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Prescription weight loss that puts you first
So, your partner has decided to lose weight, and you want to do everything you can to support them. Good for you (and them!).
Even if you’re not on a weight loss journey yourself, there are plenty of ways you can help your partner achieve their wellness goals. This doesn’t mean nagging or pushing them to lose weight — it means supporting their decisions, helping them build healthy habits, and acting as a cheerleader every step of the way.
Our guide has pointers for how to help your partner lose weight with kindness and support.
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Here’s how to help your partner lose weight:
Help them make nutritious meals
Keep the kitchen stocked with nutritious foods
Be their exercise buddy
Avoid food policing
Upgrade your bedroom for sleep
Help reduce their stress
Find new hobbies together
Set joint goals
Model healthy behaviors
Be patient, positive, and kind
Celebrate wins
Read on for the details and more tips to support your partner’s weight loss.
Healthy eating is a cornerstone of weight loss. If your partner is looking to make some upgrades to their nutrition, get involved.
You could help them:
Brainstorm healthy recipes for meal planning
Go grocery shopping for nutritious foods
Cook meals
Meal prep meals ahead of time
You could also make mealtimes more of an occasion, turning off the TV, sitting at the table, and enjoying meals mindfully while catching up. Eating more slowly and mindfully can help with portion control and reduce overeating.
It’s much easier to adjust your eating habits if your household is making some of these healthy lifestyle changes too. You don’t need to follow the exact nutritional changes your partner is making, but some swaps are easy to get on board with and help you look after your own health.
For instance, you could consider adding a protein source to your dinners or swapping your usual evening glass of wine for sparkling water.
You might not be making the same food choices as your partner, but you may still want to consider what you bring into the house. After all, it’s hard to resist a cheesecake if it’s staring you in the face every time you open the fridge.
Try to minimize how much of the not-so-healthy foods you bring into your home. If you’re buying snacks, treats, or junk food you know your partner wants to minimize, maybe keep them in a different cupboard or enjoy them out of the home. Not hiding them exactly, but keeping them a little more out of sight.
Instead, stock up on fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy snacks like Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and seeds.
If your partner expresses an interest in working out together, this can be a great way to help them reach a healthy weight. Exercising is a whole lot more fun with company, and having a plan to work out with someone can help you get out the door when motivation is low.
You could join the same gym and go together after work, sign up for dance or tennis classes, or go for bike rides each weekend.
It doesn’t always have to be a big time commitment — a daily walk together can help you connect and get more movement. Win-win.
If your partner is new to physical activity, we’ve got tips for getting started with working out.
Food policing is when you nag, reprimand, shame, or otherwise tell your partner what to eat and what to not eat. Try to avoid that. We’re willing to bet your partner won’t respond well to being told what to do.
Plus, you don’t know what they’re going through — at least, not exactly. Your partner may have a larger appetite than you or be experiencing food noise (ongoing obsessive thoughts about food). And building new habits takes time — research suggests about 60 days.
Let your partner make their own food choices, build an environment that encourages nutritious choices (i.e., shop for healthy options), and be there if they ask for support. That’s all you can do.
Sleep is the part of weight loss many people forget about. But research shows sleep deprivation can mess with your hunger hormones and motivation, which may lead to overeating and making unhealthier food choices.
You can’t exactly force your partner to get their eight hours, but you can do your bit to make your bedroom a sleep-promoting environment. That means reducing disturbances where possible — like not watching TV in bed when they’re trying to drift off or turning on the light if you get up before them.
You can also make some upgrades together, like investing in blackout curtains, a white-noise machine, and breathable bedding.
One more tip you can be involved in: Keep your bedroom for sleep and sex only. Take working, bill paying, and watching TV elsewhere, especially if your partner is trying to snooze.
You can check out more sleep tips here.
Reducing stress is also a key part of weight loss. Stress can contribute to an increased appetite, food cravings, and weight gain, especially around the stomach.
It can also mess with sleep, zap motivation to work out, and trigger stress eating.
So, where possible, help your partner keep their stress levels under control. This could include taking on a little more housework or childcare duties. Or maybe it’s joining in with stress-reducing behaviors like practicing yoga or going for walks in nature.
If you usually go to restaurants together, look up new places that offer more nutritious choices. Or make healthy versions of your favorite dishes at home.
If you tend to spend weekends lounging on the couch, consider joining a beginner’s pickleball league or finding local walking routes to tackle as a couple.
This should be a joint decision, though. Chat with your partner and brainstorm new hobbies and activities you’d both be interested in trying. This keeps you connected as a couple while still supporting weight loss efforts.
Having a goal to work toward can help your partner keep up their weight loss motivation. Telling someone about your goal can make it more effective, and setting a joint goal may make the whole process more fun and supportive.
If you’re both losing weight, you could set individual goals for the weight you’d like to reach and keep each other accountable.
If you’re not on a weight loss journey yourself, you can still set goals as a couple. You might sign up for a 5K race at the end of the year and train for it together or resolve to cook a new healthy recipe every Friday as part of date night.
FYI, when choosing your goals, consider “approach“ goals. These are goals that involve doing something, as opposed to “avoidance“ goals that involve not doing something.
For example, “eat more home-cooked meals“ is an approach goal, whereas “stop getting takeout“ is an avoidance goal. Research shows approach goals are more effective than avoidance goals.
Learn more about setting weight loss goals in our guide.
You can’t actually make your partner do anything — and nagging them to eat healthy or work out will probably backfire. But you can model healthy behaviors yourself, making it easier for your partner to join in.
Research suggests when one person adopts healthy behaviors, their partner is more likely to adopt them too. And if one person is trying to lose weight, there’s a ripple effect — their partner may lose weight as well.
Consider building healthy habits like:
Drinking a glass of water with meals (and offering to pour one for your partner)
Increasing your fiber intake with fruits, veggies, and whole grains
Aiming to strength train twice a week and do 150 to 300 minutes of cardio
Getting to bed on time and prioritizing a full night’s sleep
Taking time to disconnect and manage stress and anxiety
The bonus here is you’ll be taking care of your own health at the same time.
Setbacks, slip-ups, and weight loss plateaus — they’re all part of the journey. Help your partner through tough times by being a kind and supportive presence for them. Think optimistic cheerleader, not tough-love drill sergeant.
Respect any decisions they make — like going on or off weight loss medication, starting therapy, joining a weight loss program, or quitting alcohol.
If they ask for advice, offer it (or help them research it or connect with an expert). If not, be there if they want to talk things through or have a five-minute pity party before getting back on track.
You can also have an open conversation with your partner about how they’d like to be supported in their weight loss efforts. Perhaps they’d like company at appointments with healthcare providers and help cooking, but they don’t want any nudges to hit the gym.
Avoid using phrases like “you should“ or “you need to.“ And make sure any conversations you have about weight are coming from a place of love and wanting your partner to live a long and healthy life.
It can be stressful to talk about weight, even if you’re being supportive. So be extra careful about when, where, and how you discuss the topic.
Here’s a fun one: Celebrate the wins. Losing weight is a great accomplishment, and you and your partner can celebrate that together. Don’t forget to mark the small wins along the way.
Brainstorm non-food methods of celebrating. Maybe you’ll book that vacation together when your partner reaches their goal weight, or you’ll suggest a spa day as they’ve worked out three times a week for a month straight.
Try to avoid putting any pressure on your partner to hit goals in order to get rewards — it’s all about creating a positive, loving environment.
If your search history looks a little like, “how to help my husband lose weight“ or “how to help my wife lose weight,“ we hope these tips can help.
Here are the key things to keep in mind before you start cheerleading:
Be kind. You can’t force a loved one to lose weight. All you can do is be there for them and offer gentle advice, support, and encouragement if they ask for it.
Be patient. Weight loss is a loooong game, and there might be setbacks along the way. Encourage your partner to stick with it, and remind them of their “why“ for losing weight when times get tough.
Be accountable. You can make it easier for your partner to make healthy changes by adopting some of these changes yourself and making your kitchen, bedroom, evening routine, and weekend plans supportive of weight loss.
(Gently) encourage your partner to reach out for help if needed. Healthcare providers like registered dietitians, personal trainers, and medical doctors can give tailored advice on the best ways to lose weight.
Remember, the most important thing when learning how to help someone lose weight is to be a supporter. Ask how your partner would like to be supported and strive for this.
You’ve got this — and so does your partner!
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