it wasn't he was Plain mean and I would have walked away and met him back at the car

You can't let him treat you like that
You have to take a stance

He is not god and he doesn't choose what you eat

Lovingmybear2 · 14/09/2017 23:56

Op love your anger is misplaced here. We all agree with you. He was mean unkind and controlling.

I think the dental comment was lighthearted. This is aibu and it can be s bit 'direct' relationships might be better for a proper discussion.

Aeroflotgirl · 15/09/2017 07:56

What is unacceptable op is that heveas prepared to eat in front of you, whilst you had nothing, not suggesting an alternative. You could have had a salad meal, or a smaller burger and chips, and hadva sandwich for dinner. You are hardly obese, what an arse.

BeepBeepMOVE · 15/09/2017 13:22

Why couldn't you go to the car then for purse and DH take DD to dentist?

BlueThesaurusRex · 15/09/2017 13:37

@wellthisisshit

Flowers Absolutely spot on.

FluffySlippers21 · 15/09/2017 16:43

EVEN IF I HAD GONE TO THE CAR FOR MY PURSE AND ORDERED MY OWN FOOD IT DOESNT CHANGE WHAT HE SAID/DID
Stop making out like I'm in the wrong for not doing these things!!!!!

OP posts:
Notreallyarsed · 15/09/2017 16:51

EVEN IF I HAD GONE TO THE CAR FOR MY PURSE AND ORDERED MY OWN FOOD IT DOESNT CHANGE WHAT HE SAID/DID
Stop making out like I'm in the wrong for not doing these things!!!!!

Absolutely spot on OP.

alltouchedout · 15/09/2017 16:54

He's a shithead.

splendidisolation · 15/09/2017 16:56

Going against the grain here but - I actually dont think he did anything wrong. You're supposed to be on a formalised diet with a specific target amount of weight you want to lose. Think he was trying to make you stick to it since it sounds important to you. It was a bit insensitive of him to head to BK though.
People saying "oh a little bit of this and that isnt a big deal" - when you have a vague idea of eating healthily it isnt. When you have a targeted weight loss programme to work to, it is.

GetYourRosariesOffMyOvaries · 15/09/2017 17:02

Oh OP, that is revolting behaviour from him. I have been on more diets than I'd like to admit and I've only ever had really lovely partners who would always allow me to choose or would research beforehand to make sure I could eat somewhere!

Fuck that shit, seriously, this is bigger than a lot of the relationship issues I see on here.

FluffySlippers21 · 15/09/2017 17:15

@splendidisolation
So you would be happy for your partner to sit there and in front of you knowing you was hungry and had no money on you?

OP posts: