Head Over Meals: How Love Makes You Fat

Last week, my fellow wino Miranda contended that love—or heartbreak—is the best diet bill. I agree with her stance 100%. Never have I been skinnier than those first few weeks after dating someone, when the butterflies fluttering in the pit of my stomach leave little room for much else. Or those first few weeks after getting dumped, when the will to eat—or even to get out of bed—is completely lost.

But what about those periods in between? When we are not falling in love, not getting our hearts broken, but instead, comfortable and content in a committed relationship with someone who loves us unconditionally?

Wow. Sounds pretty amazing, right? After all, isn't this what we all want? I mean, people—this is the stuff of poetry, of music, of hollywood blockbusters.

And of getting fat.

While on an emotional level, unconditional love can be quite fulfilling, on a physical level, it is a one-way journey to the land of expanding waistlines.
When you are in a relationship, you have someone to eat with... all the time. This is how I ended up at a diner last night at 10pm.

"I'm hungry. I thought having a late lunch would be enough for me but now I kind of want to eat some dinner."
"Me too. Let's go grab something. What do you feel like?"
"I don't know, maybe a tuna melt? Ooh, let's go to that diner on 24th street."
"Yum!"

A tuna melt, a chocolate milk, and about 15 Weight Watchers points later, I definitely wasn't hungry anymore. (Worthy of note: I would never have ordered a chocolate milk on a first date. But when you are in a relationship, you can order all the chocolate milks your little heart desires and not feel at all embarrassed or like a 5 year old. )

And in addition to having someone to eat with, you also have someone to drink with. This is how I ended up imbibing great quantities of white wine before 2pm a couple of Saturdays ago.

"I could use a glass of chardonnay while we tidy up the house."
"Me too! Let's open that bottle of Franciscan."
45 minutes later
"I'm opening another bottle. Are you okay switching to sauv blanc?"
"Sure! And put some music on while you're in there."

Several hours and way more than 11 Weight Watchers points later, I definitely wasn't tidying up the house (or intelligible) anymore.

But while a comfortable relationship can indeed be a negative force, deciding to tackle weight loss as a couple can be quite a positive force.

This is one of the main reasons I have been successful thus far on my Weight Watchers journey. I have a built-in cheerleader—someone who gives me a big, genuine hug when I step of the scale and report that I have lost 2 lbs.

I also have someone who will help me make good choices, like deciding not to eat that other half of my tuna melt, lest I feel uncomfortably full and bad about myself afterwards. (Or not to have that second bottle of wine, lest I feel dizzy and vomitous afterwards.)

Now that is something that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I might even write a poem about it.