Six ways to get your husband to lose weight… without him realising: A leading weight-loss expert reveals how

It will come as no surprise to many women who despair about their lovers’ expanding waistlines, but middle-aged British men are now more likely to be overweight than their wives. A recent study found that 68 percent of men aged 45 to 74 were obese, compared to 60 percent of women.

Despite this, men are generally much more reluctant than women when it comes to following diets or participating in weight loss groups.

What should a woman do when her husband is getting a little fat around the waist but won’t do anything about it?

Nutritionist and weight loss expert Niki Woods gives you six slick tips to help your man shed a few pounds without realizing he’s on a diet…

Spice up your sandwiches

If your partner works and usually makes a quick trip to the supermarket or Pret during lunch, suggest that you pack a lunch together to save money.

Niki says, “When it comes to sandwiches, you want to leave out fatty additions like butter and mayonnaise without him noticing.

A great way to do this is to really go crazy with the flavours. A favourite of mine is canned tuna, with chopped peppers, chilli flakes and a dash of hot sauce.

Choose healthier breads like granary or wholemeal bread and replace chips with popcorn. It has fewer calories than chips and more fibre, meaning he stays full for longer.’

Be smart with drinking

If you’re a couple who normally opens a bottle of red wine every night, you’re both consuming about 310 calories. Over the course of a week, that’s the equivalent of a large pepperoni pizza per person!

“Many women who follow my program tell me that when they stop drinking, their husbands do too because they lose their drinking buddy,” says Niki.

‘If you plan an activity early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday, he is more likely to drink in moderation the night before.

‘Another good idea is to suggest a weekend pub lunch, but not your local pub. Instead suggest a new pub that happens to be two or three miles away. I have clients who now make this their regular activity, a different pub combined with a long walk which can easily burn 600 calories.’

Improve his BBQ skills

With summer just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to encourage him to don an apron and light the coals.

“Grilling is one of the healthiest ways to prepare food, so if he loves barbecuing, encourage that,” says Niki.

‘Stay away from fatty meats like burgers and sausages and focus on chicken, lean steaks, fish and shrimp. Veggie skewers are also delicious on the barbecue.

‘If you’re entertaining, opt for a barbecue instead of a traditional dinner. Don’t worry about extra appetizers – if you have plenty of grilled food and salads, no one will miss them.’

Move more easily

By helping him be more active, especially if he has a sedentary office job, he will burn fat.

“Summer is the perfect time to encourage your man to get active,” says Niki. “Give him a list of chores to do in the yard!

‘Try to make a long walk part of your weekend routine. If you’re going into town, point out that parking is a nightmare and suggest you walk instead. In the summer months, a long evening walk is a great way to unwind and burn calories.’

Protein-packed breakfast

Does your husband skip breakfast at home and grab a cappuccino and muffin on the go? Offering him a home-cooked breakfast could be the solution.

“Avoid anything that has sugar in it that will cause a big spike in your blood sugar,” says Niki. “Once that spike is gone, you’ll be hungry and start snacking mid-morning.”

So, toast, jam, cereal and fruit juice go out. Instead, Niki recommends ‘a quick breakfast of good, substantial food – eggs on sourdough, for example. In my experience, men are more likely to eat well if their partners are.

‘If you’re short on time, a protein shake is a good compromise. You can buy the powder from companies like Raw Sport (rawsport.com) and drink it on the go. Lidl also have fantastic protein drinks at 250 calories and 99p.’

Secret snacking habits

Not having a candy cupboard is an easy remedy for sneaky snacking. Chances are he’ll crave a bar of chocolate, but not enough to buy one if there aren’t any in the house.

“He can’t eat what isn’t there, but if you can’t completely do without salty and sweet treats, put them out of sight,” Niki advises. “Keep sliced ​​loaves of bread in the freezer instead of fresh in a lunchbox – which makes a quick sandwich impossible. The only thing you want to have on display is a fruit bowl.

“Put candy, pastries, and chips in the highest cupboard you have, preferably one that you need a chair or stepladder to reach. You really want to make it hard for him to eat the things you don’t want him to eat and easy for him to eat the things you do want.”

Another good tip is to buy smaller bags of chips and not large ones.

‘If he has something to nibble on in front of the TV, put a small amount of chips in a bowl. Never give him a whole bag or tube.’

*nikiwoods.com