---
title: Don't Let Your Relationship Derail Your Fitness Goals
description: Relationship weight gain is common. Why couples gain weight, and simple ways to eat out, share meals and keep training together without losing your progress.
---

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[Blog](https://blog.healthbank.io)  ›  Fitness

# Relationship Weight Gain: How to Stay Fit as a Couple

[![Robbie Clark](https://blog.healthbank.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/Authors/robbie-clark-avatar.png?width=32&height=32&name=robbie-clark-avatar.png)Robbie Clark](https://www.healthbank.io/p/robbie-clark) 26 Oct 2026

Written by [Robbie Clark](https://www.healthbank.io/p/robbie-clark), BExSc (Nutrition), M (Nutr+Diet), Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Exercise Scientist · Last updated 19 October 2026 · [5 references](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#references)

The short answer

- **It's common:** moving in together or getting married is linked with weight gain.[1](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-1)
- **The usual causes:** more meals out, more alcohol, portions that don't suit you and skipped workouts.
- **What helps:** plan around dinners out, shop and cook together, and find a training routine that works for both of you.
- **Team up:** people are more likely to get active or lose weight when their partner makes the change too.[2](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-2)

Many of us can relate to a new relationship that quietly undid the progress we'd been making at the gym. Perhaps you started choosing sleep-ins over your morning workout, or you've been enjoying more dessert, beer or wine than usual. The good news is that a few simple plans can help you enjoy your relationship and keep your fitness on track.

## Do people gain weight in a relationship?

Often, yes. A review of the research found that moving in with a partner or getting married is linked with weight gain, while leaving a relationship is linked with weight loss.[1](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-1) Shared meals, more eating out, changes to your routine and less time for exercise can all play a part. Here are the most common culprits, and what to do about them.

## How can you eat out without losing your progress?

You used to spend Sundays preparing meals for the week. Now you're in the wining-and-dining phase, which often means several courses, a few drinks and the dessert you don't usually eat. Restaurant meals also tend to be bigger and richer than what you'd make at home.

A little planning helps:

- **Look at the menu in advance** so you have an idea of what you'll order before you're hungry.
- **Think about your energy needs.** Did you train today, or are you training tomorrow? If not, be mindful of starchy, energy-dense dishes like pizza, risotto and creamy pasta, which also tend to be lower in protein. A protein-based main with vegetables or salad is a good default.
- **Share dessert**, or skip a course.
- **Keep alcohol in check.** Alcohol adds kilojoules without much nutrition, and drinks can add up over a night. To reduce health risks, Australian guidelines recommend no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day.[4](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-4) Alternating with water helps.

Get support from a practitioner who helps with sports nutrition

Find practitioners on HealthBank who work with sports nutrition, strength training and body composition goals. Many offer a free discovery call, online, by phone or in person.

[Find a weight loss practitioner →](https://www.healthbank.io/practitioners?specialties%5B%5D=Sports+%26+Performance+Nutrition&specialties%5B%5D=Strength+training)

## What if your partner does most of the cooking?

Whether you share the shopping or your partner does it all, you may not end up getting the energy and nutrients your body needs, which can make it harder to maintain muscle.

Energy needs vary a lot between people. Someone who is smaller or carries less muscle generally burns less energy and tends to eat less. If your partner cooks for you both, they may portion meals to suit their needs rather than yours. And after a big dinner out, it makes sense that they'd want something light at home, but that may not give you enough fuel for training.

Try doing the food shopping together and sharing the cooking, so meals suit both of you. It also helps to keep extra foods in the house, like wholegrain bread, tinned fish, eggs and yoghurt, that you can add when a meal is too light for you.

## How can you plan your day around date night?

You probably won't see much of your partner during the working day, which makes it the ideal time to get the food your body needs. Pack your own lunch and snacks for work.

Think ahead. Will tonight be a big meal or something light? Will alcohol be involved? Use the rest of the day to balance it out. If dinner will be indulgent, keep your lunch lighter. If you know you're having a salad for dinner, have a bigger lunch with plenty of protein.

## How do you keep training when your routine changes?

You love to exercise, but your partner would rather have you at home. Suddenly you're skipping workouts or not putting in the time you used to, and you start to feel sluggish.

Exercise is good for your physical health and your mental wellbeing, so staying consistent matters. Australian guidelines recommend 2.5–5 hours of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days.[5](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-5)

Look for ways to fit it back into your schedule. If you used to train in the mornings but your partner likes a sleep-in, compromise: train every second morning and in the afternoon on the other days. Talk about your goals, too. A partner who knows why training matters to you is more likely to support it.

## Should you work out with your partner?

It can help. In a large study of couples, people were much more likely to become active or lose weight if their partner made the same change at the same time. For example, around two-thirds of inactive people became active when their partner did too, compared with about a quarter when their partner stayed inactive.[2](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-2)

So bring your partner along to the gym, try a new class together, or plan active dates like a hike, bike ride or swim. A healthy lifestyle may be good for your relationship too: a study that followed more than 1,600 married people for 20 years found that happier marriages were linked with better physical health.[3](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-3)

Get support from a practitioner who helps with sports nutrition

Find practitioners on HealthBank who work with sports nutrition, strength training and body composition goals. Many offer a free discovery call, online, by phone or in person.

[Find a weight management practitioner →](https://www.healthbank.io/practitioners?specialties%5B%5D=Sports+%26+Performance+Nutrition&specialties%5B%5D=Strength+training)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is it normal to gain weight in a relationship?

Yes. Research links moving in together and getting married with weight gain.[1](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-1)

### How do I stop gaining weight in a relationship?

Plan around meals out, keep alcohol in check, shop and cook together, and protect your training time.

### Does working out with your partner help?

Yes. People are more likely to get active or lose weight when their partner makes the change with them.[2](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-2)

### How much alcohol is OK?

Australian guidelines recommend no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day.[4](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-4)

### How much exercise do I need each week?

2.5–5 hours of moderate activity a week, plus muscle strengthening on at least 2 days.[5](https://blog.healthbank.io/dont-let-your-relationship-derail-your-fitness-goals#ref-5)

## References

**Research**

1. Dinour L, Leung MM, Tripicchio G, Khan S, Yeh MC. The association between marital transitions, body mass index, and weight: a review of the literature. *J Obes.* 2012;2012:294974. [PubMed 23050125](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23050125/)
2. Jackson SE, Steptoe A, Wardle J. The influence of partner's behavior on health behavior change: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. *JAMA Intern Med.* 2015;175(3):385–392. [View source](https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7554)
3. Miller RB, Hollist CS, Olsen J, Law D. Marital quality and health over 20 years: a growth curve analysis. *J Marriage Fam.* 2013;75:667–680. [View source](https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12025)

**Australian guidelines**

1. National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol (2020). [View source](https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol)
2. Australian Government Department of Health. Physical activity and exercise guidelines for adults. [View source](https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-adults-18-to-64-years)

*This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak with your practitioner about your own nutrition and training needs.*

[Fitness](https://blog.healthbank.io/tag/fitness)

[![Robbie Clark](https://blog.healthbank.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/Authors/robbie-clark-avatar.png?width=72&height=72&name=robbie-clark-avatar.png)](https://www.healthbank.io/p/robbie-clark)

Written by **[Robbie Clark](https://www.healthbank.io/p/robbie-clark)**

Robbie is a Sydney-based Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Exercise Scientist with over 17 years of experience. He holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science (Nutrition) and a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics, and is the Director and Co-founder of HealthBank.

[Book a free 15-min call](https://dashboard.healthbank.io/booking/attendance-modes?practitionerId=7a900b23-04a3-4c3c-b14e-e3405c1af6d7&consultationTypeId=4e536270-c479-40a5-af89-691502f4578d) [View Robbie's profile →](https://www.healthbank.io/p/robbie-clark)

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### [Fitness Why Am I Not Gaining Muscle? 5 Overlooked Reasons Why am I not gaining muscle? Five overlooked reasons, from eating too little and too few rest days to poor ... Read article →](https://blog.healthbank.io/not-gaining-muscle-5-overlooked-reasons)

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