Summer is just around the corner, and the heat is setting in. With that, everyone’s shedding their heavy coats, sweaters, and pants in favor of shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits.

Unfortunately, with all those excess layers of clothes put away, the extra few winter pounds you may have gained might be a bit more obvious.

There’s no need to tell you about the importance of weight loss. You already know about the benefits—even shedding just a few excess pounds can have dramatic effects on your physical health.

Losing weight can also have an impact on your relationships. It improves self-esteem, boosts energy and activity level, enhances sex drive, and strengthens your bond.

What’s more, research shows that losing weight with your partner/spouse has far-reaching benefits.

Motivation to Continue & Succeed

Working out, eating healthy, and losing weight with a partner motivates both of you and is crucial for success.

Many, if not most people who’ve dropped weight would say that they could not have succeeded without the encouragement of their loved ones. Similar support and accountability systems are part of what make programs such as Weight Watchers so effective.

Studies confirm the benefits of support systems. 

Researchers who compared supportive vs. negative/dismissive communication in young women losing weight found that those who received uplifting messages tended to lose more or maintain better than those who heard discouraging remarks.

In fact, women who received little to no messages of acceptance gained an average of four pounds over eight months. On the other hand, those who were given lots of positive reinforcement lost an average of one pound over the same time period.

The researchers believed this was due to the fact that positive social support helps to reduce stress, eliminate shame, and boost motivation.

The take-home message is this: Love, reassurance, compassion, and acceptance are best way to keep loved ones moving in the right direction. 

Long-Lasting Success

Along with motivation, tons of research shows that embarking on a weight loss journey with your partner or spouse can help both of you succeed in your goals.

Research presented at the 2020 European Society of Cardiology looked at whether partner involvement in lifestyle programs such as weight loss, exercise, and smoking cessation had an impact on behavior change.

A total of 824 people were assigned to the control group or intervention (lifestyle programs). Spouses/partners could and were encouraged to attend these programs for free.

Nearly half of partners did participate. Compared to those who didn’t have a partner supporting them, those who did were more than twice as likely to have success in at least one of three areas (weight loss, exercise, smoking cessation). 

Of those three programs, weight loss proved to be the most successful in patients who had supportive partners. They lost significantly more weight than participants who did not have anyone join the program with them.

Other research suggests that good habits have a ripple effect, meaning one person’s positive habits can influence another’s, even unintentionally.

In this study, researchers followed 128 overweight/obese couples for six months.

Half of the couples were assigned to have one partner participate in Weight Watchers, receiving six months of meetings, tools, and supportive staff available 24/7.

In the other half, one partner simply got a handout with basic information about weight loss.

In either group, the partner most interested in weight loss received the weight loss tools (the “treated” partner). The other got nothing at all (the “untreated” partner).

In both groups, the treated partners lost weight. Interestingly, the untreated partners lost weight too, regardless of which group they belonged to. In general, the researchers found that if one partner had a propensity toward weight loss, so did the other partner. This ripple effect shows that community is powerful when it comes to important behavioral changes.

A Weight Loss Boost

So, if your goal is to lose a few pounds before swimsuit season, perhaps going at it with your significant other just the thing you need to ensure success!

In addition to making the necessary changes to your diet and exercise, consider giving your efforts a boost by taking certain weight loss supplements.

Newport Natural Health’s Complete Weight Management program takes the guesswork out of what to take, and when, by including a 28-day supply of daily packets that contain the most effective nutrients you need to aid in your weight loss journey. 

It contains clinically proven ingredients such as: 

• L-phenylalanine to help control cravings
• Chromium for blood sugar management
• Bee pollen to boost metabolism and muscle restoration
• Korean ginseng to improve stamina, immunity, and blood sugar metabolism
• Guarana to boost energy

If you are truly hoping to shed some weight, Complete Weight Management—along with the support of your significant other— could be just what you need to jumpstart the process! You can choose between two options, the 7 day program or the 28 day program.

References

Logel C, et al. A little acceptance is good for your health: Interpersonal messages and weight change over time. Personal Relationships. 2014 Sep 29;21:583-98.

European Society of Cardiology Press Release. Spouses shed more pounds together than alone. 2020 Aug 27.

Gorin A, et al. Randomized controlled trial examining the ripple effect of a nationally available weight management program on untreated spouses. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2018 Mar;26(3):499-504.