Weight Gain & Relationships

Weight Gain & Relationships

Ever thought your relationships play a role in your weight loss efforts?

Well a new study from Ohio State University suggests that this is just the case.

Researchers followed a number of men and women over time and found that while women tend to gain weight after entering new relationships, men tend to gain weight following divorce or separation.

And this isn’t the first study of its kind. A large body of research has repeatedly demonstrated a variety of health declines for men after divorce. It seems that women provide some sort of buffering effect for their husbands, at least when it comes to their health.

Women, on the other hand, seem to eat more high-fat foods once they enter a new relationship. They’re also more likely to cope with relationship problems by turning to food. This means more weight gain and more frustrating weight loss efforts.

This isn’t too surprising. If you’ve been in a serious relationship, then you’ve probably noticed how much your eating habits really change when you’re with someone. You might eat at different times, indulge more, or just get a little lazy with your health and fitness maintenance.

So what can you do to prevent weight gain while in a relationship? Let’s take a look…

3 Tips for Preventing Relationship Weight Gain

1. Don’t Eat the Exact Same Meals – This may sound obvious, but the truth is, men and women naturally differ in their metabolism and lean muscle mass. Men tend to have a higher resting metabolic rate, primarily due to their greater amount of lean muscle mass. For women, this means that eating the same amount of food as men will likely lead to greater weight gain.

So what’s the trick? Stop splitting appetizers and desserts down the middle, and eat portion sizes that are right for you. Thinking ahead is also important – don’t overdo your meals, especially when you eat out!