Weight Loss for Couples

Weight loss isn't usually easy, and having a partner can make losing weight much easier than dieting alone. If your weight loss partner is your husband or wife you typically stand a better chance of losing weight than if you diet with a friend. This may be surprising to some, but couples have a number of advantages over people dieting alone and those dieting with friends outside their household.

The following information provides valuable tips and suggestions for couples trying to lose weight. If you're considering dieting with your spouse or significant other, there are considerable advantages for couples striving to lose weight. Once you realize the advantages couples have while dieting together, and if you take the initiative to follow these weight loss tips, you and your significant other will be one step closer to meeting your weight loss goals.

Grocery Shopping as a Couple

Shopping for groceries and cooking can be a problem if just one person in the family is dieting, but when trying to lose weight as a couple, couples can shop for groceries together in an effort to buy healthy low-calorie foods enjoyed by both.

Couples as well as single people trying to lose weight often use the excuse that healthy eating is too expensive, but in reality, unless you're buying foods already prepared or foods labeled as "diet," eating healthy foods actually costs less. Chips, cookies, frozen pizzas, and other high-calorie, high-fat foods are not cheap. Find low-calorie recipes and foods that fall within your budget, and you won't have a problem affording to eat right.

Some people claim they can't lose weight, and when they're buying desserts and snack foods it's no wonder why. If you're trying to lose weight as a couple, don't buy those tempting foods. If it isn't in the house, you can't eat it. Come up with low-calorie low-fat meal ideas, and buy groceries accordingly.

Weight loss doesn't have to be painful, even for couples. There are low-calorie French bread pizzas, meals, and snacks, and these foods are absolutely delicious. There are many low-calorie low-fat foods that are perfect for couples watching their weight. You just have to focus on these items rather than the old standbys that put weight on in the first place.

This isn't to say you can't have a treat now and then, but instead of buying a box of snake cakes, buy one lower calorie candy bar or single-serving snack for a weekly treat. Believe it or not, there are candies and snacks that are less than 200 calories per serving. Once you eat your treat, any further temptation is gone.

Dining Out as a Couple

Couples generally love to eat out, and couples on a quest to lose weight might think they can no longer enjoy eating out, but this couldn't be further from the truth. People are becoming more and more health-conscious, especially couples, and restaurants are aware of this change in lifestyles. Many restaurants offer delicious low-calorie low-fat choices on their menus.

Even restaurants that don't offer a low-cal menu don't have to be avoided. Couples can order foods without fattening condiments and cheese. Couples can also order baked foods rather than fried foods. As long as couples support each other when dining out and order weight loss friendly foods, couples can still enjoy dining out as much as ever.

Exercising as a Couple

Exercise can be a chore, but when you have your husband, wife, or significant other to exercise with, it isn't as painful. The least painful form of exercise is walking. Couples can take walks, enjoy their time together, and hardly know they were even exercising. Couples have the encouragement of each other, and this is just one of the reasons why couples have an advantage over others trying to lose weight.

Couples incorporating exercise in their weight loss plan should consider physical activities other than calisthenics and walking. Consider playing an informal game of badminton, frisbee, bocce ball, or any other activity you enjoy. Couples just getting out and moving will burn calories. If activities aren't considered a chore, couples are more likely to participate.

Competition and Weight Loss

Couples sometimes worry they'll become competitive in their weight loss efforts. This is a genuine concern for couples. You'd think competition would encourage weight loss in couples, but a competitive attitude can actually be a determent to weight loss. Hard feelings and jealousy can creep in if you're losing more weight than your partner, and therefore bragging about specific numbers is a big no-no.

Couples on a weight loss plan really shouldn't share information regarding pounds lost. A wife who is informed her husband is losing more weight than she, could decide dieting is no longer worth the effort, and vice versa. Sharing info on dropping a pant size is however perfectly acceptable. The danger of stepping on toes is diminished when couples don't share too much information regarding their individual weight loss efforts.