Cohabiting Could Be Bad For Your Health!

Hi! I'm Melanie. A little birdie told me that possibly you aren't subscribed to this site. Are you nuts?
Subscriptions are totally free, and you can sign up either for Emails or the RSS feed. It's so easy, so do it now, and welcome to Dietriffic!

We’ve often heard it said, “Men are from Mars, women are from Venus!!” Now, we all know that this isn’t true! However, men and women do have very different ways of eating, dealing with emotions, and even celebrating!

Women often overeat as an emotional response to something unhappy, whereas men generally overeat in response to something they are happy about! It is also common for women to believe they are overweight, when, in actual fact, they’re not, and for men to think they’re not overweight when they are. Women are also more likely to change their eating habits to prevent a health problem, whereas men often wait until they are presented with a health problem, before they feel the need to make any changes. So, it’s pretty clear that we are different, however this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

But, what happens when men and women move in together - is it really a recipe for becoming overweight?

Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition Research Centre, have been carrying out reviews on a variety of research projects from the UK, North America and Australia. The researchers have looked at the eating and lifestyle habits of cohabiting heterosexual couples, including married couples. Their research found that women eat more unhealthy foods, and tend to put on weight when they move in with a male partner. On the other hand, a man’s diet tends to become healthier when he starts cohabiting with a female partner, and her influence has a long-term positive impact. They seem to contradict each other!

I think there are a number of reasons why some experience an increase in weight after moving in together. These include, lack of goals to aim towards, especially after a wedding. Some try to impress their new partner with great cooking and baking skills. It is also difficult to eat healthy meals, if one partner dislikes particular foods, and you may find that you take on their unhealthy eating habits. Some also experience a decrease in available time to exercise, or play sports with friends.

The good news is you can work together to support each other; don’t underestimate the good influence you can have on your partner. If your attempts to encourage healthier habits in your partner seem to be falling on deaf ears, you may need to change your tactics. Can you disguise healthy food within regular meals? Or maybe you can encourage family sports after work?

Remember, just because your partner has chosen to be unhealthy, this doesn’t mean you should be as well. Your health, and that of your partner, is more important, so stick with it!

I’d really love to hear from you guys. Have you changed your eating habits to accommodate your partner? How have your eating habits changed over the years?