Women in steady relationships gain weight

Are you single, and looking forward to finding "the one"? True love may be the ultimate hope for many people, but according to a new survey, you may have to sacrifice your figure for the right man. That's right; a shocking 90 percent of all women in steady relationships gain weight... an average of 16 pounds!

The survey was conducted by the British weight management company LighterLife, which interviewed 1000 women about the topic. I'm not over the moon about indirectly promoting commercial enterprises by blogging about studies they've done, but this one is actually quite fascinating. Why did British women in long-term relationships put on weight?

One in five reported they felt comfortable enough with their man not to worry about their weight and try to artificially keep it down which is nice, I guess. Cosy nights in were to blame according to 35 percent of the surveyed women, while 10 percent said that romantic, calorie filled dinners were the culprit. And a whopping 19 percent said matching their food portions to their partner's caused their weight gain!

That stupid old comment about a woman "letting herself go" in a relationship may have some truth to it, after all. Here's what Mandy Cassidy, Psychotherapist for LighterLife, had to say about it: "I regularly hear women say that their weight crept up a few months into a long-term relationship. When single or in the courtship stage, butterflies and a desire to look you best mean that staying trim is high on the agenda."

She added: "As soon as things start to get serious many women realize that their partner will be there for them no matter what they look like. This, combined with lifestyle changes and matching male portion sizes, all result in excess weight. We have coined the term 'Love Stone', as something that embodies the extra pounds British women associate with the comfy stage of a relationship."

What the ^"%@? "Love Stone"? OK, we know this survey is done with a weight loss company, and there isn't necessarily anything wrong with promoting a healthy weight. Obesity can be rather risky. But the idea that someone would stay fit and healthy to get a man, and then stop caring about their weight when they have one, is a bit silly. We women should stay fit and healthy for ourselves, and not for anyone else!