Married Life Is Like A Bowl Of Cherries. With Icecream.

Average weight gain for newly-weds over the first 1-2 years of marriage?

6-8lbs.

BOOOOO.

Why is this? Surely the majority of modern couples live together before marriage and have already established a routine of meal-times/exercise etc? Is it really, as the press seems to claim, that we get hitched, decide we can't be arsed anymore and let ourselves go?

That seems a bit harsh. I don't want that to be true.

I AM COMING TO MEASURE YOUR POST-HONEYMOON BELLY.....

Source

Although.... as human beings we are culturally programmed to bond over eating. And when you get married, I think you do bond with your partner in a new way. And sometimes that way involves romantic meals out (celebrating your anniversary every month for the first year if you're as ridiculous as us), eating more in sync with your other half meaning portion sizes creeping up, or just bonding over your love of icecream, chocolate sauce, sprinkles. No, not in that way. Minds out of the gutter please.

I'm not sure that's the whole story though. Hang on. I'll just put my Thinking Cap on ....

Thinking Cap must be worn before Thoughts can be dispensed.

Most brides tend to want to lose weight before their big day. And, in the last few months measures can be a little more drastic than would be ideal. So just by going back to eating normally after the wedding, brides (and grooms) will automatically start regaining the lost weight. If you're really unlucky, your body will go into refeed mode (wine! biscuits! oh how I have missed thee!) and it will be hard not to go a tiny bit crazy on all the things you've been missing out on in a bid to look your best on your big day. Not to mention your poor old starvationed bod hanging onto it all because it's worried it's going to get the shit dieted out of it again.

Throw in a honeymoon on top of this? Those 6-8lbs are no surprise.

Best thing to do is get back off honeymoon and establish healthy eating patterns straight away... I can only think getting into good routines will mean we won't end up another statistic.

ANYWAY here's the good news - married couples apparently get a whole ton of statistical up-sides, including a longer life, less incidence of depression and anxiety, lower stress levels, increased overall happiness.

WOO-HOO!

If nothing else, all the above would all undeniably make the extra pudge easier to bear.


*figures published by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health