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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband has dropped a massive bombshell

999 replies

Robinred81 · 28/02/2022 11:25

Posting in AIBU for traffic.
I’ve been with my husband for almost 6 years and we got married 7 months ago (both in our mid 30s with no kids).

On Saturday morning he woke up in a bad mood which is very unlike him so I asked him what was wrong. He then just blurted out “I think I just love you as a friend”.
This was completely out the blue as we have been very loved up and there has not even been the slightest hint that there was any issues in our relationship. He hasn’t been acting differently on the lead up to Saturday and we seemed very happy.
I was obviously completely shell shocked and after demanding more information he admitted he has never had sexual attraction towards me and he thinks I’m overweight.
I’m 5ft 7 and a size 14 so I’m a bit overweight but as I’m fairly tall and only carry weight on my lower half I don’t look really “fat”, just pear shaped and a bit chunky. We have been having sex 2-3 times every week for years and he’s never hinted that he doesn’t enjoy it. Quite the opposite in fact and he’s all over me and seems to love every second of it. I should also add that I’ve always been the same size since he met me so it’s not as if I was really slim and then gained weight throughout our relationship.

I did wonder if he’s maybe met someone else or having an affair but he 100% denies this and my best friend is a receptionist where he works and has said he always works his set hours and doesn’t ever leave early or stay late etc. When he’s not at work he’s always at home (his friends all live about 500 miles away so he rarely ever sees them) and he’s not secretive with his phone or computer either. Leaves them both unlocked around me all the time.

He’s told me we can potentially save our marriage if I lose 2 stone as he’ll then be physically attracted to me.
I feel humiliated and so shocked as it’s all completely out the blue.
I don’t want to throw our marriage away after just 7 months when before Saturday I felt like we were really happy together. But equally I feel like it’s going to be difficult to come back from this. It’s a lot of pressure for me to quickly lose weight to see if he can fancy me properly or not.

We don’t have kids (we don’t want any) and we live in his house (although as we’re married he can’t just turf me out immediately and he has said if we do split up I wouldn’t have to leave until I’d found somewhere else I was happy with).

Any advice would be very welcome as I don’t feel able to speak about this to anyone in my real life yet. Do you think I should make a big effort to lose weight over the next few months and see what happens with him, or would you want to end the relationship over it?

OP posts:
Clymene · 28/02/2022 11:28

No I don't think you should make a big effort to lose weight. I would end it now.

And I would be very surprised if there isn't another woman. It's probably someone he works with

rifling · 28/02/2022 11:29

That's awful. I'm so sorry. I don't think I could move past that- even if you lost weight (and you shouldn't have to) what would he object to next? Getting older?

ImAvingOops · 28/02/2022 11:29

Leave him. Love isn't love if it's dependent on you losing two stone!
You will never feel easy and safe with him again, or be able to trust in the security of your life.
Get legal advice - don't leave the marital home but definitely leave this marriage. All the time you are tied to him, you are denying yourself the chance to meet the man who will love you!
I'm so sorry though, it's awful what he's just done to you x

RelentlessForwardProgress · 28/02/2022 11:29

My God, I'm so sorry, What an absolutely awful thing to say to you. How dare he!

I don't think there is any coming back from this, you deserve so much better treatment than this

Flowers
Drawerofcrap · 28/02/2022 11:29

If you're married you should have a claim on 'his' house as it'sa marital asset, so stop thinking of it as his house....it's your house too.
Could he be having an affair with your friend?

Clymene · 28/02/2022 11:29

And I'm really sorry. What a horrible thing to do to you.

He's basically saying he's lied to you throughout your relationship. I don't think you can ever come back from that.

HeadacheEarthquake · 28/02/2022 11:30

The only weight you need to lose is HIM.

Could you ever feel confident in this relationship again? I think you already know.

And the "I love you as a friend" thing is proof of that. He won't fall in live with you again if you lose weight and your self respect with it.

HeadacheEarthquake · 28/02/2022 11:30

*love- sorry

Drawerofcrap · 28/02/2022 11:31

The weight is just an excuse to make him feel better about what he's doing.... he's just trying to justify treating you badly by saying he never fancied you, etc. Typical cheater's script, I think.

WhoaretheMorgans · 28/02/2022 11:32

End the relationship. What he has said is unacceptable and you will never meet his ever increasing outrageous demands.

I know you think he doesn't have time, but I'd be pretty certain there is someone else, even if it's not a full blown affair just yet.

I'm so sorry, don't change who you are for this prick.

passtheparsnips · 28/02/2022 11:32

Awful behaviour from him - you need to leave as this will always be hanging over you and will never get better.

Classica · 28/02/2022 11:32

I couldn't respect him after this. And I'd hate myself for trying to lose 2 stone in the hope that he'd be kind enough to fancy me once more.

If he's fallen out of love with you then so be it but don't twist yourself in knots to change yourself for him. He doesn't deserve it and you're fine as you are.

etulosba · 28/02/2022 11:32

It isn’t just his house anymore. If he wants change, he should leave.

billy1966 · 28/02/2022 11:33

@ImAvingOops

Leave him. Love isn't love if it's dependent on you losing two stone! You will never feel easy and safe with him again, or be able to trust in the security of your life. Get legal advice - don't leave the marital home but definitely leave this marriage. All the time you are tied to him, you are denying yourself the chance to meet the man who will love you! I'm so sorry though, it's awful what he's just done to you x
This.

He is not being honest.

Something is going on.

Your marriage is over.

Start protecting yourself with legal advice.

So sorry.Flowers

sundaydayisnotmyfundayday · 28/02/2022 11:33

Does he try to make you feel unhappy with yourself or pull the rug when you are happy at other times? Just seems a bit odd to cite your weight as a reason for this?

I am 5ft6 and a size 22. Married for 10 yrs, together for 20. I'm not interested in him romantically at the moment and we haven't done the deed in a good 10months but thats more about me than him and I am VERY clear about that with him. Both of us met as much slimmer people and both know that our weight issues would never be a deal breaker that could end our marriage. The way I love my husband changes though from year to year (even month to month) and I know this is a phase for us. If he was so disrespectful as to try to pin any issues he might have on me being 5ft7 and a 14 I would tell him to leave and find someone who was a bit more of an adult I think

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 28/02/2022 11:34

What you’ve got there is a man who thinks he’s in control of you now you’re married. Awful.

Even if you decided to try and lose the weight (I wouldn’t), imagine spending the rest of your life worrying about putting on a pound or 7. He’s got you jumping and worried already. Can you really face that for the next 50 years?

Fuck that.

MikeWozniaksMohawk · 28/02/2022 11:34

Do not lose weight for this man. I would be very surprised if there isn’t another woman, or man, involved here somewhere. He may not have acted on any feelings yet but it sounds like he’s at least had his head turned and is now trying to justify it all. Acting as if he’s never really loved you but he’s only just realised. Some incredible epiphany moment. Utter bollocks.

AdamRyan · 28/02/2022 11:34

I think he's been watching too much porn and got fixated on porn bodies.
Flowers for you. Relate at the very least. How hurtful.
I bet he's no god himself

Robinred81 · 28/02/2022 11:34

I really don’t think he would be having an affair with my friend as she’s my best friend and she’s also a size 24 so I can’t see her being his type. she’s married with kids anyway. He only works with men other than her.
And yes that’s my main issue with all of this that he’s basically lied our whole relationship about his feelings for me. I asked him why he has sex with me regularly and is always calling me beautiful etc if he only sees me as a friend. He said he just thought it was the nice thing to do as he cares about my happiness but deep down he never meant it 🤨.
When he saw how upset I was he backtracked a bit and said he did want to try and make our marriage work and he does think i need to lose weight but he didn’t mean all the other stuff he said. I’ve never felt so confused

OP posts:
Liverpoolkate · 28/02/2022 11:36

I'm so sorry. He's a total dick. As a previous poster said the only weight you should lose is him. You deserve soooooooo much better.

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 28/02/2022 11:36

I asked him why he has sex with me regularly and is always calling me beautiful etc if he only sees me as a friend. He said he just thought it was the nice thing to do as he cares about my happiness but deep down he never meant it

Absolutely no coming back from that for me.

So sorry OP.

TheMarmaladeYears · 28/02/2022 11:36

I'd suggest he could lob his weight loss suggestion into the fucking sea. And accompany it. I'd also be 100% certain that there's far more behind this sudden declaration than your unchanged appearance. This is all about him. Not how you look.

ImAvingOops · 28/02/2022 11:37

Tell him to move out while you think.

TokyoSushi · 28/02/2022 11:37

Wow. I'm not sure that there's any coming back from that. I'd be almost certain that something is going on, but I'm not sure what. Don't lose the weight (except for yourself if you want to) it won't solve the problem.

sundaydayisnotmyfundayday · 28/02/2022 11:37

Ahhhh ok so he wants to dip his wick and is too much of a coward to end your relationship so he is trying to get you to do it.

so do it.