December 5, 2025 at 10:15 am

Woman On A Diet Refuses To Eat Cake At A Family Dinner, So Her Mother-In-Law Lashes Out At Her And Accuses Her Of Calling Her Fat

by Jayne Elliott

cutting slice of chocolate cake

Shutterstock/Reddit

Imagine being on a diet and being at a family dinner where your mother-in-law made a delicious looking cake. Would you eat the cake or stick to your diet?

In this story, one woman is in that situation, and she refuses the cake politely. But when her mother-in-law won’t take no for an answer, the night ends in an explosive family argument.

Let’s read the whole story.

AITAH for making my MIL feel insecure about her weight by refusing to eat the cake she made because I’m on a diet

Recently I was at my MILs house for our weekly Sunday dinner. My husband 31m and I 29f have been together for ten years. I have known his family for a long time.

I have always been someone that is very health and fitness focused.

An injury made it impossible for her to exercise.

I had a minor knee injury at work last year, and I am finally back to normal. I gained about 25lbs in that time due to not being able to workout and struggling to adjust to needing to eat less calories.

I am currently 5’8, 175lbs. I am now trying to go back to my normal 150, which is ideal for the frame/build that I have.

I monitor my calories and workouts daily to ensure that I’m in a deficit. How many calories I eat in a day depends on how active I am.

She was avoiding carbs at dinner.

At dinner I focused on eating the protein and vegetables.

My MIL and sil commented on how I skipped the mashed potato’s, which I normally love and eat a lot of.

I told them it’s just not a potato kind of day.

Side note, everyone in my husbands family is obese, except him.

Dieting and weight are sensitive topics in this family.

MIL and sil have always commented on my weight, and have called me skinny.

The reality is that I’m just a healthy weight, and I know they’re both very insecure about their own weights. They’re both over 300 lbs. They both try fad diets occasionally and fail.

I didn’t want to mention that I’m on a diet because I know they’ll give me a hard time for it, or be upset. They’re both very touchy on the subject of weight.

She tried to politely pass on dessert.

After dinner, MIL brought out a cake that she worked hard to make.

She tried to cut me a piece, and I told her that while it looks great, I’m very full and I’ll just steal a bite of husbands cake. I don’t want a full slice to myself.

The reality is I was already over my calorie limit for the day, really didn’t want to go any further. But I was willing to eat a bite of his to make her happy, and to say that I wanted to at least try it.

She insisted I eat a full piece, and wasn’t taking no for an answer.

She was finally honest.

I told her I could take a piece to go and eat it later if she really wanted (I would’ve just gave it to my husband later tbh).

But she told me to sit down and eat a piece of cake.

At this point I was tired of fighting with her, and told her I’m trying to lose some weight and I really don’t want any cake.

Wow. Weight really is a sensitive topic in this family!

She lost her mind.

She said that I just think she’s gross for eating cake when she’s so fat.

Really, I think she was just projecting tbh. Nothing I said would imply that.

She then started full on bawling about how she’s so fat, and I think I’m better than her.

At least her husband is on her side.

FIL kicked us out, and blamed me for making MIL cry.

SIL told me I should’ve just eaten the freaking cake, or lied and said I wasn’t feeling well.

Husband is the only one on my side, and he told his family that MIL is mentally unwell and needs some help, and he’ll be waiting for MiL to apologize for lashing out at me over nothing, and not to contact us otherwise.

AITAH?

She tried to avoid the topic of being on a diet, but when her MIL kept pushing, she chose honesty over forcing down a piece of cake she didn’t want. Her MIL really does sound sensitive about her weight.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Her mother-in-law was way too pushy and really overreacted!

Screenshot 2025 11 05 at 11.01.03 AM Woman On A Diet Refuses To Eat Cake At A Family Dinner, So Her Mother In Law Lashes Out At Her And Accuses Her Of Calling Her Fat

I’m so glad her husband stood up for her.

Screenshot 2025 11 05 at 11.01.30 AM Woman On A Diet Refuses To Eat Cake At A Family Dinner, So Her Mother In Law Lashes Out At Her And Accuses Her Of Calling Her Fat

It might be best to avoid her in-laws.

Screenshot 2025 11 05 at 11.02.17 AM Woman On A Diet Refuses To Eat Cake At A Family Dinner, So Her Mother In Law Lashes Out At Her And Accuses Her Of Calling Her Fat

There’s nothing wrong with making healthy choices.

Screenshot 2025 11 05 at 11.02.50 AM Woman On A Diet Refuses To Eat Cake At A Family Dinner, So Her Mother In Law Lashes Out At Her And Accuses Her Of Calling Her Fat

Her mother-in-law owes her a huge apology.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.