AITA For Slimming Down After My In-Laws Constantly Claimed I’d Get Fat After Moving Abroad?

We all know that moment when family members offer unsolicited advice disguised as concern, making us feel immediately defensive. For one 23-year-old woman, a major move abroad with her husband became an unexpected battleground over her own body. Moving to a new country comes with an overwhelming list of adjustments, from navigating cultural differences to establishing a new daily routine. But instead of receiving support, she faced a bizarre and relentless campaign from her new family during this stressful family drama.

Before she even packed her bags, her mother-in-law and sister-in-law began a relentless countdown to her inevitable weight gain, insisting she buy bigger clothes because getting chubby was an absolute certainty. While she initially tried to laugh off their unsolicited predictions, the immense stress of settling into a brand-new environment did lead to a minor weight gain of thirteen pounds.

However, she quickly reclaimed her health, established healthy habits, shed the extra pounds, and got into fantastic shape—partially driven by a healthy dose of spite. Now, instead of celebrating her success, her critical in-laws are singing a completely different tune, accusing her of being far too thin and starving herself. Curious how it all unfolded? Read on—the original post tells it all.

AITA For Slimming Down After My In-Laws Constantly Claimed I'd Get Fat After Moving Abroad?

AITA for losing weight after my in-laws kept insisting I’d get fat after moving abroad?

Relocating to a new country is stressful enough without a chorus of family members eagerly predicting your physical downfall. Adjusting to a new culture requires immense focus, making external negativity even harder to ignore.

I (23F) moved abroad with my husband (28M) about a year ago. Before we moved, my MIL (57F) and SIL (32F) would constantly make comments about how I was definitely...

They’d say things like, "Just wait until you move there, everyone gains weight," "You should buy bigger clothes now," and "You’ll see, you’re going to get chubby. " Stuff like...

At first, I’d laugh it off and tell them I wasn’t planning on gaining weight and that I’d try to stay active and eat normally, but they acted like it...

We’ve all been there—trying to adjust to a new routine while fighting off the nagging voices of our worst critics. When stress levels are high, even the smallest comments can start to feel like overwhelming obstacles.

To be fair, during the first couple of months after moving, I did gain around 13 lbs. New country, stress, eating out more, different routine—all of that. But eventually, I...

Part of it honestly was because I wanted to prove them wrong. Not gonna lie. Their comments got under my skin.

The goalposts shifted instantly, revealing that the criticism was never actually about her health in the first place. Once she achieved her goals, the narrative changed to keep her on the defensive.

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Now, my MIL keeps telling me I’m "getting too skinny" and saying people will think my husband doesn’t feed me or that he’s "starving" me. Which is ridiculous because my...

For context: I’m eating normally, and I’m not underweight or anything extreme. My weight is 132 lbs and I'm 5’4". But now, I’m wondering if I became petty about the...

Community Opinions

Reddit came in hot and was virtually unanimous in defending the woman, with many pointing out the toxic behavior of her in-laws.

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u/AtmosphericPresh The only AH here are the grown ass women continuing to talk about your body over and over. It's gross. Why would you think you're an AH for losing...

u/3bag Next time they bring it up, say something lightly such as "Ah MIL before we moved here you were telling me I was going to be too fat, now...

u/SundayEmpress
NTA. But you're putting a lot of importance on what those people think of your body.

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u/GlowSeravia NTA.Gaining weight after a move is normal but losing it cuz u wanted to feel better (and lowkey rub it in their faces) is totally fine. U are literally...

u/FarOutLakes Lol this happened to a German woman I knew years ago when I was living in London, UK. She told me all her friends and family were telling her...

u/Ok_Homework_7621
Why not simply tell them to mind their own business and stop being creepy?

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u/Agreeable_Guard_7229
Are your in laws all over weight by any chance?

u/bgreen134 Was it more of a commentary on the unhealthy food of their country? For example, I knew a German exchange student in high school. Her program literally gave her...

u/TheExaspera
You were never the a\\hole, but your in-laws sure are.

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u/LordInnsmouth
NTA, and it's time to tell the in-laws to keep their s*** comments to themselves

u/Training_Molasses822
Your in-laws sound like bullies.
NTA, but I'm wondering why your husband isn't stepping in to tell them to cut it out.

u/tiredgummybear NTA. You need to just tune them out. Whatever you do, do for yourself. Not sure what their issue is, but they sound somewhere between overbearing and toxic. Just...

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u/Tea_laBleu
Fluff them lol. And your husband is a good one.

u/PicklesIsACat
NTA, they shouldn’t be talking about your weight. Period.

u/KatTheTumbleweed
This is not about your weight but about infantilising you.
NTA

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A few users even suggested that her husband needs to step up and address his family's inappropriate obsession with her body.

Navigating the complex dynamics of marriage and in-laws is rarely easy, especially when personal body image and health are thrown into the mix. While the motivation behind a lifestyle change may start out as a desire to prove critics wrong, the important thing is that the end result is a healthier, happier life.

Do you think she was wrong to let spite fuel her fitness journey, or was it the perfect revenge? And how would you handle in-laws who constantly comment on your weight?

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