Afraid DH will have an affair as I am so FAT that our sex life is non-existent.

[FattyBumBumMum]

I feel fat and ugly. I am currently 6 stone over weight after 5 DC (no excuse for it). I was a size 8 and very attractive when we met but immediately piled on weight as soon as I found out I was pregnant, got bigger afterwards due to PND. I have been 3/4 stone overweight since 1st DC (16 years old) but got much bigger after having DC5 4 years ago.

DH has consistently kept himself slim, has always worked out and is very proud of his physique. Other women have commented on him being good looking and I have had women telling me they wouldn't mind a 'bit' of him to my face . My self esteem is so low that I constantly question him as to whether he is doing anything behind my back, check his phone etc, as I cannot believe that he is going this long with so little sex (about once every 6 months) and think he must be getting it elsewhere. Have never had any evidence of it though.

He tells me that he wants me to lose weight as he did not marry me looking like this, he wants more sex and he wants me to be fit and feel good about myself. Well so do I and I know he's right but I just can't seem to stick to anything! He will never refuse sex but no longer instigates it and it is quick with me hating myself the whole way through. I can imagine that I would be very pissed off if he had put on as much weight as me. I find myself feeling breathless and very uncomfortable most of time, well basically I feel like utter shit!

I seem to be just waiting for him to leave me or to find out he has had an affair. Why can't I change this? I am stumped.

I recommend slimming world, it educates you about food, even if you think you already know it all, and there are loads of vegetarian recipes with the correct proportions of protein, carb etc all worked out for you. You will meet lots of others in the same boat, and get lots of support.
What is working for me - slowly ! (and you do have to learn patience with yourself too) is:
-not letting unhealthy things into the house - just don't buy them, your whole family will be better off without too, I mean sweets, full fat cheese, crisps, full fat yogurt, even low fat yogurt because it is moreish, and don't bulk buy or if you do, then freeze the stuff so its not lying around ready to eat whenever you have the urge - this would work for the bread - eat before you shop, then its easy to resist putting these things in the trolley, then when you want to/have to eat late at night or whenever, you can only fulfill that urge to crunch, by eating whatever is to hand - grapes, satsumas, cherry tomatoes, 0%fat yogurt, etc, and limited, if any, damage is done!

• drink at least one glass of water before you eat
• go out for a walk to de-stress each day, instead of using food to comfort eat, walking with an ipod really does help unwind me

what about putting your dance cds on to an ipod for walking, and also play them when you are doing the housework or cooking, it'll take your mind off food and you'll remember how sexy you used to feel and still can do inside

Go to the GP and have a blood test for iron and vitamin D. Your diet sounds unbalanced and could explain you feelings of worthlessness and sluggishness. Carbs provide energy but it is protein that builds and heals,, if you don't have enough protein you cannot build muscle and you feel weak, so the carbs will just get stored as fat. A vicious cycle.
Go for proteins, low GI carbs and an iron supplement and I be you will feel well enough to start exercise and will feel happier

Your husband has told you he dislikes your weight gain. He's stopped instigating sex and when you do have it, you say it's "quick" and you hate yourself all the way through it.

It sounds to me that he's using your body as a release when he has sex with you and doesn't care that you're not enjoying it.

When did you last have an orgasm during sex with him?

When did he last care that you did?

Have you spoken to your dr about losing the weight? Also sounds like you may have a small bout of depression. I'm in the same boat and my drs have been amazing. They have given me 12 weeks free membership to a local slimming world group and in 9 weeks I've lost a stone.

I know it's hard but if your dr is good they shouldn't judge you.

The Vegetarian issue is nothing to do with it. Your will power or total lack of it is the problem.
I am a vegan and lost 2st on the 5:2 diet last year.
You can do it you just have to really want to.
If you cant ditch the toast the only eat wholemeal/granary bread its slightly better for you and will fill you up quicker but most regular size slices of bread have over 100 cal in them before you add butter jam etc. Grab an apple or banana instead.
Forget the gym, go for a 'power' walk, gentle jog its much cheaper and better for you mentally.
You need to do it for yourself, your own long term physical health is being badly affected by your weight as well as your mental health and your relationship.
If you want to live long enough to see your kids have kids then you can do this.
Good luck

Your husband has told you he dislikes your weight gain. He's stopped instigating sex and when you do have it, you say it's "quick" and you hate yourself all the way through it To all those who are saying he sounds supportive/reasonable, OK etc, my dh would notice if I wasn't enjoying sex, and would stop. That is supportive/reasonable & MORE than OK.

He wants more sex, but won't have sex with op because she is 'fat' (hate that word) and he didn't marry you at this size. I bet you didn't marry him at this level of dick-head either, did you?

Why can't I change this. Because his criticism has made your self esteem tank!

Ok is this 1959?

LEM they'be been married for decades, have 5 children, and it's only in the last 4 years that he has made any of the comments mentioned by OP. And they show concern for her well being as much (or more) than concern for restoring their dwindling sex life. So, yes he might have changed character into total arse recently in this case it sounds as if there is far more going on.

OP is also reporting depression (probably triggered by events unconnected to the marriage) and self-esteem issues, this might be the time to to support her to a better position, rather than blaming her DH now.

maybe her DH is the cause of her low self esteem! HOW do they show concern for her welbeing? My DP tells me to lose weight - because im not a healthy weight, for that reason and that reason only , well he doesn't tell me, but says i should, we both should actually - but this man says things like "you weren't like this when we met" err, no, she has had 5 children so she is hardly going to slip back into her pre-children jeans is she! I agree she should lose weight, but he needs to buck the fuck up or fuck off.

Can you switch to having some vegetarian meals as a family? Maybe twice or three times per week? It is a lot to cook two dinners every night, and easy to fall into the pattern of eating what everyone else eats, minus the meat (hence all the carbs). Or can they have a vegetarian meal but add some sliced ham/chicken from the deli counter if they really need meat?

What other things do you like to eat? I am not vegetarian but I do try and have some meat-free days each week (to save money and stay healthy, mostly). I don't like Quorn so if I tried to eat that, I'd feel I was denying myself but I do love Middle Eastern food. I make a few salads in tupperwares (e.g. tabbouleh, aubergine and tahini salad, chickpea with a lemon/parsley dressing) and to me they are so delicious that I don't feel like I am missing out at all. I can raid the fridge and it feels like a treat. I bought my DH a book of Chinese vegetarian recipes and he now makes the most amazing steamed bok choi (sounds ridiculous but it is so good!). Now the meat-free days are great and I love them!

I think what I am trying to say is to try not to see a diet as a punishment - your body has done amazing things for you (create 5 kids!) and you do deserve nice flavours and good food, not just the non-meat bits of a meat meal that you have made for everyone else. Is there any way of finding things you do like that also happen to be healthy and building a diet around them? How about exploring some different kinds of restaurants on date nights with your DH to get ideas about what you can make at home and the flavours you like?