Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Overheard 'D'H calling me fat!

156 replies

Specnu · 20/06/2019 13:54

Overheard him on the phone to his sister talking about his diet and telling her that he really needed to make me see I should be dieting too. He generally complained that I don't look like I did in my twenties.

I do have a bmi of 26, and could make some changes - I was thinking makkng time for more exercise and not depriving myself though.

Im supportive of the changes he wants to make and wouldnt make him feel bad about putting on a bit of weight. Aibu to be annoyed and not want to speak to him? He doesn't know I heard him.

OP posts:
raisinsraisins · 20/06/2019 17:50

I would also be really upset if I heard my DH talk about me like this as it shows a lack of respect, particularly as there was a chance of you overhearing.

Out of interest I just went on the NHS BMI calculator site. I have a BMI of 22.7 but as my waist measures 34cm it says that I need to go to the GP due to my levels of fat! Seems ridiculous, I’m fairly tall and a size 12, so it does seem that one size doesn’t fit all.

Idontwanttotalk · 20/06/2019 17:57

I wish my DH would say something when I put on weight rather than telling me he loves me no matter what. I would be more pleased that he felt able to talk to me about such a difficult subject and also that he wanted to help me retain my figure.

Surely no-one really wants their partner to put on weight? I don't want mine to put weight on (as his DB and DF are extremely obese) so I want my DH to be as fit and healthy as possible. I want him around for a long time.

HappyRoots · 20/06/2019 18:05

I would be incredibly hurt if I heard my partner talking about me like this and I would never talk about my partner in that way either. I think I would have to talk to him though and explain that I'd overheard as I'm v. transparent when something is up and he'd see that and want to know why.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 20/06/2019 18:06

Does he have the body he had in his 20s?

BogglesGoggles · 20/06/2019 18:11

There is a big difference between saying that someone is fat and saying they need to improve their diet. It doesn’t matter how thin you are, everyone needs to maintain a healthy diet. What you eat impacts more than just your weight.

mbosnz · 20/06/2019 18:12

Also, I'm sorry, but if I knew DH was critical about me to my SIL, I would go off on one!

And also wonder when the bodysnatchers invaded DH. Certainly I'd ask him if he was feeling entirely well, and was it possible he'd banged his noggin recently.

Savoury99 · 20/06/2019 18:20

With your weight, I would imagine (hope) that your loved ones are also very concerned about your health. Perhaps they don't know how to approach you either and might seek advice from another family member?

She is only slightly above the healthy BMI,. Hardly cause for a family discussion.

DontFundHate · 20/06/2019 18:28

Hard to hear but better for both of your healths to be healthy weights

AmeriAnn · 20/06/2019 18:38

You OVERHEARD him on the phone and therefore you were being a nosey parker. He wasn't trying to make you feel bad because he was talking in private with his sister.

If he was calling you 'fatty fatty boom boom' to your face, now that would be mean.

NoSauce · 20/06/2019 18:43

Still no OP then.

user1486131602 · 20/06/2019 18:44

omg! Bmi of 26!,
Come on people the range for those being judged as healthy 20-25
26 is hardly obese!

I would just walk up to my (STBXH) hubby and say randomly: I can loose the weight what are you going to do about your attitude?
Then he knows you overhead him!

Unless he looks like a tanned Greek god, tell him to shut it!

Grumpbum123 · 20/06/2019 18:45

Honestly I’d orchestrate a situation wear I’d be caught dissing his penis size

Specnu · 20/06/2019 18:55

Thanks for your insights.

It's true, I did overhear (by chance, not because I was being nosey) and no I don't think he intended for me to hear him, so he wasn't deliberately being cruel with thr comment itself.

I'm glad it's not just me feeling it's somewhat disloyal for him to talk about me like that with someone else and I do feel it's disrespectful.

For those of you asking, he DID say 'fat' and outright compare to when we met in our twenties, which in his opinion was better. He doesn't look like he did then either and while I gave my bmi for context, I'm not hugely overweight, but out of shape through being less active recently. This I'd why I objected to 'depriving myself', which I meant in the sense that if I was more active, I wouldn't need to restrict food. Adding exercise seems to be more sensible in my case, as I know it would make me feel better, even if the scales don't change. My doctor isn't worried about my weight or general health.

Dh's way of 'improving' is slightly obsessive and not really giving him the results he wants. He wasn't referring to my diet meaning general nutrition, he meant obsessive calorie counting and meal replacement like he's doing. I could accept the sentiment a bit more if it was a case of drinking more water or something specifically and undeniably beneficial. However, it really does hurt that he'd tall about me rather than to me.

Still undecided whether to bring it up. I want him to know I feel let down, but if that's his attitude (like I'm too stupid to be able to choose for myself and do something if I want or need to) I don't really want his opinion.

OP posts:
Bwekfusth · 20/06/2019 18:56

According to my bmi I'm overweight. I'm 5"7 and wear a 12, sometimes a 10 on top and work out and am fairly muscular. Bmi is a load of shit. Just putting that out there first. I would be very upset if I overheard OH talking telling his sister I don't look like I used to and complaining about it. I'd have a word.

Specnu · 20/06/2019 19:00

@NoSauce

Still no OP then.

How is it relevant that I've been busy for a few hours?

OP posts:
Savoury99 · 20/06/2019 19:04

Are there children on MN? Some of the replies are a bit childish.

The OP overheard the conversation not cracked his secret password on his phone or laptop and gone snooping. I would have been hurt to hear the conversation.

BackwardsGoing · 20/06/2019 19:05

BMI is not "a load of shit". It is however just one guide. From WHO:

"BMI provides the most useful population-level measure of overweight and obesity as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages of adults. However, it should be considered a rough guide because it may not correspond to the same degree of fatness in different individuals."

It's clear why we have an obesity epidemic in this country and worldwide. The level of denial on this thread is gobsmacking.

OP - I am not directing this comment at you - I know nothing about your health or lifestyle.

Savoury99 · 20/06/2019 19:06

Honestly I’d orchestrate a situation wear I’d be caught dissing his penis size

Love this though

BonnieBelleStarr · 20/06/2019 19:08

My sister over heard her hubby calling her a 'fat bloody heffer ' it was the best thing that could have happened as it finally motivated her to get fit after years of complaining and doing nothing about her weight

DeeCeeCherry · 20/06/2019 19:10

OP you don't have to explain yourself to anybody. There'll be many who will bypass your H's disrespect towards you on this particular thing, because they're so keen to have a pop at you for being slightly overweight. I'm still laughing at people who've suggested a 'family discussion' or totally made up their own fairy story (ie he DIDN'T say this or that)..as if they were there😂..the desperation = they've got weight issues so choose to project misery. Fatshaming is a real thing around here, just ignore it. Balances out as there are sensible posters, thank God.

In your shoes I'd tell him not to be so effing cheeky, and not to discuss you with his Sis. Obviously it's a no-no because then you will wonder what she replied to him, not very good for family relations is it?

mbosnz · 20/06/2019 19:11

I think if you don't bring it up, it will fester. He won't know why you're a bit 'off' with him, and will feel aggrieved, because as far as he's concerned he's done nothing wrong.

If you do bring it up, you can have a useful discussion about boundaries within the relationship (you might get on fine with your SIL and normally be okay with stuff being shared, or you might be like two cats of Kilkenny, and this was the height of stupidity for him to be discussing with her), and also about how you feel about your body, and your boundaries as to his control (none) and influence.

And perhaps point out he's not quite the oil painting he was at twenty either. We all age. If he's having problems now, waiting until you hit your late forties. (And believe me, he'll be hit just as hard!)

EscapeTheCastle · 20/06/2019 19:13

I over heard my DH talking about me to his sister once. Such a strange thing. I was paralysed on the spot. There was nothing I could do to tear myself away! There was a door in between so I didn't catch it all clearly but my god what a horrible feeling it was.

mooncuplanding · 20/06/2019 20:00

it's clear why we have an obesity epidemic in this country and worldwide. The level of denial on this thread is gobsmacking.

I don’t think the people saying “ahhhh you are only bmi 26” even think there IS an obesity crisis

ComeAndDance · 20/06/2019 20:33

You need to bring it up OP.
not the keats because he needs to be tod very clearly that his way of thinking is not OK.
Its not acceptable to compare you to how you were in your 20s. You have changed, thats normal so has he!
its not normal to call someone fat or to insist that you should be doing xxx and commenting on it. Because f you say nothing, you can be pretty sure that its still gooing to affect things for you. Either because he 'uddenly' wll be putting more pressure on you to do thngs his way. Or because it will influence the way he is looking at you.

Ihatehashtags · 20/06/2019 21:00

BMI is all bullshit anyway. I was a size 8-10 and my bmi was only ever as low as 25.5. I was absolutely tiny. Yet still apparently overweight. Waste of time. I’d definitely tell him you heard and that if he does it again you’re kicking him out.