“Perfect! My spouse is to blame for my excess weight. I knew that it couldn’t be my fault. I mean the fact that I love candy, cookies, Big Macs, and (in my case) Blue Bell ice cream – well, let’s just say that I am happy to learn that none of those things are making me fat – it’s my spouse.” Wouldn’t that be nice? Unfortunately, we don’t get off that easily.
However, it is important to note that a recent study which included over 2,000 married couples found that our spouses may have an impact on our undesired weight gain. Most are aware of those times when they are stressed or frazzled and their tendency to gravitate to the unhealthy junk food. But you may not be aware that your emotional eating can also be triggered by your spouse’s stress. The study reported that individual’s whose spouses were stressed for a year or longer tended to gain weight. As a matter of fact, over a four year period some added four inches to their waistline.
“Great,” you may be thinking. “Something else to contribute to my battle of the bulge.” But you don’t have to accept “putting on the pounds” as a way of life. One of the easiest ways to address the stress, and ultimately the weight gain, is to change your focus from the things that you are stressing about to the One is in control of our very existence. Those who made the choice, both individually and as a couple, to meditate on God, His Word, and what He has done for them, were much more successful at navigating their stress, and in turn their weight, than those who chose to continually focus on their stress triggers.
Today’s tip is straight forward – you can at least partially stop weight gain if you can eliminate stress (both yours and your spouse’s), and you accomplish that if you will redirect what you mediate on. Rather than worry about the future today, try pondering instead the One who is in control of it.