Choose your words wisely:Encouraging your partner to diet may actually do more harm than good, says a new study from the University of Minnesota.
Researchers found the more that people were prompted by their significant others to eat healthier, the more likely they were to adopt unhealthy behaviors like skipping meals, taking diet pills, and binge eating.
Even if you mean well, suggesting that your wife should go on a diet can imply that she's overweight, unattractive, or not sexy anymore, says study author Marla Eisenberg, Sc.D. M.P.H., associate professor at the University of Minnesota.
So what's your move? Emphasize adopting a healthier long-term lifestyle rather than dieting, which is often characterized by restrictions that are difficult to maintain and easy to break, Eisenberg says.
Encouragement like "Will you join me for a walk after dinner? I'd love the company," will be received better than, "You should probably skip the ice cream tonight."
