Losing weight is no easy feat, especially when you're on a diet alone. By pairing up with someone, the journey can become a little more fun. Many studies have found that those who can count on the support of one or more people as they try to lose weight struggle less, achieve better results and manage to stay lean longer. If you and your partner both need to lose a few extra pounds, consider doing it together. In addition to being able to count on the support of the other, you will have less difficulty staying motivated and diligent. Choose your goal together so that both of you can achieve a healthy body weight.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Setting Up a Joint Weight Loss Program
Step 1. Decide together which diet to follow
One of the first things to do is to choose a healthy and balanced weight loss program. Basically you have to determine what you will eat, how often and following which recipes.
- Some studies have shown that the people who manage to lose weight most effectively are those who can count on a well-structured weight loss program.
- Sit down and plan meals for next week. It is important that both of you agree on what you choose to eat, especially the meals you will eat together, such as dinner.
- Plan every breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack for next week in detail. Put everything in writing. This way you will always know exactly what you can and should eat. Once finished it will be very easy to create the shopping list.
Step 2. Decide how many pounds you want to lose
Another important task you both need to do is figure out how much weight you should lose. It is essential to be able to set concrete goals and to be able to choose the most suitable slimming program.
- Among the key factors to consider are age, gender and height. Use your BMI (body mass index) as a starting point for determining how many pounds you need to lose.
- Use one of the many calculators available online to calculate your BMI. The data obtained will help you understand if you are underweight (BMI below 18.5), normal weight (BMI between 18, 5 and 24, 9), overweight (BMI between 25 and 30) or obese (BMI above 30).
- You can also perform these simple steps to calculate BMI:
- If you want to use the metric system, apply this formula BMI = Body weight expressed in kilograms / (Height expressed in meters x Height expressed in meters).
- If you want to use the British imperial system, apply this formula BMI = Body weight in pounds / (Height in inches x Height in inches) x 703.
Step 3. Set your goals together
One of the main benefits of trying to lose weight as a couple is that you can set joint goals, support each other along the way, and confront each other as you progress and get closer to your goal.
- At this stage it is very important to be realistic in order to be able to set goals that work for both of you. If either of you has to lose a large number of pounds or wants to lose weight quickly, it may be impossible.
- For example, according to doctors, losing weight in a healthy way means losing a maximum of 1 / 2-1 kg per week. If you have seven kilos excess, it is therefore not realistic or safe for the health of the organism to decide that you want to lose them in just three weeks.
- If you have a lot of kilos to lose, for example nine, it is better to use a strategy that includes multiple goals. The first goal could be to lose 5 kg, while the second to lose the last 4.
- Establish a common time limit. Even if the number of kilos to lose is not the same for both of you, make sure that the day of the check coincides. Let's say you want to lose 5 kg in two months, while your partner wants to lose 7 kg in the same period of time.
- Setting a time limit that applies to both of you can spur you to keep up with your goals and motivate each other.
Step 4. Find ways to make each other accountable
In many cases, weight loss diets are unsuccessful because people struggle to stay disciplined. Fortunately, you can look for ways to encourage each other to abide by the rules you have set for yourself.
- If you really want to be able to lose weight and maintain the weight achieved over time, behaving strictly is necessary and must be done for the rest of your life.
- A good strategy is to choose a day of the week when you both have to step on the scale. In fact, some studies have shown that people who weigh themselves regularly tend to maintain the results achieved even with the passage of time.
- Consider using a food diary as well. Day after day it will help you behave responsibly. In addition, if you are struggling to lose weight or if you have to regain some weight, the partner can analyze the pages of the diary (or suggest to the other to do so) to understand when and how you broke the rules.
- Another trick is to use clothes that you would like to be able to wear. For example, choose a pair of pants for both of you and keep them in your closets. Whenever you need a reason to stay consistent with your plans, you can pull them out and try them out.
Part 2 of 3: Follow a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Together
Step 1. Pay attention to the quantities
To be able to lose weight it is essential to keep portions under control, so you will have to help each other to respect the doses indicated by your diet.
- Eating too large portions, even if they are healthy and nutritious ingredients, can mean consuming too many calories compared to your real daily requirement. Properly dosing quantities can help you keep up with your goals.
- One of the many benefits of trying to lose weight as a couple is that you can help each other keep portion control. Alone it would be much more difficult to avoid giving in and exaggerating.
- In your case you will be lucky enough to be able to weigh and measure what you eat each other every day. In this way you will have only the amount of food allowed by your diet, without risking to show yourself too generous with yourself.
Step 2. Choose lean protein sources that both of you enjoy
When planning your meals for the week, it is important to include protein sources as they provide numerous nutrients and allow you to lose weight more easily.
- Protein is not only essential for body health, it can actually help you lose weight more effectively. The reason is that they promote the development of lean muscle mass, keep the metabolism active and provide the body with the energy it needs to face the day.
- Protein keeps the stomach busy for a long time. For this reason, you are able to feel full longer than if you eat other types of foods, such as carbohydrates.
- Check each other that your partner is eating enough protein. Your diet plan should include 1-2 servings for each meal. One serving of protein is equivalent to approximately 85-115g.
- You should choose lean protein sources, such as poultry, eggs, low-fat dairy products, lean cuts of beef and pork, or tofu.
Step 3. Stock up on fruits and vegetables
Both of you will need to make sure you are eating adequate amounts every day. Like proteins, fruits and vegetables can actually help you lose weight.
- In order to lose weight, every meal or snack should be at least half of fruit or vegetables. The reason is very simple to understand: they provide only a small number of calories.
- Fruits and vegetables also help you feel full for longer. Being rich in fiber and water, they are very voluminous, so it is possible to eat them even in abundant quantities without the risk of overdoing the calories.
- Measure portions correctly before each meal: 75g for fruit and 150g for vegetables.
Step 4. Grains must be 100% whole
Often weight loss diets require you to slightly decrease the consumption of cereals to be able to lose weight more easily and quickly. In addition, those allowed should be completely integral.
- Some studies have shown that by limiting carbohydrate intake, especially of foods that are rich in carbohydrates (such as cereals), people tend to lose weight slightly faster than when following diets of different types (such as those that only limit the number of calories or fat).
- Grains have a large amount of carbohydrates, so it's best to eat them in moderation when you want to lose weight.
- If you want, you can plan to eat one portion a day. Always use the scale to make sure you meet the specified quantities. The relative weight of each portion varies according to the type of food, so the advice is to read the instructions on the package. For example, a slice of bread usually equals one serving, as does 100 g of cooked brown rice.
- You should choose whole grains because they are not very refined and have a higher amount of fiber. Whether it is pasta, rice, bread or any other baked product, make sure it is 100% wholemeal by carefully checking the list of ingredients on the package.
Step 5. Help each other limit snacks
In many cases, diets also fail due to the habit of eating unhealthy snacks between meals. Too many concessions during the day or after dinner can cause your weight to stall or even make you gain weight again.
- Having occasional snacks, particularly with healthy ingredients, does not adversely affect the diet. On the other hand, eating high calorie snacks or even just too frequently, without keeping the quantities under control, could make you quickly regain the lost pounds.
- Treat yourself to a snack only when you are really hungry and the next meal will be in at least 1-2 hours. Also, make sure it doesn't exceed 150 calories to avoid exceeding your daily limit.
- If you notice your partner snacking too frequently or after dinner, encourage them to keep up with you with gentle tones.
Step 6. Find a way to stay active together
In addition to following a weight loss diet, you should exercise regularly. This will make it easier to lose weight and maintain the results achieved over time. You will find that working out together will make physical activity more bearable and fun.
- Some studies have shown that training in pairs offers numerous benefits. For one thing, you will feel prompted to honor your commitment because you know your partner is counting on you.
- In addition, it seems that when you do physical activity as a couple you feel encouraged to increase the intensity and duration of the workout.
- Each week, both of you should aim for 150 minutes of cardio exercise interspersed with 2-3 training sessions for strength and muscle endurance. Based on each other's commitments, find times when you can meet to train together.
Part 3 of 3: Becoming a Close Team to Achieve Success
Step 1. Be patient
One of the most important things when going through a diet and exercise program together is to be patient with each other. There will likely be some issues you will disagree on, so it's important to be as tolerant as possible.
- It could be about being able to stay positive even when your partner loses more pounds or invites you to eat something that you personally don't like at all, whatever the situation being patient is the solution to sticking together.
- If you happen to disagree or argue often, you risk losing all the benefits that come with walking as a couple. So try to be tolerant with each other to continue reaping the fabulous rewards that only a close-knit team can achieve.
- You also need to be ready to compromise if you want to be able to lose weight as a couple. A valid comparison could be that of two cyclists on the run who, to reach the finish line more quickly, alternate in command, leaving the partner to dominate for half the time.
Step 2. Avoid comparisons
While a touch of competitiveness can be motivating and positive, it could also cause adverse effects. A healthy rivalry can be useful and fun, but always be careful not to overdo it.
- You must understand that it is inevitable that one of the two ends up losing weight more quickly or effectively than the other.
- You have to accept that even if you can't lose weight as easily or quickly, that doesn't mean you aren't progressing right or without achieving any results. You are two different people and as such you proceed at a different pace.
- When one of the two gets better results than the partner, he must be careful to push him in the right way. Using the wrong words would risk having the opposite effect. In some cases, the other person may be convinced that they are making mistakes. What you have to do is try to encourage and motivate her, being very careful not to provoke or mock her.
Step 3. Find fun activities to do together that don't involve food
One of the advantages of losing weight as a couple is that you can go out together for healthy and enjoyable activities.
- Complying with the rules imposed by your diet or exercise program is even more difficult when you hang out with people who often go out for dinner, routinely skip workouts, or continually munch on unhealthy foods. Being able to count on the company of someone who pursues the same goals as you makes things so much easier. Together you will find it much less difficult to stick to a healthy diet and lifestyle.
- If many of the activities you normally do have food as their focus (such as meeting friends at a restaurant or for an aperitif or munching popcorn and chips in front of a movie), try to think of different pastimes that allow you to enjoy yourself in a healthy way.
- For example, on Sunday morning you could organize a walk in the middle of nature instead of going to the cafe as usual for breakfast. Or maybe on Friday evenings you could dabble in the kitchen to prepare a tasty pizza with healthy ingredients instead of ordering it ready.
Step 4. Cook together
One of the funniest aspects of losing weight as a couple is that you can have fun inventing and making new healthy recipes. It is a great way to keep motivation high and an opportunity to enjoy the results of your work together.
- Inventing new healthy recipes is so much more fun when two of you do it. If you are both trying to eat fewer carbohydrates, you could try to devise alternative preparations, for example using cauliflower instead of rice.
- To get the best possible results, it's important to choose recipes and foods that you both like.
- You can decide to cook together every night or try to take turns to amaze or challenge each other.
Advice
- The chances of being able to lose weight increase thanks to mutual support.
- Try not to compare the results you get, it is inevitable that one of the two will lose weight more easily or quickly. You have to understand that each person loses weight at their own pace and in a different way. Focus on the support you can offer and receive from the other.
