The single life allows you to spend all your time and thoughts on yourself when you need to. Once you get a partner, things change, and there’s a new dynamic to explore. You also might find yourself making changes to your lifestyle. For the most part, studies suggest that being in a new relationship – or an older, healthy one – has positive effects on one’s wellbeing. But there’s also a phenomenon where being in a relationship can cause someone to gain weight. It’s important to spot these signs and nip them in the bud before it’s too late. Here are some signs your partner is making you gain weight – and how to fix it.
“We are social creatures of habit, so we’re influenced by the behaviours and beliefs of the people around us. If our partner tends to be more relaxed around eating, we will inevitably pick that up.” – Jennifer Sygo.
Here Are 5 Signs Your Partner Is Making You Gain Weight (And How to Fix It)
1. You drink more alcohol.
When you first start dating, you’ll likely wind up going on quite a number of dates. The most popular and common kinds of dates involve food and, in most cases, alcohol. While you can try to eat healthily around different sorts of food, alcoholic drinks tend to sneak in a good amount of sneaky alcohol. On top of that, studies have shown that even those who have been in relationships for a long time are affected by this. In fact, married women drink approximately three more drinks than single women.
If you have difficulty avoiding alcohol and tend to give in to cravings even when you aim to order healthier drinks, then try switching up the types of dates you go on. Instead of going for dinner or drinks, take a trip to a historical site or take up a new hobby or some classes with your partner. This will make sure that whatever you’re doing doesn’t involve alcohol, so the temptation isn’t around and you won’t gain weight.
2. You’ve been skipping the gym for dates.
If you’re someone who regularly performs a variety of physical activities, whether that’s in the form of going to the gym, attending a class that gets you moving, or even just going out for a walk, you need to be continuing this after you get into a relationship.
Sometimes, a relationship can cause you to skip your usual activities in favor of spending more time with your partner. Unfortunately, this change in routine often involves a switch from something active and healthy to something that likely involves a lot of sitting down or relaxing, which could make you gain weight.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with getting some rest now and then, but learn to find a compromise. If your partner wants to spend more time with you, invite them to come with you to the gym, or to your fitness-related class, or even out for a walk with you. This way, you get to be together while doing something healthy and active. Not only will you keep your own fitness in check, but you might just help your partner with theirs!
3. There’s more food around.
If you’re someone who’s big on healthy eating and living, you might be adamant on keeping your home free of unhealthy junk food snacks that are too easy to reach for, and that can make you gain weight. But when you move in with a partner, they might like keeping their comfort food scattered everywhere – and the temptation can be pretty strong.
Packaged snacks are tasty and convenient, but depending on a large number of factors, they could be causing major weight gain and a host of other health problems. The best way to fix this is to ask your partner to keep their snacks out of sight. When you’re tired, you’re much more likely to reach for the chips on the counter than want to cook a full meal. Having your partner keep their snacks to themselves can work wonders in this case. In addition, try to stock your kitchen with healthy snacks you can enjoy guilt-free.
4. Your partner has different eating habits.
Does your partner always snack while watching TV? Do they have larger meals, eat more often, or make a habit of snacking? Chances are you may be slowly following their patterns, too, loading your body with unnecessary calories. Even your partner eating faster than you can cause you to unconsciously mirror their speed, and this can slowly but surely lead to gaining weight.
In order to fix this issue, you need to be conscious of yourself. Be aware of what habits your partner performs that you’ve been picking up on. Of course, you’re not meant to change your partner’s habits. Instead, find alternatives that you can use. Eat a piece of fruit while watching TV with your partner, intentionally slow yourself down while you eat or serve yourself smaller portions, and make sure you have wholesome snacks to enjoy when you need them.
5. You feel attractive no matter what.
Guess what? This is a great thing! Your partner showers you with compliments, you feel happy and loved, you’re always made to feel like you’re the most gorgeous person on the planet. You feel secure enough that even if you do gain weight, your partner will still love you just the same.
This type of positive thinking is amazing, but there’s just one problem with this – it means you might lose some of your fitness motivation. You might not bother doing yoga anymore if you think it no longer matters, or you might indulge in a more sinful diet consisting of more junk food than you’d usually allow for yourself.
There’s really only one way to fix this: by understanding that you can have your own standards for how fit you want to be or how you look, and you shouldn’t be judging yourself entirely by how your partner views you. While it’s wonderful to feel loved and your partner says you don’t need to keep working out, it is totally okay for you to keep up the same physical health routines you had when you were single if you want to!
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, it is completely up to you whether or not gaining weight in a relationship is something you want to prevent. If you do, though, then there are plenty of ways to stop yourself from falling into this trap. By keeping your eye out for these signs and learning how to fix or avoid them, you’ll be at the weight you like no matter your relationship status.
