Dear Christine,

I recently started trying to lose some weight, and my girlfriend is
making it difficult for me. She loves to bake, and I don’t know if she
realizes it, but the constant source of freshly baked cookies is really
killing my diet. Is there a nice way to let her know?

—(Hopefully) a Loser Boyfriend

Dear Boyfriend,

Have you explicitly told her of your plans of losing weight? Maybe
she hasn’t really noticed the effort you’ve been putting forth to drop
a few pounds. I would tell her how much you love all of the things she
bakes for you, but you’re really trying to make a few healthy lifestyle
changes.

To spend some extra special time together, you guys could try to
alter some of your favorite recipes to make healthier versions. It
would be fun to experiment, and she  still could be doing what she
loves.

Now, if she does know you’re trying to lose some weight and she’s
still making you all of these treats, it may be time for a serious
talk. Does she realize that she’s hindering your attempts at being
healthy? She may be jealous you’re taking a big step in the right
direction and may be worried that you’ll leave her in the dust. Make
this something you guys can do together — it’ll be easier for both of
you.

—Christine

Dear Christine,

My roommate completely lacks modesty. I feel like she comes home
every day from work or class and has to tell me all about it. I
understand she’s proud of herself and her accomplishments, but I don’t
really need to know every little compliment she’s received in the past
two weeks. I don’t know how much more of her overwhelming
self-confidence I can take.

—Frustrated Friend

Dear Frustrated,

I’m thinking that your roommate’s behavior may be from a lack of
self-confidence, not necessarily an abundance of it. She may feel
threatened by you or your other roommates. By bragging, it’s like she’s
contributing to the greatness of the apartment.

I’m not quite sure if there’s a nice way you can tell her that she’s
being obnoxious — it may do more harm than good. She also may be
craving a little more attention than she’s getting right now. This
sounds a little mean, but when she starts bragging, try not to give her
very much attention. At a time when she’s not boasting, schedule some
time for just the two of you — having your undivided attention may do
her some good.

There’s also a good chance she may have grown up in a house where
she was continually praised for bragging — it’s just habit for her now.
In that case, good luck changing what she’s been used to for 18 years.

—Christine

Christine Walsh can be reached at advice@cm-life.com.

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