By Toni Coleman, LCSW, CMC for Divorce Support Center
What do celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera have in common? They are all beautiful, talented women who have faced public scrutiny as they struggled with their weight. As people age, many struggle with their weight. It seems that between the stress, lack of time and energy, competing work and family demands, poor food choices and eating on the run, a healthy lifestyle often ends up at or near the bottom of many people’s priority lists. This behavior can then be exacerbated when significant others, family and/or friends attribute the problem to the individual’s apathy, lack of motivation or discipline, or an unwillingness or inability to make better choices. All of these assume something negative—which is not only unhelpful, it often leads to a continuing downward spiral. If your partner is not taking care of himself or herself, you may have fallen into using one or more of the following counterproductive strategies. If so, it is time to find positive and healthy ways to offer the support and encouragement your partner needs especially from you with a little relationship advice!
