Woman says junk food is going to kill husband

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/08/2017 (2976 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’m in love with a man who may die from his diet. My husband is 28 and his body is made of greasy cheeseburgers. I wish I was kidding, but you are what you eat. Before we married, I thought he only ate crap because we were dating and going to fast-food joints to save money for our home. Now we’re actually married, I find out that’s all he eats at home, too, and all he knows how to cook. He makes fancy hot dogs, hamburgers and Kraft Dinner with burger floating in it, and then pop, lots of cola and beer. That’s his entire menu.

I cook meat, fish, veggies and fruit pies, and a do little baking. He looks at it with total disinterest. He says he can’t stand health food, then adds he wants food with some taste, and gets up from the table and cooks his own. That means tons of grease, with salt and ketchup on everything. We’re fighting about it and we’re at a stand off now. I prepare my healthy food and he fries some hot dogs or frozen hamburgers from his stash in the fridge.

They say you have to pick your battles in marriage and this is big to me. I love this stubborn man, but if I had lived with him first, I doubt we would be married. How can I keep him alive to love him if he continues to fill himself with rot-gut chemicals, fats and salt? He’s getting a big stomach, is very gassy, burps egg burps and has real digestive problems. Help! — Worried Wife, age 27

Dear Worried Wife: You’re not his mom, but now he’s feeling like you’re nagging and he’s just immature and stubborn enough to use that as reason to keep eating his “crap” and turn a deaf ear to your arguments. Plus, he craves the salt.

There’s a chance he can be tricked. Do you share the same physician, or can you get him to go to yours? (Lots of young men feel infallible and don’t have regular doctors). The next time you’re in to see the doc about a concern of yours, talk about your husband’s seriously bad diet and share your worry he will kill himself with his eating. Then the doctor can bring the topic up if you can get him in alone at a time when he’s really suffering from digestive problems.

At home, call a truce. But also, chop up some tomato and other veggie toppings, lightly bake them and put them in the fridge in a glass bowl so he can use them. Casually suggest he could throw some of the veggies on top of his hot dog and burgers, and walk out of the room. If he won’t drink white milk, which contains a lot of nutrients, keep chocolate milk in the fridge.

Beyond these two small ideas for expanding his food groups, I would like to hear tricks from readers who also live with junk-food addicts.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I found a yellow leaf on the sidewalk on the way to the car and freaked. Here comes an early winter and depression, with grey skies, miserable weather, snow and more depression. Summer life as I love it, is over! — Freaking Out, Crestview

Dear Freaking Out: Get a grip, sir. You’re forgetting a whole season: the autumn weather can be beautiful with bright blue skies and gorgeous leaves in full colour.

As for that blasted yellow leaf, it could be that particular leaf turned yellow because it was one of the first to come out, so it’s naturally first down. If you’re freaking because of seasonal affective disorder, get yourself a SAD therapy light and use it on dull days to brighten your mood. Life is too short to tough it out.

Lights are available to rent at the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba at 4 Fort St. for $20 a month, or you can buy one for $200. Call 204-786-0987.

P.S. Book a cheap trip now to a southern hotspot in November.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg R2X 3B6

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

   Read full biography