Losing Weight As A Couple — Double The Determination

If you and your honey both want to lose weight and get in shape, I suggest joining forces in the battle of the bulge together. That way, the other person can't steer you off course since your goals are the same. Losing together as a couple offers a lot of advantages, but be aware of the differences in your metabolisms. Here's what you should know before you launch a weight-loss regimen with your partner.

Recognize That You're Different

Losing weight as a couple, or even with a close friend, may increase your chances for success. Or, it may drive a wedge between you if one of you feels abandoned by the other. Let's face it, couples usually eat together and gain together.

The advantages of losing weight together are greater and include mutual support and inspiring one another. When you both have the same goal, decisions about what foods to buy and which foods should not be brought into the house, and where to dine out are easier for couples when they are working toward the same goal. But even when you're on the same page you and your partner may run into differences that test the bond between you if one of you assumes the role of food police. Big problems can arise if one of you is monitoring every morsel of food the other eats.

And, if you use your partner's relapses as an excuse to avoid sticking with your own plan, neither of you will make much progress losing weight. 

When It Comes To Losing Weight, Women And Men Are Not Equal

One of the most common drawbacks to losing weight as a couple is the metabolic differences between men and women. For some couples, comparing numbers on the bathroom scale can be frustrating, to say the least, especially for the woman. Men lose weight twice as fast as women, and they just aren’t as emotional. This can be a good thing and be in your favor because they can pull and push you, even when you feel like going off the plan. You may not be happy in that movement, but you’ll be glad later.

Keeping in mind that it’s typically easier for men to lose weight and keep it off will help you not be upset that you may be losing slower.

Men Can Eat More Than Women Without Gaining Weight

Generally speaking, men have more muscle, which speeds up the metabolism, and they have less estrogen (unless they are overweight to the point they have man boobs and belly fat ... LOL). Most men tend to fidget and move more than women, so they have a higher calorie budget. 

At the same time, a woman's weight loss may not show up on the scale as quickly her male partner's. When you lose weight, some of it is water, and men have a higher concentration of water in their bodies, so they tend to shed weight faster. Pre-menopausal/menopausal women are more likely to see fluctuations in weight because of monthly water-weight gain and loss. This makes consistent supplement use even more important.

Try not to get discouraged if your man drops weight faster than you. Just stay on track until you bust through the plateau. Set your own specific goals and stick to them, and have your partner do the same. Make it a point to support and encourage each other without making comparisons. 

While Following The LynFit Lose 1 Pound Per Day System, Remember These Basic Guidelines

• Follow the Metabolic Boosting Lose 1 Pound Per Day System as directed and eat food only from the list for best results.
• Be consistent with your supplements and make sure to drink your metabolic boosting Protein Shakes to boost metabolism by 25 percent, prevent weight gain, block cortisol levels, and tighten and tone loose, sagging skin. Drinking the shake twice daily is the secret to keeping your metabolic fires from slowing down, despite the reduction in calories. Plus, the LynFit line of Proteins, Complete Protein Advanced, Egg White Protein, and Lean Bars provide the essential nutrients that are necessary for good health.
• Make sure there are three hours in between the shake and or meals to increase calorie burning and promote fat loss.
• Consider doing the metabolic workouts together and walk after dinner. It will be like having a built-in workout partner. This is the best way to form lifelong exercise habits and boost metabolism. Remember, a woman’s body responds differently than a man's to exercise. While we can do the same routine, we need to perform fewer sets, so we don’t over-stress the female body.  
  
  It turns out that vigorous activity may slow a woman’s weight loss due to the stress demands it places on their body, making them hungrier, so they eat more. For men, it can be just the opposite. Increased exercise often means they lose weight faster without extra hunger. 
  
  When it comes to weight control, it's important to stay active throughout the day, not just exercise or run for an hour and then sit around. More movement is better, so start re-thinking how you view exercise and move more. This makes it easier!

Couples Who Workout Together Stay Together And Keep The Weight Off

Here are some metabolic boosting tips for staying active:  

• Try to do (3) metabolic boosting workouts weekly at a moderate intensity (you can slow them up or hit pause). 
• Aim to walk every day to make sure you get in your 10,000 steps. Look for more ways to move during the day such as taking the stairs, raking leaves, gardening, cleaning the house, washing the car, and walking instead of taking the car to do errands. One of my favorite ways to do this during the work week is to talk and walk. I walk while I'm on the phone. Our phones are no longer attached to the wall so we can move freely!
• Don’t forget about your core. Add in a Lean Core Workout or Recovery Stretch to keep your body in working order.
• Most importantly, have fun! You may end up laughing your butt off, and laughter is the best medicine for relationships and weight loss. Exercising together can also replace time spent together eating, which is a very good thing.

Don't Eat Together Out Of Boredom Or To Comfort Your Emotions

Do you crave the wrong kind of food when you're stressed, sad, bored, or depressed? Often, when couples need to lose weight, is because they plop down in front of the television together with a full bag of chips or some sort of unhealthy food after a hard day at work to relieve stress. Or, maybe they go out to eat to avoid meal prep and to relieve stress, which can wreak havoc on the waistline.  

It's not uncommon for people to eat in response to stress, uncomfortable or hurt feelings, depression, and anxiety. Yet most women tend to have stronger emotional ties to food, which is another reason they struggle to lose weight while men seem to lose easier.  

When you look at food as a way to avoid your feelings or to console yourself, it can be disastrous, making it almost impossible to stop eating or resist the comfort foods that caused the weight gain, even when you're full. I suggest grabbing a Lean Bar to replace those not-so-good foods. And, if you’re the one in the relationship who doesn’t use food to elevate your mood, you may find it difficult to understand why your partner finds relief in overeating.  

Here are some tips to help you and your partner avoid emotional eating:

• Talk to your partner when you feel a binge coming on.
• Plan ahead by creating a plan ahead of time, before these cravings begin.
• Make a list of non-food related activities to do together, or alone when you have the urge to turn to food. Your plan should include taking a short walk or a bike ride together to shift your focus away from food. 
• Be attentive to food and mood links throughout your day.
• Keep a food journal, recording everything you eat and when you eat it. If you bite it, write it and note your emotions at the time. Making a food plan the day before is a great way to distract yourself, and it also provides subliminal support, a.k.a., brainwashing, so you're more prone to eat what you’re supposed to the next day, helping to prevent food binges before they happen.

Weigh-In Together Daily To Help Stay On Track

It’s a good idea to weigh yourself every day when you're trying to lose weight because you can't fool the scale. It never lies. Sometimes we fool ourselves into

Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking we didn’t overeat when the truth is we have lost sight of what our body really needs, and almost always feel like we aren’t eating enough. If you have more than an inch of body fat to lose, your body could easily survive for longer than you think. Allow the scale to guide you and keep you on track.  

However, while daily weighing may benefit your waistline, it may not be so good for your relationship. Researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the weigh-in habits of about 1,800 dieting adults and found that those who stepped on the scale every day lost an average of 12 pounds over two years, while weekly scale watchers lost only six. Daily weigh-ins also meant dieters were less likely to regain lost weight. But, it's important to remember what we discussed above; losing weight is often a slower process for women than for men, making daily weigh-ins frustrating for women who have male diet partners.

To avoid tension at the scale and with your partner: 

• Find the weigh-in style that suits both of you.
• Remember, the scale is not your God, and it doesn’t determine who you are.
• Concentrate on how your clothes fit and how you feel rather than what the scale says.
• Avoid comparing weight loss with your partner. This is not a contest between the two of you; you're on the same team ... Team LynFit! 

For an excellent example of how to make losing weight as a couple successful, I encourage you to read about Paul and Sharon Brandt — finally fit at 50!

As always, if you need help, please reach out to us. You are not alone and we want to hear your stories!

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