Good advice, links, research, tips to support DH in losing weight, particularly large belly area.

[UnawareThat]

We cook together and he shops.

I worry more about his health than anything.

No extra weight anywhere else.

Thanks!

Has he had any health checks done recently - blood test for diabetes/cholesterol etc, blood pressure check? Having lots of fat on the belly area is a risk factor for being insulin resistant, heart disease, high bp and so on.

That's what I wondered too. Thanks.

He is physically fit, playing sport 3-4 times a week and lots of gardening.

My DP is the same, all weight on his belly, looks like a really skinny man from behind!
He started losing weight at the end of January. He's calorie counting and doing a 15 min weight routine in the morning. He's lost 2 stone in that time. Still has the belly, but it's reducing. No magic formula, just work out the tdee and drop the daily cals by 500 to lose 1lb a week.

His starting weight was 15st 5, and he's 5ft 10, but his abdominal circumference was 45 inches, now down to 38 at 2st loss with a bmi of 26.8. Starting bmi was 30.6. It's so weird as he still wears 2xl tshirts as it really is all tummy fat! His trousers are 34 inches!

It's great that he's active, but it won't counteract a high fat high calorie diet. As per what @ThisMustBeMyDream says, he needs to be in a calorie deficit to lose the weight wherever the weight is on his body.

Thanks.

I know he needs a calorie deficit, but this adds to my confusion.

We eat the same. I'm a size 8.
He drinks 3-4 pints, once a week, which I don't.

How can he be putting on weight and not losing?

Unless he’s a medical marvel, he will be eating more than you even though you think you eat the same. Portion size and eating when you’re not around would be my suggestions.

I honestly don't see it! I serve our meals, so know they are the same. I do wonder, of course, which is why I'm here asking questions.

We both WFH, eat every meal together. We always have an evening cuppa and a biscuit.

We don't eat at breakfast time, but eat ‘breakfast foods’ at lunchtime, so two meals a day.
He never gets up in the night (no midnight feasts!), in fact I am more likely to be up watching TV in the night and sometimes eating.

I

You'd be huge if you really did eat exactly the same amount of food as your DH, as you need less than him even if you were both maintaining.

What about when he’s out playing his sport 3 or 4 times a week?

Anyway, would he consider keeping a food diary for a week, where he weighs and measures everything he eats and drinks? That’s the only way to actually know what calories he’s consuming per week.

No, no food or drink at his sports. Nowhere nearby that he could and he leaves just before the booked time and straight back at the end.

As far as meal times, we really do eat the same, I serve them up!

We don't eat big meals every evening, quite happy with an omellete and salad, poached eggs on toast etc. Sometimes fish, couscous and salad. Very few takeaways, maybe once every 4-6 weeks. Actually, thinking about it, that is a meal that he eats a bigger portion of than me.

We do sometimes eat a platter type tea (bread, pitta, crackers, humous, pate, cheeses). I can see that he possibly eats more than I do. This is maybe once a fortnight.

Neither of us drink fizzy drinks (we don't have them in the house), water with our evening meal.

We don't snack (no crisps, cheese, nuts).

He isn't carrying extra weight anywhere but his stomach area. A slightly round face.

I hope I'm not coming across as obtuse, I really don't know. It is helping having to think about it though.

Men often put on weight on their abdomen, as visceral fat rather than all over. It’s the visceral fat that’s a risk factor for the various issues mentioned already.

If he wants to lose the weight he needs to calorie track, work out his TDEE and eat at least 500 cals below that each day to lose 1 pound or so per week.

Thank you, I'm just ‘googling’ visceral fat.