'My wife's trying to loose weight – but she keeps making the same mistake'

Shedding weight is no easy task.

While the concept seems straightforward consume fewer calories than you burn it can be challenging to adhere to, particularly for those who enjoy a good snack!

A man, who chose to remain anonymous, shared on Reddit that his wife was struggling with this exact issue. Despite attempting various diets, she continually making the same mistake.

He shared her struggle on the popular forum, writing: "Ever since the 2nd delivery she has been about 50lbs (three and a half stone) overweight. She is no longer breastfeeding and kids are sleeping well now, and our life is pretty stable. She often mentions that she wants to lose weight and has tried a few things off and on like Noom, my fitness pal, but is not very consistent.

"She does a lot of things that I feel are incompatible with losing weight. After eating a normal-sized dinner where she serves the same portion that I eat (I am naturally skinny, and not trying to lose weight), she will frequently have a late snack around 8:30pm or 9pm like a bowl of cereal, piece of toast, or ice cream.

"She also does not seem be able to deal with any amount of hunger. She has made comments like 'I need a snack before dinner, all I ate for lunch was an apple, a bowl of yogurt with Granola, and cheese with crackers'. To me, that sounds like an adequate lunch for someone who is trying to cut calories."

The husband expressed his concerns about his wife's late-night snacking and her fondness for baking, noting that she became "very defensive" when he broached the subject. Despite trying to support her by cooking healthy meals, he feels frustrated when she indulges in sugary treats afterwards.

Seeking guidance, he turned to the internet community, sharing: "I try to be supportive. I haven't made any comments since that one a few years ago. I cook healthy dinners like chicken or fish with lots of veggies. But I feel like she is always setting herself up for failure. Also diet advice from a naturally tall skinny dude is impossible to be empathetic."

He continued: "But after making a nice healthy dinner and then seeing her eat a big bowl of cereal three hours later makes me want to say some snarky remarks about why she isn't losing weight. Does anyone have a similar experience? Anything useful I could say? Or should I just continue to hold my tongue? ".

Fortunately, the online community came through with suggestions. While some advised him to encourage his partner to see a professional, others recommended he refrain from commenting on her weight.

One commenter advised: "You could suggest an appointment with a dietician to help her create a meal plan that works better for her tastes and unique hunger patterns, and who can also help her get a handle on any sort of emotional eating issues. But I don't think you pointing out what she's doing wrong is going to be productive."

However, another individual cautioned: "Omg there must be a course on this what not to say to your wife!"