Scientists have no doubt that our weight is strongly influenced by intimate partners. When facing some problems in our relationship, many people seek solutions in the pantry.
Scientists have recently conducted a national survey of 25,000 weight-conscious wives, in order to understand why food is the most commonly abused mood-controlling substance. It was discovered that happily married women gained an average of 37 pounds during the first 10 years of marriage, while those unhappy gained an average of 54 pounds.
Scientists have no doubt that our weight is strongly influenced by intimate partners. When facing some problems in our relationship, many people seek solutions in the pantry.
Scientists have recently conducted a national survey of 25,000 weight-conscious wives, in order to understand why food is the most commonly abused mood-controlling substance. It was discovered that happily married women gained an average of 37 pounds during the first 10 years of marriage, while those unhappy gained an average of 54 pounds.
Obese people seem to be hiding behind more than just extra pounds. Overweight may create a sense of power for some of them, while others feel protected against unwanted sexual attention from strangers or even their partners. It can help an unfulfilled partner resist her own troubling sexual urges. What’s more, it can minimize the partner’s jealousy.
People’s motivation for losing weight provides understanding of their relationships. Women interviewed by me made an average of nine attempts to lose weight within the past 2 years, and followed various stimuli. 42% wanted to increase their partner’s interest in sex, 92% hoped to increase their own comfort with sex, and 95% believed that weight loss would help them keep their husbands.
Sexual partners can help each other to lose weight. But we must remember that there is a difference between caring and disinterest. For some people prompts result from caring, but for others they can be signs of abusive remarks. It was discovered that when some husbands were so threatened by their partners’ weight-loss efforts that they interfered, 82% of women claimed that their husbands tried to help somehow. 49% of people who were the most successful in losing weight said that their husbands had been actively involved. 51% considered their husbands’ noninvolvement as crucial component of their success. 57 percent of those who failed in losing weight said that their husband’s efforts to help undermined their self-confidence and motivation while the rest admitted that they stopped trying when they understood that their partners were not interested in helping them.
Noninvolvement can be understood as either respect or disinterest. There is no inherently right or wrong way to help. Establishing a relationship meeting both partners’ needs is a critical first step. It is essential to develop personalized regimes for diet and exercise. Partners should also negotiate strategies for helping each other follow their plans. It is beneficial when both parties are good examples for each other, and they should think of various actions that would be helpful. Last but not least, only an honest dialogue can help prevent loving efforts from becoming major hindrances.
