Lose the “Happy Weight”…but keep the Happy

Hello!

I had to laugh last week when I read a research study that confirmed my experience with clients: Happy couples gain more weight together….about 1-2 extra pounds per year.

Romantic fun is a good excuse to gain, in my opinion, and possibly very worth it for a while. But achy joints, inflammation, flab and other consequences eventually catch up with you, so here’s a list of ways to have just as much fun losing the extra weight together as you had gaining it:

• Hike, bike, garden, walk the dog or take up a sport together. Didn’t they teach us in Psych 101 that raising the heart rate together enhances feelings of love and attraction, because we mis-attribute the physiological arousal of the exercise to the other person? Sounds like an opportunity to me!

• Replace cocktail hour with a leisurely walk. You’ll get the same chance to relax, talk and connect.

• Replace some “eat then sit dates” (e.g., dinner and show) with spa visits. More and more of my clients are discovering that they love Friday night massage night together, because they enter the weekend so relaxed. Many spas have a co-ed relaxation room or jacuzzi where you can hang out before or after your treatment. If it’s too expensive, you could also just trade massages or foot massages at home.

• Cook at home together, with music and candlelight, instead of going to a restaurant. Even if you cook something a little more decadent than usual, it is almost certainly much healthier than anything a restaurant was going to prepare for you.

• Go to comedy clubs and order Perrier for your two-drink minimum. Laughter burns calories, strengthens your abs and reduces stress.

• Take the advice of Dr. Oz, who claims that consensual naked fun is good for weight loss because it triggers the same rewarding brain chemicals as eating.

I’m sure you can think of more ideas, and once you manage to make losing weight together as fun as gaining it, you’re set for life. So make plans RIGHT NOW to have some healthy fun with your sweetie.

Have a good week,

Jill