Why You Gain Weight When You're In a Relationship 

As men, we love to be in a relationship.  We enjoy the passion…we enjoy the company…and we enjoy the sex (if we’re being honest).  

Being in a relationship should make you very happy—and it could even save your life!  But here’s the kicker about being in a long-term relationship:  

You could GAIN WEIGHT!  

And I am not talking about muscle here! We are talking about love handles…man boobs…and the pronounced beer belly.  

Now, before you assume that everyone is drinking more and enjoying a lot more unhealthy foods—think again!  

A recent study showed that couples have a higher BMI when compared to single adults--even though they are more active, eat healthier, and seldom drink alcohol or smoke.  

So what’s going on?   

(Not good for those looking to reach their ideal body weight with their significant other in tow).  

Eating more, not watching your portions and excessive calorie intake has been shown to increase weight gain and body fat gain.  

So even though you’re not chowing down on fast food or processed foods from a box, you may have other obligations that make it okay to eat more at your meal.  

Eating with family and friends, at social gatherings, and even having a romantic dinner at home, you may feel the need to having a much bigger portion than your body should be having.  

And this is turning all those extra calories into unwanted body fat!  

But it gets worse…  

Couples who have children may be in a worse position than a couple with no kids! When you have kids, you tend to splurge a little and bring in unhealthy treats, such as ice cream, cookies, and cakes.  

And before you know it, you’re having a piece here and another there, which is only increasing the amount of calories you’re eating.  

OR: 


 If you’re like me, you may feel the need to finish the food on your kid’s plate after they’re done eating so it’s not going to waste.  

Again, all those extra calories are going to spike weight gain, fat gain, and lead to issues with a climbing BMI.  

Now, all these reasons are good reasons, but this other reason takes the cake:  

You’re not looking for a new relationship!  You’re happy and content where you are, so you may feel the need to “let yourself go” a little.    

And this usually leads to weight gain, since you may no longer be interested in pursuing a new relationship!  So how can you be a happy couple—completely in love—and still manage to keep your ideal body weight in check?  

Being a couple means that you have a positive relationship that could push you to make positive changes in your life.  

And it all starts with a little positive reinforcement!   If you want to successfully lose weight as a couple, you need to change a couple things:  

1. Change Eating Habits  

Even if you’re a couple AND you eat healthy, you may still be at risk for gaining weight.  So what should you do?  

Keep your portions small!  Portion control may be one of the easiest ways to prevent weight gain from occurring.  

Here’s some helpful advice when it comes to portions:  

• Open palm—a serving of protein  
• Closed fist—a portion of carbs (fruits, veggies, and starchy carbs)  
• Thumb—a portion of fat.  

If you keep these in mind when you’re preparing your foods, you will keep your calories low and your weight even lower!  

= = > My Secret Weapon That Helps Couples Shed The Fat and Achieve Their Ideal Body Weight

References:  

Schoeppe S, Vandelanotte C, Rebar AL, Hayman M, Duncan MJ, Alley SJ.  Do singles or couples live healthier lifestyles? Trends in Queensland between 2005-2014.  PLoS One.  2018 Feb 28.