Photo: Melissa Schollaert
You've heard all about the dreaded "newlywed spread," but you swear it won't happen to you and your spouse, right? Not so fast. Several studies have shown a correlation between getting married and gaining weight. However, if you and the hubs can figure out how to make staying fit fun and work together as a team to accomplish your goals you two can beat the odds together.
Turn grocery shopping into a date
As registered dietitian nutritionist Carlene Thomas RDN of Healthfully Ever After explains, "Grocery shopping is such a 'to-do list' tedious item, making it that much more tempting to push it off and order a high sodium, high-fat take out meal instead." But turns out, it can be fun. Thomas recommends planning meals with your partner you'll be stoked about in advance and head to the store together to buy the ingredients. Then cook dinner together for the night or even prep your meals for the week.
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Drink the good stuff
And only on the weekend! "When we know something is high quality, we tend to savor it more," explains NYC-based fitness instructor Erika Shannon. "It's easy to kill a $10 bottle of wine with your pizza, but if it's a $40 bottle you'll want to slow down and get your money's worth." If you absolutely must have a drink during the week, try a mocktail with seltzer as the base or enjoy a nice cup of gourmet tea with some chill music together before bed.
Set a balanced schedule
A couple that sweats together stays at a healthy weight together! "If one person wants to work out and the other wants to relax, it's likely neither one is going to get in those healthy movement hours," explains Thomas. "It's important to set parameters where you can work out together, by either hitting the gym or the trail one night and lounging on the couch the other night. Be a team!"
Look into grocery or meal ingredient delivery
Thomas says time is the biggest hurdle her married clients face in making healthy meals happen on a regular basis. If you can afford it, she suggests looking into pre-planned meal services that deliver fresh ingredients in the exact amounts needed direct to your door, along with easy to follow recipes, so you can whip up a healthy meal at home. "Always have extra veggies in the freezer to bump up the nutrition power too."