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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be fed up with my husband the diet bore?

59 replies

MagicKingdomDizzy · 18/05/2019 11:47

My husband has been on a diet/weight loss regime since January. He's doing well and has lost a fair amount.

However, I am so tired of the daily commentary, the list of calories in everything he (and I eat), it's become very boring and irritating.

He has a spreadsheet for everything, and made one for me too (I didn't ask him to).
He'll also tell me the calorie content of everything including what me and the kids are eating.

Twice a day he strips off all his clothes in the kitchen to use the scales, usually coinciding with me and the kids eating breakfast and dinner, and we have to take an interest in what his current weight is. It's all such a performance! Apparently he can't do it in the bathroom, due to the lighting.

I was supportive in the beginning, but now I'm just bored of it all, as we literally can't seem to discuss anything else!

AIBU? I think I am probably. But diet bores, are well, boring.....

OP posts:
DulcieRay · 18/05/2019 12:36

I weigh naked Blush on my own though in the bathroom before getting in the shower

SeaToSki · 18/05/2019 12:36

Ummm does he know that it doesnt have to be sunlight just because it is solar powered. I assume you have a light in your bathroom, that will work, or a boost with a torch if it is a bit dim. I think the lack of calories is effecting his critical thinking.

YourSarcasmIsDripping · 18/05/2019 12:39

Who on earth takes their clothes off to get weighed!?

The correct way to weigh is naked,first thing in the morning, before eating or drinking but after going to the toilet.

My bathrobe adds a whole 2kgs .

For some people even a few grams can be important if they're on a hard,long battle with losing weight.

Doesn't mean OP's husband's habits are healthy tho.

Outanabout · 18/05/2019 12:42

Be sure to ask him if he's remembered to do a poo before weighing himself. Every time.

C8H10N4O2 · 18/05/2019 12:42

Ummm does he know that it doesnt have to be sunlight just because it is solar powered

Yes quite. It sounds more like performance dieting that dieting.

I wouldn't worry about children seeing parents' bodies incidentally around the house but stripping off in front of people eating and shaming them about their own calorie intake is not going to teach children a healthy attitude to weight or food.

It sounds like a very unhealthy relationship with food.

Furrydogmum · 18/05/2019 12:43

I would bin the solar scales and buy him some decent battery operated ones. The bathroom is not the best place for scales due to moisture so tell him, if he must do it twice a day, to do it in the bedroom - before getting dressed and when undressing for bed! He does sound like he's verging on unhealthy obsession and that will affect an 8yr old..

milksoffagain · 18/05/2019 12:46

IME, men that suddenly start up with this it's all about control. Or lack of it in other areas of life. Tedious as it is to bear, I think when they stop talking is the time to worry.

Hearhere · 18/05/2019 12:46

I would tell him that weighing yourself is pointless, he needs to get calipers and do multiple measurements of various skin folds to ascertain his body fat levels
that should keep him busy 🤣😂

elsabadogigante · 18/05/2019 12:46

NFW I'd have him getting nude in the kitchen to weigh himself in front of the kids. FFS. And the calorie talk in front of them, NO.

MyFamilyAndOtherAnimals1 · 18/05/2019 12:47

He is showing off OP - he sounds like an exhibitionist.
Do you think perhaps he wants you to join him on the diet too?

Twice daily is farrr to much - because it restricts water intake (and drinking water is the best way to loose weight)

Buy some new scales off amazon, and get him to download the My Fitness Pal app on his phone, so calorie counting is less of a faff.

Preggosaurus9 · 18/05/2019 12:48

That man needs a hobby. He sounds insufferable. Put the scales in the bedroom and have done.

MyFamilyAndOtherAnimals1 · 18/05/2019 12:48

Yes, as others have said - I think one of the most worrying thing about this is the talking about calories in front of children.

At that age, they should know nothing about calories, only what is unprocessed healthy food, and what is processed treat food.

outvoid · 18/05/2019 12:48

YANBU. He should only weigh himself once a week, twice a day is far too excessive and is unhealthy. Stripping in front of the family to do it at meal time is really fucking weird too.

VladmirsPoutine · 18/05/2019 12:49

Who on earth takes their clothes off to get weighed!?

Me. In the morning, after going to the toilet, naked, before shower. Any other way is pointless imho.

funnylittlefloozie · 18/05/2019 12:49

He sounds a bit thick (solar-powered scales, ffs) and self-obsessed, tbh. Throw his scales out of the window, or bike-chain them to the radiator in the bathroom so he can only use them in there.

I wouldn't tolerate the calorie drivel at every meal, and would probably have tipped his quinoa granola over his head by now. Its not healthy for young kids to hear this drivel constantly.

Youtoldme · 18/05/2019 12:50

Buy new scales and put in bedroom or bathroom to at least stop the twice daily performance in front of you and your DC

Drogosnextwife · 18/05/2019 12:51

My DP does this. He goes through phases where he cuts out food groups, weighs himself twice a day, joins gyms and never goes, wastes money on healthy lunched to take to work but expects me to make the Hmm. He rambles on and on and now I just tell him straight " for god sake, stop going on about your bloody diet, it's BORING!". He never sticks to it anyway and eventually puts all the weight back on

Aguamenti · 18/05/2019 12:52

He should be very careful infront of his kids. His behaviour will encourage body issues in your kids. And stripping infront of the kids is not on. You are enabling him by giving him the attention when he asks for it. Just ignore him like we ignore kids who do silly things to get attention and speak to him about how he is setting up his kids having problems in the future....and that it's boring.

CottonSock · 18/05/2019 12:53

Weightwaters precision scales £20 from Argos. At least you will not be subjected to that ritual

Widowodiw · 18/05/2019 12:55

The stripping off in front of the children isn’t the issue. Goodness my 10 year old still strips off and sits in his pants all evening . Will be a while before he gets dressed privately 🤣🤣

However the daily weighing is a massive issue in front of the children or even them just knowing he does this. You will have body aware children before you know it and not in a positive way!

Why is he weighing himself daily anyway it’s nuts as weight changes day to day hour to hour. He needs to do a once per week weigh in and that’s it.

I’d have a private word- your very proud of him, he looks fab but it was him that went on the diet and not the whole house and that you are finding his preaching a little too much.

JQBased · 18/05/2019 12:56

He only needs to weigh himself early in the morning before he eats anything. All other times in the day are a waste of time. I can understand wanting to lose weight and be healthy, but it needs to be a natural thing that you don't really have to speak about and just do it. The fact that he has been doing it for some time now and still behaving as if he is in the first few weeks would flag alarm bells, obviously has quite an obsession there.

Yoursilentface · 18/05/2019 12:56

Firstly the only time you should weight yourself is first thing in the morning, after wee before food or drink. What's he's doing is pointless as your weight fluctuates through the day.

Secondly buy him some battery powered scales £10 in argos, problem solved.

Thirdly, download my fitness pal. Much easier than counting calories on a spreadsheet. If he's doing it on an app he might involve you less.

Also maybe he's trying to hint that he thinks you should follow suit.

claraschu · 18/05/2019 12:58

There is nothing wrong with being naked in front of kids.

Naked =/= sex.

Talking obsessively about dieting, calories, whether you are fat or thin = toxic for kids.

plumrade · 18/05/2019 12:58

I agree about the concern about the impact on the kids.

Jebuschristchocolatebar · 18/05/2019 13:06

I would go down to Argos and purchase a set of battery operated scales and then bury him under the patio with the remains of the solar powered scales