MY HUSBAND RESENTS MY WEIGHT LOSS

Rifu Astley, 31, is slimmer and happier than ever. So what is her partner's problem?

- CLARE SWATHMAN

Tucking into a pepperoni pizza with my kids Noah, then five, and Roman, three, I looked across the table at my husband Sam, 30. While we were all devouring a cheese feast, he was eating a plate of fish and vegetables, washed down with a glass of water.

Sam was on a mission to lose weight and nothing was deterring him, even the sight of a delicious pizza.

It was summer 2023 and back in May, Sam had had an accident on his motorbike. He'd damaged his knee but it was something that one of his scans revealed that had changed things for him. He had atrial fibrillation – a condition that caused an irregular heartbeat, made worse by being overweight.

At 22st, he was big for his 5ft 10in height. I was partly to blame, because I wasn't exactly slim and healthy myself. I'd been a size 14 when I'd met Sam in 2012. But like most content couples, we started swapping nights out for nights in with a takeaway and over the years, the weight had crept on for both of us.

Now, while Sam was determined to lose weight and be a fitter, healthier version of himself, I didn't have the same motivation. Instead, I watched him eating his low calorie, nutritious meal, while stuffing myself with another slice of pizza.

LIKE A NEW MAN