When my husband and I first got married, he made a spectacular pasta dinner for us. However, I was shocked when he heaped upon my plate twice what I normally would consume and then served himself an even larger portion. He did this again with a delicious stir-fry.
I quickly figured out that if I ate according to his standards, I would weigh an extra 100 pounds by our first anniversary. So I let him know that I couldn't eat his super-sized meals any longer. He responded by following my lead and cutting his portions as well. As a result, he ended up losing weight our first year of marriage, and I didn't gain any.
It turns out his response is quite common in a marriage. A new study has found that if one spouse improves his or her health behavior, the other is five times as likely to join in.
This research published in Health Services Research found that this behavior was similar for both males and females.
So if you're looking for a way to get your spouse to exercise or eat right, set an example and do it yourself. Also, if you break an unhealthy habit such as smoking or drinking too much, your partner is more likely to stop too.
I quickly figured out that if I ate according to his standards, I would weigh an extra 100 pounds by our first anniversary. So I let him know that I couldn't eat his super-sized meals any longer. He responded by following my lead and cutting his portions as well. As a result, he ended up losing weight our first year of marriage, and I didn't gain any.
It turns out his response is quite common in a marriage. A new study has found that if one spouse improves his or her health behavior, the other is five times as likely to join in.
This research published in Health Services Research found that this behavior was similar for both males and females.
So if you're looking for a way to get your spouse to exercise or eat right, set an example and do it yourself. Also, if you break an unhealthy habit such as smoking or drinking too much, your partner is more likely to stop too.
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