Do you think it is true that marriage...

YassSpartan
YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
Do you think it is true that marriage is a major factor when it comes about gaining weight? Some people use it as a joke that all you need to do in order to gain weight is to get married.

The logic I'm finding behind this, although that statement is not always true, is that when people get married, they feel they already have someone with them, so there's no need to take care of themselves anymore. That goes for both women and men.

What do you think about this?
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Replies

  • ShelbyBeck414
    ShelbyBeck414 Posts: 123
    I think its true...sad but true...More people need the mentality to keep themselves looking and feeling FABULOUS for their spouse...its a win win. :D
    Happy Monday!
  • YassSpartan
    YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
    I think its true...sad but true...More people need the mentality to keep themselves looking and feeling FABULOUS for their spouse...its a win win. :D
    Happy Monday!

    Which is unfortunate because looking FABULOUS for their spouse keeps the flame on forever! So I agree with you, its a win win :bigsmile:

    Happy Monday to you too!
  • elo83
    elo83 Posts: 97 Member
    Nope, I don't think that. My husband and I have actually lost weight the 1st year of our marriage. We hope to be fit, hot, sexy parents in the next 2 years so we're working on getting super in shape now! Also, I think gaining weight during marriage because you have someone and don't need to work on looking good is a bunch of crap. Being attractive and fit got you a mate so you're goal to keep that mate is to maintain yourself!
  • ShelbyBeck414
    ShelbyBeck414 Posts: 123
    I think its true...sad but true...More people need the mentality to keep themselves looking and feeling FABULOUS for their spouse...its a win win. :D
    Happy Monday!

    Which is unfortunate because looking FABULOUS for their spouse keeps the flame on forever! So I agree with you, its a win win :bigsmile:

    Happy Monday to you too!

    EXACTLY.....looking fabuous = feeling fabulous....which keeps the love alive!!! :D
  • QueenJayJay
    QueenJayJay Posts: 1,079 Member
    Happened to me.
  • JMarigold
    JMarigold Posts: 232 Member
    I think it may be partially true that feeling that you've already got someone contributes to the weight gain. Honestly though there a lot more factors. One factor is that when you do everything together its hard to institute a healthy diet without both people being on board. Also its like you just want to have fun together so you excuse one big meal out or having a big old pizza and it just adds up.

    My hunny and I are syncing up way better right now on the healthier habits band wagon than we have before and that's probably one major reason I'm starting to pull this thing off :)
  • YassSpartan
    YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
    Nope, I don't think that. My husband and I have actually lost weight the 1st year of our marriage. We hope to be fit, hot, sexy parents in the next 2 years so we're working on getting super in shape now! Also, I think gaining weight during marriage because you have someone and don't need to work on looking good is a bunch of crap. Being attractive and fit got you a mate so you're goal to keep that mate is to maintain yourself!

    It might not be true but there's a pattern happening in most cases. There's a possibility that for some people it is true.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    I would bet having children is a much bigger factor than just getting married. Once you have kids everything revolves around them, not yourselves anymore.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    Nope, I don't think that. My husband and I have actually lost weight the 1st year of our marriage. We hope to be fit, hot, sexy parents in the next 2 years so we're working on getting super in shape now! Also, I think gaining weight during marriage because you have someone and don't need to work on looking good is a bunch of crap. Being attractive and fit got you a mate so you're goal to keep that mate is to maintain yourself!

    It might not be true but there's a pattern happening in most cases. There's a possibility that for some people it is true.

    Both me and my wife have stayed relatively fit after 5 years of marriage and 2 kids, but I see ourselves as the exceptions.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Totally agree..I think a lot of people 'give up' trying to look good after they're married and assume their spouse is going to love them no matter what they look like. Its sad really.....
  • YassSpartan
    YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
    I gotta say, probably the fact that after marriage most couple stop complimenting each other, might have a psychological effect that contributes to gain weight and not caring anymore. In other words, Self-esteem goes down and weight goes up.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    I think there's truth to it...I also think that it can actually aid in the exact opposite however.

    Most of the weight I've gained has been since I got married. Not all...but most.

    But my wife is also supportive (most of the time) and has even lost weight with me (last time...this time she's prego) which I think really helps. It's much easier to do it with someone else who is supportive and going through the same things you are.

    I guess it just comes down to your relationship with your spouse.
  • AllergicToExercise
    AllergicToExercise Posts: 436 Member
    It also depends on the lifestyle and eating habits of the person you marry. If they watch what they eat and exercise then it'd be much easier to be healthy yourself.
  • YassSpartan
    YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
    Kids is a major factor for most, specially for women since the body changes during pregnancy. But what about guys? They also gain weight. And although when having kids, life takes a different twist, it shouldn't really be a reason not to pay attention to ourselves. In fact, healthy fit parents have a bigger chance to educate their children about being healthy and also opens the door to be more active with them, etc.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    Kids is a major factor for most, specially for women since the body changes during pregnancy. But what about guys? They also gain weight. And although when having kids, life takes a different twist, it shouldn't really be a reason not to pay attention to ourselves. In fact, healthy fit parents have a bigger chance to educate their children about being healthy and also opens the door to be more active with them, etc.

    Another thing you have to remember is that when you're young, it generally doesn't require much effort to stay thin. However as you get older it starts requiring more and more effort because your body can't handle the bad foods anymore.
  • YassSpartan
    YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
    Another thing you have to remember is that when you're young, it generally doesn't require much effort to stay thin. However as you get older it starts requiring more and more effort because your body can't handle the bad foods anymore.

    I totally agree. But gaining weight sometimes doesn't even happen when you get older. I'm just trying to find the correlation between marriage and weight, if there's even any at all.
  • JMarigold
    JMarigold Posts: 232 Member

    I guess it just comes down to your relationship with your spouse.

    Exactly!! You've got to be on the same page about healthy eating or else you gain weight by default.

    ALSO for a lot of people marriage also signals the advent of more responsibility--mortgage, rising job responsibility, kids etc. Stress and being busy leads to a lot of people ignoring their eating habits and eschewing exercise.
  • YassSpartan
    YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
    Maybe I just need to stay single... or live together with whoever I'm with and not get married :laugh:
  • Anaria12
    Anaria12 Posts: 19
    I think when your in a long term relationship you get busy living 'life' and the commitments that often follow ... mortgage, children etc. People just stop caring for themselves in the way that they used to.

    Not saying this is the sole reason, and not always the same for everyone but I think it may contribute.
  • ahinescapron
    ahinescapron Posts: 351 Member
    I would bet having children is a much bigger factor than just getting married. Once you have kids everything revolves around them, not yourselves anymore.

    This is exactly what I was going to say! My husband and I used to work out together and we were both in great shape until the kids came. For me, that is the event that flips your world around the most, not the marriage itself.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    It also depends on the lifestyle and eating habits of the person you marry. If they watch what they eat and exercise then it'd be much easier to be healthy yourself.
    Agree 100%....I actually ate much worse before I lived with my husband. It was so much easier to pickup carryout for one than to cook for just myself. He doesn't have a sweet tooth and I'm not a huge fan of chips that type of snack, so we simply don't buy junk food for our home (unless we're having a party). We make a serious effort to cook healthy together. I work out more, but it helps motivate him to keep moving too...so it can be a very positive balance. I guess that makes me one of the lucky ones...I weigh a LOT less now than I did when I got married.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    Maybe I just need to stay single... or live together with whoever I'm with and not get married :laugh:

    There's no need to avoid marriage for reasons pertaining to weight gain. Just make sure your partner is serious about eating right, being physically active, and staying thin.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    America is lazy, including when you get married and eat more food than you need too, etc. I think it's more laziness and a skewed opinion of what's "overweight" - you can still be fit when you have kids or get married, people do it all the time. Either you're too lazy to do it or you're making excuses. Plenty of single moms/dads on her make time to stay fit or get fit.

    I for one, won't be over 180lbs ever again (once I hit 170-175).

    I'm also dating someone who's fit & active as well.
  • JMarigold
    JMarigold Posts: 232 Member
    Maybe I just need to stay single... or live together with whoever I'm with and not get married :laugh:

    Ha, living together won't make much difference. BUT having a strong agreement and mutual commitment to healthy habits in which each spouse supports and encourages the other WILL help to make sure it doesn't happen to you!
  • qkidney
    qkidney Posts: 258
    That's when I gained my weight... when I got married.

    I got married August 2011 and since around July 2011 I have put on 25+ pounds :(
  • deanaimee
    deanaimee Posts: 36 Member
    I would bet having children is a much bigger factor than just getting married. Once you have kids everything revolves around them, not yourselves anymore.

    This! Also, just getting older. I gained weight, but it wasn't because I didn't care anymore since I had my man.
  • emily356
    emily356 Posts: 318 Member
    I think, just as when you are single, it really all depends on the person. If you are truly dedicated, it won't matter. In fact, you will probably encourage one another. For me, it was harder because I started trying to cook things so we could eat together, Stayed up later "having fun":blushing: so I didn't get up as early to go to the gym. I think if you want to find excuses, you can find them no matter what. If you are truly dedicated, you still will be no matter what!!!
  • YassSpartan
    YassSpartan Posts: 1,195 Member
    Let's say that marriage does affect weight indirectly because of all the factors involved with it, children, bills, stress, etc. It would be very VERY nice that just as there is a commitment with each other from the moment the couple gets married, they also commit to take care of themselves in regards to weight and health, and always keep pushing and challenging each other with outdoors activities, cooking healthy food, etc. At the end, your spouse is the one who you share your life with and will be there for you always, or at least that's the idea.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I think it is true, but not a direct correlation. Most people gain weight as they age. In general you are more active as a single person, more likely to go out and socialise, go dancing, do activities to a - meet someone and b - stave off the loneliness. Added to that having babies is a common consequence of marriage, and we all know how that makes you pile on the pounds. I suppose you don't have to try quite so hard once you have someone too.
  • carolann_22
    carolann_22 Posts: 364 Member
    I would bet having children is a much bigger factor than just getting married. Once you have kids everything revolves around them, not yourselves anymore.

    I agree - I gained weight with each kid, and didn't make the time to work out. It's not like I said, Oh, I'm married, let me eat my weight in cheese and get fat. I am miserable fat. It was kids and how they change things.
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