Here is an interesting question! Does losing weight mean that the relationship may be in jeopardy? Believe it or not, maintaining your romantic relationship after weight loss can be quite a challenge!
Instead of spicing up the love life, many relationships can turn sour and touch rock bottom after one partner shifts pounds and transforms, findings of a new research suggest.
When both partners are on board with shedding weight it is a win-win situation. It can lead to healthier meals, healthier food in the house, more activity and a heightened sense of togetherness!
So what happens when one person in a relationship makes the decision to lose weight and gets fit? Relationships can break down because the slimmer partner starts nagging their other half to hit the gym.
Lead author of the study, Lynsey Romo, an assistant professor of communication at North Carolina State University, in Raleigh stated, “People need to be aware that weight loss can change a relationship for better or worse, and that communication plays an important role in maintaining a healthy relationship.”
21 couples surveyed
In order to get some insight on the impact of the weight loss on relationships the researchers carried out a study. They surveyed 21 couples from across the nation in which one partner had dropped 30 or more pounds within two years with an average weight loss amounting to 60 pounds.
Participants had lost weight via in a number of ways, including diet and fitness regime or bariatric surgery. For the purpose of the study each subject was asked about the impact of weight loss on their relationship.
Observations by the researchers
It was noted that for most couple their relationship changed for the better. Communication improved and the fitter partner encouraged the other to adopt a healthy lifestyle which helped them bond physically and emotionally.
However, when one partner resisted changes in diet or exercise routines, it led to nagging and tensions. In a few cases, partners who didn’t shed weight reportedly lost interest in sex, felt insecure or threatened by their partner’s new found sexiness. Some even went to the extent of tempting their slimmer partner with fatty unhealthy food.
Romo stated, “This study found that one partner’s lifestyle change influenced the dynamic of couples’ interaction in a variety of positive or negative ways, tipping the scale of romantic relationships in a potentially upward or downward direction.
“When both partners bought into the idea of healthy changes and were supportive of one another, weight loss appeared to bring people closer. When significant others resisted healthy changes and were not supportive of their partner’s weight loss, the relationship suffered.”
The findings of the study are published in the journal Health Communication.
