It’s (finally!) Springtime in the city and that means that wedding season is also in full bloom. Being a newlywed is such a fun, exciting, romantic time of your life. In many cases, you’re young, you’re gorgeous, you’re in love, you’re in amazing shape because you worked your butt off to look great on the big day. And now you have a long, romantic honeymoon to enjoy the beginning of your married life. And then….you’re probably going to gain weight. Like, I’m not just talking about you-went-on-vacation-with-the-sole-purpose-of-lounging-on-the-beach-drinking-cocktails kind of weight. I’m talking about waking up one day to realize it’s not 5 pounds you need to lose, it’s more like 30.
WHY? And what can you do about it?
There are many reasons we tend to gain weight as newlyweds. The trick is to recognize them as they’re happening, and turn the situation around to your advantage.
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| It all begins with cake… |
No more stress! But, no more goal!
Planning a wedding can be incredibly stressful. The average couple spends about a year planning their wedding. Planning usually also includes you both watching your diet and hitting the gym to make sure you look and feel great on your special day. And then (seemingly in an instant!) it’s all over and you’re relaxing on honeymoon, with no more decisions to be made, or training sessions to keep. Once you get home from the trip, it’s great you’re not stressed, but if your wedding day was your goal and you don’t have another goal set up, then there’s nothing left to motivate you to get your butt out and exercise.
What you can do?
Simple: set a goal. Find a 5K that you can both train for and run together. Or make it your goal to try something you’ve always wanted to try but never have, like self-defence classes, or ice-skating, or tennis. If the two of you have a slightly competitive nature (I’ve trained couples before, and believe me, most couples are competitive), then you could even set monthly goals to work towards, whether it’s calories burned, hours at the gym, miles run/walked/ridden, and at the end of the month whoever ‘wins’ gets a reward. (Um….you can pick the reward!)
Anything you can do, I can do….the same?
This one is a more likely scenario for those couples who haven’t already been living together prior to getting married. Your partner’s eating habits will be different from yours. While you might consider pizza a ‘treat’ food, your significant other may eat it without a second thought 3 times a week. You might have a beer after work every day. Your partner might happily eat chocolate without agonizing about the calories.
If you’re a woman married to a man, you should bear in mind men have a higher metabolism than women because they have a higher percentage of muscle, which burns more calories than fat. Therefore, if you fall into the same eating habits as your husband, you may find yourself facing a higher percentage of fat. This doesn’t mean men get away scot free, either! It doesn’t matter how much muscle you currently have on your frame – if you’ve been eating essentially the same diet for the past 10 years and all of a sudden you’re nibbling at the candy your spouse eats, or you’re having an extra glass or two of wine with dinner, then those changes are going to add up as well.
What can you do?
Recognize that you have different metabolisms, habits and ways of eating. Just because your partner is eating or drinking something, doesn’t mean you have to as well. If pizza is the default for your new wife or husband, either order somewhere you can get a healthier option, or maybe you could even break out the assorted kitchen registry items you just received and learn how to make some healthy go-to dishes!
But, speaking of those registry items….
Yay! Our kitchen is awesome! Let’s entertain constantly!
So, you registered for the Kitchenaid mixer in a cute color and the food processor and the fondue kit and the bread maker and the grown up china, so of course, if you received all of the above, you naturally want to use it! I have to say, this may be an area where New Yorkers and others living in big cities may have it a little easier than suburban couples. We didn’t have a dining table for the first 8 years of living together because we didn’t have room and I didn’t even bother registering for the bigger appliances or things I wouldn’t use every day. But all that fun kitchen stuff and also the novelty of being a newlywed couple (more so if you’re a younger couple) combine to make you feel like you should be doing things like hosting dinner parties for friends. With cocktails and wine and three courses. Duh!
What can you do?
If you want to entertain and you love it, then great! Go for it! The nice thing about doing your own cooking is that you can control what goes into your food. Butter may well make everything taste better, but there are so many other ways to add flavor to your meals that are better for you in the long run. Experiment with healthy recipes and making old favorites in a healthier way. You’ll be so much better off and your guests will thank you, too.
Let’s just snuggle…with snacks!
This one is the flipside of the couple who wants to test out their cooking chops. Being a newlywed means lots of snuggling and wanting to be alone and cozy, so if that’s all you want to do, then the thought of Friday night being movie night at home…with popcorn…and maybe wine…and then some chocolate because your willpower got drained with the wine…starts sounding like heaven. Then Friday night becomes Friday and Saturday. Oh, and Sunday. Usually Thursday too… You get the picture.
What can you do?
Cozying up on the couch is not the only fun you guys can have together. Set some fun dates for yourselves – go out hiking, try a trapeze class, or indoor rock climbing! Getting out of your comfort zone can make you even closer, since you’re both enjoying the experience together. And when you do just want to chill at home, snuggling might lead to something more energetic…hee hee!
Make some smart choices as newlyweds while you’re still new to being a married couple and you can stay as fit and healthy as you were when you walked down the aisle. Enjoy your new life together by enjoying a healthy lifestyle to ensure that you have a long and happy marriage!
Is that you in the wedding photo? Love it! I’ve never seen you out of the gym!
That’s me, blonde and YOUNG!! ha ha ha.
Love this post! My boyfriend can eat his weight in food, but still not gain a pound. Frustrating! He loves cooking, but he always adds waaay too much food. He tends to eat super fast, and I found myself scarfing down food too. I had never said anything about it until just recently. After I told him that I feel overwhelmed with all of the food-temptation he brings on, we agreed to find ways to compromise. One being to decrease (just a bit!) the amount of food we make, and in return, he would make a conscious effort to slow his eating down. This has helped me feel fuller without eating as much food as before. So far, so good!
Awesome!! There’s no way he would even have thought twice about portion or the speed at which he eats unless you said something, either! It makes such a difference to be aware and communicate – I’m sure these little changes will make a big difference for you over time! 🙂