How does your relationship affect your body weight and weight loss goals? This can depend on the couple, but it is best if two people support each other in their goals and share the joy of success. Sometimes your relationship can hinder your weight loss plan, and it's not uncommon that when one partner loses weight that it affects the relationship.

Relationships are wonderful and require sacrifice, communication and effort. Losing weight is tricky and requires a lot of time, work and discipline. Put the two together and you get a union that is wonderful but tricky, blissful but stressful, and altogether confusing and emotional.

Most people give little thought to how their relationships affect their body weight. In fact, most people don't believe that one has much, if anything, to do with the other. But your relationships, including those with friends, family and romantic partners, can all affect your weight in different ways.

Weight Loss Fails

Studies show that having a partner with a common interest can be an asset when it comes to weight loss success. If your partner is not interested in fitness, it could hinder your efforts. Partners who share goals can go to the gym together and plan and prepare meals as a team.

Studies also show that if a person is in an unsatisfying relationship, it can lead to passive-aggressive eating behaviour, or pretty much eating to mask your feelings. If you don't feel satisfied in your relationship, take a step back and assess how you are feeling and whether this is causing you to eat more or crave foods high in carbohydrates and sugar.

Fat Friends = A Fat You?

Although it's not always the case, several studies have shown that the more overweight friends a person has, the more likely they are to be overweight themselves. The reasons for this are unclear, although it's easy to speculate about why this might happen.

In most cases, people take on the habits of their friends. So if you're constantly around people who snack or go out to eat, you're likely to join them, which can easily lead to weight gain. You don't have to give up on your friends just because they're heavier than you'd like to be, but you should be aware of this fact and try to avoid picking up their bad habits.

Suggest other, more active activities you can do with your pals, like going to play a round of miniature golf instead of things like dining out or going drinking, which also involves calorie intake. Who knows? You might just help your friends to be healthier too!

Stressful Relationships

People who have large amounts of stress in their lives gain weight more easily and have a harder time losing it, too. And, of course, one of life's major stresses can be family members and romantic partners.

If your family fights often or if your romantic relationship is unhappy, this could cause you to pack on the pounds. Work on distancing yourself from negativity so you can get into the right mindset to lose weight successfully.

Family Habits Die Hard

After all, children learn from their parents, and if your parents and/or a significant part of your immediate family are overweight, there's a good chance that you've picked up some of their habits. You may have to skip family gatherings where food is involved, or simply become strong enough to resist the temptations that are literally served up around the family.

Remember, though, that no matter what your relationships are like, you are in control of your body and of what you eat. Also, keep in mind that when you work on changing your own life, all of your relationships will be better for it.

Weight Loss Effects

Sometimes when one partner loses weight, it can negatively affect the relationship as well. Your partner may start to resent your weight loss and the new you, getting compliments from others.

Or you may start to resent your partner's bad eating and exercise habits. This can lead to one partner trying to sabotage the other's success, or to the couple not getting on as well as they once did.

To avoid this happening to you, discuss your weight loss goals with your partner and, if possible, try to get him or her on board to help you get healthy. If you feel jealous or resentful after losing weight, you both need to talk about your feelings.

And reassure your partner that the relationship has not changed, that you still want to be together and that there is nothing to worry about. Weight loss is about being healthy and fit, and if you and your partner discuss your feelings and vent when you need to, your relationship shouldn't interfere with your overall weight loss goals and success.