Is there anything better than falling in love with an amazing new partner? You get cozy, comfortable… and then you gain weight. While getting fat when you’re supremely happy isn’t a total surprise, you might be shocked at how much the scale will go up in the first year of your relationship.
- Jenny Craig is behind the study, so maybe take it with a grain of salt. It’s worth noting that having a weight loss company behind a study about weight might be a bit of a conflict of interest, but on the other hand, who knows weight better? Market research firm OnePoll performed the survey on Jenny Craig’s behalf, so that does add a bit of legitimacy here…
- The survey of 2,000 people yielded some interesting results. All the participants are in relationships and were asked about the impact of falling in love on their weight. They found that the average person put on about 17 pounds in the first year of a relationship and 36 in total since they left singlehood behind.
- So why does it happen? Your life shouldn’t change completely when you get into a relationship, but there are a few obvious culprits behind coupled-up people’s weight gain. Roughly 40% of participants blame the rising number on the scale on going out to eat more often, while 34% say it’s down to drinking and ordering in with their S.O.
- Getting to this level of comfort takes time. The study found that on average, couples felt comfy enough to pack on the pounds roughly 17 months after being together, though millennials in the 18-24 range get there a whole lot quicker after roughly 10 months (which would account for the 17-pound average gained in year one mentioned above).
- Love isn’t all bad news for your health. Being in a relationship doesn’t have to be bad news for your waistline—52% of participants said they consider their partner to be their workout buddy, while 60% insist they eat healthier with their partner rather than worse. And while many people in love gain weight, 55% said they’ve actually lost an average of 16 pounds in the past year. Not bad!
- At the end of the day, gaining weight is no big deal as long as you’re happy. Unless you’re gaining serious amounts of weight that would put your health at risk, is putting on a few pounds when you’re finally happy and comfortable with someone who loves you as-is a big deal? I don’t think so. Live it up and enjoy it—you deserve it.
