Relationships, Marriage, and Gaining or Losing Weight
An Iowa Avenue member, Julie, and her husband are engaged in a Domestic Weight Loss War, meaning that for one month, they are competing with one another to literally see who will lose the most weight.
After reading her story, I became quite curious about the issues of couples and weight loss and/or gain. So I did some research to find out the facts.
Can marriage cause a weight gain?
Indeed, couples do tend to gain weight together; in fact, newly married women average a 24 pound weight gain over five years; newly married men gained 30 pounds in the same time period.
In a related study, newly married couples tend to have similar BMI’s and if their domestic home lifestyle habits encourages weight gain, they’ll gain weight and are more likely to become overweight.
Why Does this Happen?
Marriage and relationships tends to allow for people to let their guard down in how they look, because they have a long term relationship, which can equate to lowering the need for a healthy body weight. It doesn’t have to be that way but its prevalence is problematic.
In addition, marriage means starting a family. Frequently, a pregnant wife who gains weight will result in the husband gaining weight also.
Can Couples lose weight together?
Yes, and they can usually accomplish it better than they could alone.
A research study in Australia investigated new couples who participated in a 16-week lifestyle modification program. The research revealed that couples who worked together as a team were able to lose more weight, and improve their eating and exercise habits.
More importantly, the couples were able to maintain their new healthy lifestyle.
Will doing this lower coronary risk?
Yes, it can.
Mutual motivation and support that helps couples achieve healthy lifestyles, leads to lower risks of heart disease and heart attacks.
On the other hand, couples who enjoy little or no lifestyle benefits have a partner who shares the same small benefit.
What about Couples and Exercise?
Couples that exercise together, get healthy together.
The researchers discovered couples that participated in an exercise program together had significantly higher attendance and a dramatically lower dropout rates than the married people who only had one spouse participate. Only 6 percent of the married couples “dropped out” compared to 43 percent of married singles.
Even better, the fitness and healthy lifestyles were maintained 16 months after the study was finished.
What do you think? Would having your partner or spouse join you help you to eat better, exercise more, and lose weight?
What do you consider the upside or downside to losing weight together? Is there even a downside? How do you feel about this? Let’s discuss it.
As they say, the facts speak for themselves.
In the Iowa Avenue spirit, why don’t you invite your spouse or significant other to join you here at Iowa Avenue? Maybe even a family member or friend.
We are all about helping each other so if you have a life partner, both of you can have a healthy house together, because
After all, it’s about a healthy lifestyle!
Photo courtesy of mikebaird
Tags: diet, discussion, exercise, fitness, marriage, motivation, relationships, support, weight_gain, weight_loss
Comment
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Comment by Miguel Pineiro (Wickert) on June 26, 2008 at 7:45am -
@ Fit Bottomed Girls
Don't you just hate that! :) So, you like to hit the bench. What kind of lifting have you been doing? For example, is your aim to build muscle endurance or to improve your power and strength? Just curious, thanks!
Over the past five weeks I've been on a workout plan which seeks to improve both overall muscle strength/power and endurance.
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Comment by Batoul on June 25, 2008 at 11:07pm -
Its not even simply couples, just having someone to go to the gym with and to eat healthy with is motivation. I am much more likely to get a salad if I see one of my friends getting one, it makes me feel guilty that I'm not eating healthy. Same with the gym, if a family member or a friend is headed to the gym, I feel lazy if i don't also go. However, when alone, I am much more inclined to eat junk and watch TV. When others are motivated, that motivates me.
As for my relationship, it doesn't help at all that my boyfriend eats out a lot and never goes to the gym. I try to get him to watch what he eats, but it's tough, and I give in a fair amount myself. Having support in other places, such as friends and family helps to keep me on a healthy path, even if my significant other takes me in the other direction.
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Comment by Gabrielle Shafer on June 25, 2008 at 3:31pm -
Great question!!! I definately think that marriage/relationships effect weight gain...I think that we become comfortable with our partner and tend to sit around celebrating our life together (initially) and we many times do that by incorporating food into our celebration (which is fine in moderation)! After almost 14 years of marriage, we have both been more and less fit than the other at different times but we are both committed to healthy eating and to exercise so now that the "initial celebration" of our relationship is over (not that we don't still celebrate on occasion
:-) but after time has passed and two children that we are raising, health and fitness can easily be put on the back burner. I think that it works well to reconvene and decide to get back on track together so that you have an internal family support that makes it more fun to get healthy and be healthy together as a team!
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Comment by Fit Bottomed Girls on June 25, 2008 at 1:45pm - This is a good topic that many people seem to have issues with. It's especially hard to make a lifestyle change when your other half isn't down for it. I'm pretty lucky that my loved one likes to workout. He isn't as consistent as I am in working out, but he still can run faster and farther than me every time. And, he's a dude, so he can bench more. Ticks me off.
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Comment by Miguel Pineiro (Wickert) on June 25, 2008 at 10:27am
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Hey Lisa, nice research. Weight gain for newly weds doesn't seem to be discussed much, at least in my experiences. Then again, I'm not married yet.
One point I find fascinating, but not surprising is how couples that participated together were able to stick with the program; compared with other individuals that attempted the program alone. This leads me to my point, often overlooked, when it comes to living healthy, and trying to reach your goals, two or more is always better than one.
I hope to drive home this point in my blog post series "workout plan." Apart of an effective workout plan is having accountability; these couples were supporting each other. There is power in numbers, as well as safety.
Therefore, no downside, but it's nice to know that you have what it takes to lose weight for yourself and by yourself. Everyone is different, so do whatever and use what as motivation to achieve your goals.
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Comment by FatFighter on June 25, 2008 at 10:03am
- My husband and I were always fit, but when we got married almost 3 years ago, we kind of let ourselves go a little. Now, we are in a 6-week fitness boot camp together and we are both loving it! I don't think either one of us realized how out of shape we had let ourselves get! Yikes - never again!
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Comment by Alyssa on June 25, 2008 at 9:32am -
My husband just doesn't gain weight. Ever. He's one of those naturally athletic people, and he's always very fit. I work out 6 days a week, teach fitness classes, and watch what I eat, and I still have trouble losing the extra baby weight (from 4 1/2 years ago!). So unfair,lol!
I do believe that once kids come along, your priorities change. They have to. And, of course, as you get older it gets harder to lose weight. And Mark put it perfectly; sleep is a dream!
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Comment by workout mommy on June 25, 2008 at 8:27am - I wish my hubby would exercise, but unfortunately he hates it. It is very frustrating, but it just isn't something he enjoys and I cannot convince him otherwise.
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Comment by Mark Salinas on June 25, 2008 at 6:27am - Great question! I think that initially we tend to readjust our energy as we work on strengthening our relationship. In the past I have fallen into this pattern with marriage and with my children. With so much energy put toward the family sleep is a dream....no pun intended.:) Great post!
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