Why Women Gain Weight After Marriage

July 1, 2023

The reason why a woman gets fat after her marriage remains the million-dollar question shrouded in mystery. There is nothing to be ashamed of putting on an extra few pounds as a newlywed. The transition you experience from being single to a married woman can make some drastic changes in your everyday life[1].

One partner’s eating habits, lifestyle, and routine in marriage influence the other in creating oneness. A significant change common among women is the transformation in their physical appearance. The Daily Journal study[2] reveals that about 82% experienced a weight gain from 5 Kg to 10 Kg within 5 years of marriage. The study also stated that the weight gain effect was more visible in women than in their male counterparts.

What Causes Women’s Bodies to Change After Marriage?

Several factors can cause weight gain in women when in a marital relationship. After marriage, you tend to put on weight due to fluctuations in stress levels, changes in your workout regime, and your partner’s lifestyle[3]. Before marriage, you might have followed a strict diet to fit in your wedding dress. Such diets would typically refrain you from having your favourite foods, which tend to develop as cravings after your big day. Going off the post-wedding diet might also be the culprit triggering the sudden weight gain. Your body might also experience hormonal changes or metabolic changes after marriage.

Also, you stay motivated to stay in shape before marriage to look good on your big day. But, after marriage enjoying a bag of chips or ice cream while watching your favourite K-series while bonding with your husband is the new normal. As soon as you get married, there aren’t any inhibitions, and the need to impress your husband isn’t on your agenda. Plus, various practical, psychological, and physical factors can lead to weight gain after marriage. Read more about the multiple reasons to fight against it and the healthy approaches to losing excess weight.

The Leading 8 Factors Behind Weight Gain in Women After Marriage

Below are reasons why women experience weight gain after getting married.

1. Lifestyle Changes

Marriage is followed by family gatherings, late-night parties, and honeymoon indulgences, which might force you to sleep at erratic times. Life will take a different turn after getting married, as your lifestyle will be altered entirely as you will merge the habits of each other. Increased responsibilities can cause changes in your daily routine and lifestyle. You will love to spend time cuddling your loved one rather than going out for your regular morning run.

2. Dining Out

As newlyweds, it is natural for you to try new restaurants or a new cuisine together or explore different food options. When ordering junk food gets boring, stepping out to grab a tasty bite or going on a dinner date is the favorite activity of newlyweds. Sharing meals or eating with your spouse might increase your food intake. When your husband is enjoying a massive cheese-loaded burger, you are likely to join him, which may contribute to your weight gain. Not just that, you might have to attend several after-wedding parties thrown by close friends and relatives to get to know them better.

3. Decrease in Physical Activity Due to Time Commitments

Fulfilling new responsibilities, balancing commitments in work and personal life, and following the new routine might reduce your physical activities. Such sudden alterations may hurt your physical activity and eating habits. When you neglect physical activity to take care of new responsibilities, your body accumulates fats, and extra flab starts to show.

4. Comfortability in A Relationship After Marriage

As you settle down in marital life, you feel comfortable and relaxed when you have an understanding life partner. You develop a sense of safety and security when your spouse is near you. There is no pressure to maintain good looks, flawless skin, or stay fit around the clock. When paired with the perfect life partner, there are no concerns about looking your best every day. Plus, women in a satisfying and happy marital life tend to gain more body weight.

5. Emotional Intimacy at Times Supersede Physical Appearance

The true essence of a marriage is achieving optimum emotional intimacy. When you have an emotionally intimate relationship with your partner, a high level of emotional connection and trust will bring you both closer. With time, emotional intimacy might surpass your expectations regarding physical appearance. When you have an excellent emotional connection with your better half, you will always look beautiful, whether skinny or chubby, in your spouse’s eyes. You feel lovely even while walking around your home in a pair of pyjamas. So, you will not have to look your best or pay attention to your physical appearance.

6. Emotional Eating

After marriage, you will realize that food and your happiness have an intimate connection. When pleased, you will begin to indulge in foods with high levels of sweet, fat, and calorie content. When your better half sends flowers or surprises you with gifts, you tend to binge eat due to the change in happy hormones[4]. Sometimes, an argument or a quarrel with your partner can make you emotional and feel low. During such stressful situations, fried foods and pastries can be your comfort food. Emotional eating triggered by sad or happy moments in your relationship can affect your body weight drastically.

7. Genetics

Sometimes, you might put on an extra few pounds despite following portion control or mindful eating even after marriage. In such cases, genetics might be the culprit behind your weight gain[5]. If your parents have faced weight gain issues leading to obesity after marriage, you might be prone to gaining excess body weight. Specific variations in your genes or hormone levels that run in the family can cause weight gain as you age.

8. Stress Levels

Stress in married life plays a huge role in increasing your body weight. Marriage has a lot of peer pressure, and you tend to develop various thoughts about it. You might face stress when overthinking how to impress your husband and his family. Such activities can lead to anxiety and stress, which might lead to overeating and weight gain.

How to Avoid Weight Gain after Marriage? Healthy Approaches and Strategies to Lose Weight

Get Back to Your Fitness Regime: Whether it is Zumba, running, or yoga, get back on track as soon as your honeymoon is over. Create a workout plan that doesn’t disrupt the time spent with your spouse. Include healthy practices naturally into your lifestyle to become a part of your everyday routine.
Consume Wholesome Foods: Stay committed to eating clean and healthy by maintaining a diet with nutritious foods. Avoid high-sugar and fatty foods that are processed with preservatives. Prioritise eating nutrient-dense foods to support weight loss naturally.
Watch Your Portion Size: Keep an eye on your portion size, and ensure it is not equal to your husband’s portion intake. Enjoy any food with your husband while ensuring you stay mindful of the quantity you consume.
Enjoy Dining Sensibly: You need not sacrifice dining out and trying out new cuisines with your soulmate when following a fitness plan. Split up the foods rich in sugar, like dessert, or walk a few yards to enjoy a scoop of ice cream after dinner to shed the excess calories.
Make Your Spouse Your Fitness Partner: Communicate your health goals with your husband to make him your fitness partner. It will help you stay motivated and committed towards your weight loss goals and stay fit together.

Final Thoughts

Gaining weight after your big day is common, especially during the first year of your wedding. This weight gain can easily be averted or corrected by following healthy strategies and mindful eating approaches. If genetics or any underlying medical conditions are causing your weight gain after marriage, take help from Kolors Healthcare. Choose the weight loss programs to shed those extra pounds with professional guidance.

Women Gain Weight After Marriage FAQ

Are there biological reasons why women gain weight after marriage?

Yes, there are biological factors that contribute to weight gain, including:

Hormonal changes: Changes in hormonal balance occur due to stress or lifestyle changes
Pregnancy and childbirth: Pregnancy and childbirth leads to temporary or long-lasting weight gain
Age: Weight gain often occurs with aging. It depends on when the woman got married and if it coincides with a natural tendency to gain weight. People gain weight with age as the metabolic rates slow down

What emotions after marriage are connected to weight gain?

Yes, emotional changes and stress might contribute to weight gain. This primarily happens due to –

Comfort eating
Changes in eating patterns because of shared meals
Reduced motivation to maintain physique once a person is committed to relationship

Is weight gain after marriage a concern exclusive to women?

No, weight gain after marriage concerns both husband and wife. As per a study done by National Epidemiological Survey, it was found that Marital status was associated to obesity in Greek adults. Married men had an odd ratio of 2.28 for being obese, whereas married women had a ratio of 2.31. Regarding abdominal obesity, married men had an odd ratio of 3.40, whereas women had only 2.40. That means that men are more likely to have belly fat after marriage.