Society and media tell us that in order to be attractive and find a mate we must be of a certain weight and size.
So, when we are searching for that mate we tend to put forth extra effort to stay fit in order to comply with what society and media have told us.
But when we finally get into a relationship, our fitness routines can fall to the wayside.
Our guard falls and we can be comfortable knowing that we already have a mate.
When we fall in love, we fall in love with that person’s soul and the person that they are.
We care less about superficial things like appearance and are able to focus on happiness and enjoying ourselves rather than counting calories and getting to the gym. This can cause us to pack on a few pounds.
Studies show that couples who said they were happy and satisfied in their relationships or marriages were more likely to gain weight.
According to FOX News, a study of 2,000 people found that the average respondent gained about 36 pounds after dating their partner.
They gained about 17 pounds in the first year alone, according to the OnePoll survey that was commissioned by Jenny Craig.
About 69 percent of men were more likely to pack on the pounds in the first year of a relationship compared to 45 percent of women.
Many reported that the extra weight was brought on by an increase in dining out during the beginning of their relationship.
Others, about 34 percent, attributed weight gain to ordering takeout or cooking at home while drinking together.
The biggest reason for weight gain was a sense of comfort. About 65 percent of people who responded said that they no longer felt the pressure to look their best since they were comfortable in their relationship.
On average, the “comfort zone” of a relationship is cited to start at about a year and five months into the relationship but some reach it sooner.
Younger people from 18 to 24 reached the stage at 10 months while those aged 45 to 54 took the longest at about a year and a half.
Marriage is also a weight gain trigger.
The most weight is gained during the first five years of marriage when people said they started a family and were less mindful of their own bodies. But it was the happier couples who gained weight.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health studied couples who were married for 4 years and measured their emotional health and stress levels.
Couples who said they were happily married were twice as likely to put on weight compared to couples who reported being less happy with their spouses.
“These findings challenge the idea that quality relationships always benefit health, suggesting instead that spouses in satisfying relationships relax their efforts to maintain their weight because they are no longer motivated to attract a mate,” the study concluded.
“Interventions to prevent weight gain in early marriage may, therefore, benefit from encouraging spouses to think about their weight in terms of health rather than appearance.”
But if the time comes that their weight is an issue that affects their health, happy couples are in a great position to lose weight and/or take on healthier lifestyles.
Those who exercise and eat healthy with their partner are twice as likely to lose weight.
“We know that close relationships affect the health outcomes of individuals. This data is a clear indicator that couples who support each other in a healthy lifestyle together can reap the benefits of happiness together as well,” Assistant Clinical Professor at University of Maryland School of Medicine Dr. Pamela Peeke said.
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