Love Stone

If you think I am talking of the engagement ring sparklers, you are wrong. :)
The feature below is an interesting insight into the female psychology.

Love is in the air, and in the belly…

90 per cent of women put on weight when they settle down with a long term partner, with the average female gaining 16 lbs, a new survey has revealed.

The study showed that a 56 per cent majority started to gain weight four to six months into the relationship; with most citing that this was when they reached the ‘comfy’ period.

Of the 1000 women surveyed by weight management company LighterLife, 35 per cent cited an increase in cosy nights in as a key reason for their weight gain. One in five women said it was because they felt comfortable enough not to worry about their figure, whilst one in ten blamed more calorie-laden romantic dinners in restaurants. 19 per cent said that it was due to matching portion size with their partner.

Mandy Cassidy, Psychotherapist for LighterLife, comments: “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.

“As soon as things start to get serious many women realise 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.”

Of the 90 per cent who said they gained weight after meeting their long-term partner, two thirds put on between one and two stone. A quarter gained less than one stone and a worrying 12 per cent put on over two stone, placing them firmly in the overweight or even obese category.

And whilst diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, this stone most definitely is not. More than half of the women are still trying to lose the extra weight one year on, whilst 28 per cent have already shed their ‘love stone’. Of this 28 per cent, one in three lost weight to look their best on their wedding day.

Practicing GP and TV personality Dr Hilary Jones says: “There’s nothing wrong with a few treats now and then and it’s important to feel comfortable with your figure whatever size you are, but eating portions that are too large or not healthy will ultimately have an impact in the long term.

“Women need 500 less calories a day than men, but when meals are prepared together it is easy to match the size of the portion. Just a few extra calories a day is enough for weight to creep on over time, as this survey demonstrates.”

The LighterLife programme is for people with a stone or more to lose, and combines weekly counselling sessions with nutritionally complete food packs and a management programme to help people maintain a healthy weight after reaching their goal.

LighterLife has seen an increase in couples starting the programme, whether to lose weight in the run up to their wedding or simply to support each other in their quest to get healthy.  Realising men and women want different things from their weight loss programme, they offer a specifically tailored ‘man plan’ for men who wish to shake off their excess in an easy and quick way.

Men and women are subsequently able to stay a healthy weight for life, whether married, single, or in the first flushes of love.

Now if that is something that is important to you, there is a nice opportunity to discuss all the relevant issues on Twitter.

The live Twitter chat with Dr Hilary Jones @LighterLife takes place on Valentines Day from 1-2pm so I am encouraging you to tune in and have your questions ready.

Personally I think that gaining that extra stone is not necessarily a bad thing. If you are comfortable with your body weight, then there is nothing wrong with a curvaceous body. All bodies can be beautiful. Think Nigella versus skinny models. I know who I would rather look like (and if you want to know, neither in my case). I can totally relate to the article above, but in my case the weight has crept after having my first child. Not to start with. I was very skinny when Sasha was a baby, to the point that my legs looked like sticks, and if anything, I was less in size than my pre-marriage body. It is later, when Sasha got diagnosed as a special needs child, and I went through a depression, that I started to crave sweet things. It was comfort eating for me, a second of pleasure after a particulalry stressful day. I am fine with my weight now, though it is not perfect. But is anyone perfect?


This Twitter event could be very lively and intersting, but it will be so, if you come and join in and ask your questions. Come on, make sure you could join in!