Could Unintentional Weight Gain End Your Marriage?
by Kodjo Hounnake

Not feeling comfortable in your own skin is a surefire way to kill those s-xy moods faster than they appear. If you've gained weight or feel like your body has changed in a way that makes you self-conscious, your s-x drive will take a backseat to the worries about what your partner thinks of your body.

Weight gain also:

⦁Clogs your arteries, making sex harder on your heart
⦁Reduces your stamina
⦁Can prevent you from doing or maintaining certain positions

Unintentional weight gain is a topic that has become ubiquitous, due to the plethora of subliminal messages from the media, but also, due to the ever growing rate of obesity. With the astonishing numbers of divorces, one has to wonder if marriages are being plagued by a new phenomenon outside of couples’ control. Studies have shown that the main causes of divorces are:

⦁Adultery (contributing to 27% of divorce cases)
⦁Domestic violence (17% of all divorces)
⦁Midlife crises – a bit ambiguous but still account for about 13% of all divorces
⦁Addictions, such as alcoholism and gambling (make up approximately 6% of all divorce cases)
⦁Workaholism (makes up another 6%)
⦁Other causes (31%)

When I look at these statistics, I can’t help but inquire: “What percentages of divorces are directly or indirectly linked to unintentional weight gain?” Unintentional weight gain is simply the increase in body weight that occurs when you ingest more calories than your body burns. The rate of unintentional weight gain, increases as we age (primarily because our metabolism slows). However, this rate of increase is compounded by the fact that we have found the love of our life. Let me explain:

Remember those days in your 20s and early 30s, when you were still single, and actively dating? Most people I know in that category spend a great deal of effort on their outside appearance. Single women leave no stone unturned, when it comes to their physical appearance. Their efforts to avoid unintentional weight gain, is almost obsessive. Single women exercise regularly to attract attention from guys; they control their food portion; they do their hair, and stay on top of their manicures and pedicures.

Similarly, single guys go to the gym almost on a daily basis, and try to remain as fit as they can, to be able to appeal to the opposite sex.
However, once a couple is married, the exercising and self maintenance quickly give way to unintentional weight gain. Excuses start erupting from each side. The woman typically claims that she has too much work to do (between taking care of the kids, attending to other household chores, and possibly maintaining a work schedule). The married guy does not have the same drive and incentive to do his home workout routines, because he has already found the love of his life.

When couples embark on this slippery slope, riddled with unintentional weight gain from both sides, I call this “lack of physical appearance maintenance syndrome”. Lack of physical appearance maintenance syndrome can lead (and does lead) to divorce. When a man you married few years ago, because of his intelligence and sex appeal, starts putting on unintentional weight, he can lose his sex appeal. The same goes for a woman. Unintentional weight gain can lead to adultery, or other kinds of abuses (such as verbal abuses). In addition, when you gain weight, you can lose your self-confidence, leading to a flurry of personal issues.

What can Couples Do To Combat Unintentional Weight Gain and Save their Marriage?

PRAISE

I suggest couples praise each other very often, on their physical appearance. When you compliment your husband on how strong his arms look, or how sexy he looks on the beach, he will do everything in his power to avoid unintentional weight gain, and remain fit. Similarly, when a husband helps his wife with her household chores, she will have extra time to go to the gym, and exercise and stay fit.

WORKOUT DATES

When you are married, you have to be creative. Movie dates are nice, but you can take things one step further by scheduling workout dates at the park. Meet at the park with another couple, and make it a double date of jogging, to see which couple lasts longer. Not only can this be fun, it helps avoid unintentional weight gain effortlessly. In essence, you kill two birds with one stone.

PARTNER WORKOUT

A partner workout is a type of workout that a couple can do together. I suggest you and your husband schedule weekly partner workouts, and stick to them. Partner workouts are fun, and help motivate couples, to compete against each other in a positive way. Besides, partner workouts hold each of you accountable.

About the author...
Kodjo Hounnake is a home fitness enthusiast who believes the average person can get and remain in great shape right at home. You do not need expensive gym equipment to achieve the body of your dreams. Your body weight is sufficient enough. See the hundreds of home workout videos and health tips on my fitness blog at http://Kodjoworkout.com