Search "#relationshipweight" on Twitter or
Instagram and you'll see hundreds of posts from people who have put on a few
pounds since entering a relationship. Whether you turn into a Netflix and wine kinda couple, love going out to eat together or just stop caring as much about
impressing dates, it's no surprise when a few pounds creep up.
For one couple though, a few pounds turned into more than a
hundred, and three years into their marriage, they were each up to 350 pounds.
Bo and Amber Wagner told U.K. newspaper the Daily Express that frequent fast food trips,
snacking on pizza rolls and corn dogs and a habit of drinking several sodas a
day contributed to their weight gain.
It was all good and fine for awhile, but eventually, their
weight started to put a strain on the relationship. When Bo lost his job and
they discussed divorce for the first time, they realized they had hit rock
bottom. The fear of breaking up led them to change their lifestyle and
implement a few easy rules to start losing weight.
The first rule almost seems too simple: Amber only allowed
herself to have seconds for dinner if she got up off the couch to get them.
Before, she used to eat five or six hot dogs in one sitting. But by putting one
portion on her plate and then forcing herself to get up if she wanted more, she
was less likely to overeat. At their biggest, walking to the kitchen was
difficult, so it made a big difference.
The next decision they made was to cut out red meat and replace it with turkey. Within a month,
they each lost 20 pounds. From there, they stopped drinking soda and banned fast food, though their diet still contains some homemade
comfort foods, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cheese enchiladas.
The couple worksout together for an hour each morning, and spends any extra money on
activities with their two kids instead of meals out.
Together, they lost a combined 308 pounds – 196 for Amber
and 112 for Bo – and are feeling much stronger in their relationship.
"Losing weight has 120% improved our
relationship," Amber told Express. "We both knew the other was
miserable but losing weight together gave us something to bond over and we
reconnected."
Source: www.goodhousekeeping.com