Do you really know｜幸福肥：为何恋爱会让人发胖？

Why do we put on weight when in a relationship?

The subject of today's episode is something that's happened to many of us. See how familiar the scenario sounds.

You meet someone special, start spending a lot of time together and gradually fall in love. You go out for romantic dinners, you order takeout and watch Netflix on the couch. You share desserts and drinks. You're so caught up feeling happy and comfortable with your partner that you don't worry too much about your appearance. Then one day you step on the scales and realise that you've gained some extra pounds, or maybe you notice that your clothes are feeling tighter, or that you feel more sluggish and tired.

Oh yeah, I've definitely been there. At some point you just start asking yourself, what happened?

Research has suggested that relationship weight gain is a real thing. A 2013 survey by Diet Chef found that over 60% of us put on weight when in a comfortable relationship. It's not just because we eat more or exercise less, there are actually several factors that can contribute to the phenomenon.

One is hormonal. When you're in love your body releases chemicals like oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, which make you feel happy, relaxed and bonded with your partner. They also lower your stress levels and suppress your appetite, but the effects aren't permanent. As your relationship matures and becomes more stable, your hormone levels tend to normalise. This means that you may feel less euphoric and more hungry than before.

Another factor is behavioural. When you're in a relationship, you tend to adopt some of your partner's habits and preferences. That can be a good thing if your partner has a healthy lifestyle. But it can also be a bad thing if they tend to eat junk food, skip breakfast or sleep in late all the time. It can also be hard to find motivation to stay in shape when in a relationship. That's especially true if you're happy and satisfied with your partner. You may feel less pressure to impress them or attract other potential mates.

What are the best ways of preventing or reversing relationship weight gain?

Thankfully, relationship weight gain is neither inevitable nor irreversible. With some awareness and effort, you can maintain a healthy weight and a healthy relationship. It's important to communicate with your partner about your respective health goals and expectations, and then support each other in achieving them. You can also plan healthy activities and meals together and encourage each other to stay on track.

To some extent you should also be mindful of your eating habits. Pay attention to what you eat, how much you eat and why you eat. Avoid mindless snacking or emotional eating. Choose nutritious foods that fill you up and give you energy. You may want to consider changing your daily routine to incorporate physical exercise and make sure you're getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep.

That said, it's important to remember that weight is not the only measure of your worth or attractiveness. Appreciate yourself and your partner for who you are, not just what you look like. There you have it.

词汇表
be caught up 沉浸于，着迷于；陷入，被卷入
sluggish [ˈslʌɡɪʃ] （行动）缓慢的，迟钝的
hormonal [hɔːˈməʊnl] 荷尔蒙的，激素的
oxytocin [ˌɒksɪˈtəʊsɪn] 催产素（促进情感联结的激素）
dopamine [ˈdəʊpəmiːn] 多巴胺（与愉悦感相关的神经递质）
serotonin [ˌserəˈtəʊnɪn] 血清素（影响情绪、食欲的神经递质）
feel bonded with [fiːl ˈbɒndɪd wɪð] 与…产生亲密感，与…建立联结
suppress your appetite [səˈpres jɔː(r) ˈæpɪtaɪt] 抑制食欲
normalise [ˈnɔːməlaɪz] （使）正常化，（使）恢复正常
euphoric [juːˈfɒrɪk] 极度兴奋的，狂喜的，亢奋的
behavioural [bɪˈheɪvjərəl] 行为的，行为方面的
stay in shape 保持身材，保持良好体型
irreversible [ˌɪrɪˈvɜː(r)səbl] 不可逆转的，无法挽回的
respective [rɪˈspektɪv] 各自的，分别的
stay on track 保持正轨，坚持目标前行
be mindful of [ˈmaɪndfl] 留意，注意，关注
mindless snacking [ˈmaɪndləs ˈsnækɪŋ] 无意识地吃零食，机械性进食
emotional eating [ɪˈməʊʃənl ˈiːtɪŋ] 情绪性进食
fill up 使吃饱，使充满，填满
incorporate [ɪnˈkɔː(r)pəreɪt] 包含，吸收，纳入

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