This is my first time here, but I need help. Im trying to lose weight, but the culprit in my family is my husband. When we first married we were very active, and could eat whatever we wanted. Three children later, I gain weight if I look at food hard, and he's still as skinny as a rail. My husband is a truck driver and when he is away from home I have no trouble cooking healthy meals for myself and my daughters. I've even lost up to four pounds in a week when he was away. The trouble is that my husband is use to the big meals that he grew acustomed to when we first got married, and since he is on the road a lot he looks forward to those meals when he comes home. He tells me that real men need real food, not bird food. He doesnt think I have a weight problem, but the 25 pounds I've put on in the past two years is increasing steadily. When he is home, the weight that I take off when he is away, comes right back. I feel as though it is my wifely duty to have him a good, hot meal on the table each night. Im getting so frustrated I just feel like not even trying anymore. Help!!!!

You could cook whatever he wants for dinner and not eat it yourself. Either make your own food or have a low cal frozen meal on those nights.

Another thought would be to look for new recipes that meet both of your needs. Cookinglight.com is a great source for low calorie versions of traditional meals. From meat loaf to macaroni and cheese to pot roast, I think you'll find lots of recipes that wouldn't be considered "bird food." BHG.com is another good source (although they do have some high-calorie recipes mixed in, always check the nutritional data before deciding on a recipe). If your husband needs to eat more volume, you can always serve him a larger portion than you serve yourself.

My SO, who also can eat whatever he wants and still be skinny as a rail, has commented to me on how great the new recipes I found are. He once said that one of the benefits of me being on this diet is all the great new recipes I've found.

Tonight we had pork chops, hard vegetable salad with (low fat italian dressing), brown rice and wheat rolls with butter. I had the lean centre of my chop, the salad, 1/2 cup of rice and 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. DH never noticed a thing.

If you grill, grill chicken for you and the kids and throw a steak on for DH (or give him 2 chicken breasts instead of one). Let him have a slice or two of bread with the same meal you prepare for the rest of you. Give him bigger portions. Will any of that help?