Hubby's on a health kick...

BM applied for a new job on 24th February this year, and finally heard back from the recruitment company handling the applications last week.

These things can't be rushed...

Knowing that if he gets as far as a formal interview he'll also be sent for a medical, BM has decided he needs to lose weight.

A proverbial brick shithouse.

He's a big man in all senses of the word  6'4" and built like the proverbial brick shithouse  and certainly could do with losing weight, but it doesn't bother him so he doesn't do anything about it.

I think it's probably because he's always been a big person - tall and heavy set, so it's become a part of his identity, a part of who he is, and it's never been an issue for him until the job thing.

The last time he decided to lose weight was after he applied for the permanent position he now has.

He had the formal interview, the psych evaluation, the medical - the whole works, everything looked great, no negative feedback, and he was told to wait for his acceptance letter. 

After a while his bosses began asking him if he had received his permanent position yet. He hadn't, and no matter who he spoke to, he couldn't get a straight answer. 

Eventually, many many many  months later, one of his bosses had had enough, and got busy ruffling some feathers. 

It turns out that Rio Tinto has a weight limit for new hires and because BM was over the limit, they held off on sending the letter.

The fact that he had already worked for them for over 5 years as a contractor was irrelevant. 

He had absolutely no clue that this was the problem. They were just too gutless and too afraid of being sued for discrimination, to tell him that this was the reason they wouldn't put him on. 

So they told him nothing.

They couldn't tell him he hadn't been successful in his application because he had, but they also wouldn't tell him that they couldn't put him on until he lost weight from fear of legal action. So they left him in limbo for over 6 months!

Skinny Mick

As soon as he found out what the problem was he went on a VLCD shake diet, exercised regularly, and lost nearly 30kg. He was like a man possessed!

He went for a medical, was under the weight limit, got the job, and goal having been achieved, promptly stopped the diet and exercise. He couldn't see point any more. Which naturally meant that as soon as he began eating real food again, all the weight came piling back on.

Which brings us to now - in an attempt to get ahead of the medical for the new job, he's back on his diet.

Today when I geared up for my walk I asked if he wanted to come too. First he said no, then he changed his mind and decided to come along. 

It was... interesting...

It was a little bit like walking with a small child. 

When I walk, the earphones go in, music goes on and off I go. I just walk until I've had enough. 

The Pee Post & The Wee Pee Post

But when BM walks, in fact when he does anything,  he does the whole Terry Tourist gig and kept stopping to gawk at everything.

Even falling down the pothole while checking out the Wee Pee Post outside the vet didn't stop him! 

I on the other hand, walk basically with blinkers on, which would account for me walking into the phone box that popped up out of nowhere. 

The Tardis

I walked at my normal pace and he was either just behind me or beside most of the way, it was only when we got to the hills that I fell behind. Which considering the length of his stride compared to mine is pretty good - he's 6'4" and I'm 5'4"...

I asked him the other day if he enjoyed it, he said 'yes, but I had to keep slowing down for you'

hmmm... not the way I remember it!

I'm not sure if I'll ask him again...

He made fun of my singing..