Is Your Relationship Ruining Your Health?
Meaningful Movement
Takeaway: When couples eat out a lot in new relationships, food can become a big part of their connection. It’s important to talk openly about any changes and understand each other’s feelings about food. By doing different activities together, couples can stay close without just focusing on eating out.
Why Eating Out Too Much Can Be Bad for New Relationships
When people start dating, they often enjoy going out to eat together. It’s fun to try new restaurants and spend time talking over meals.
The excitement of discovering new places and enjoying meals together is appealing.
However, there's an often-overlooked downside to building a relationship around food: it can unintentionally set the stage for future conflict—both with your health and with each other.
How Food Can Affect Your Relationship
When a couple spends a lot of time eating out, food can become a big part of their relationship, almost like a barometer that measures how things are going.
If one person decides to eat healthier or stop going out as much, the other might feel worried. They might think, “Why aren’t we eating out like we used to?”
This change can feel like a shift in the relationship, leading to concerns that something is wrong. The partner who isn’t changing their eating habits might worry that the relationship is no longer as strong or that they’re drifting apart.
Communicate to Alleviate
If you find yourself in this situation, it’s crucial to communicate openly.
Explain your reasons for changing your eating habits and reassure your partner that these changes aren’t a reflection of your feelings toward the relationship.
Clear communication can help prevent misunderstandings and ease any discomfort.
Practical Tips for a Healthy Relationship Dynamic
Recognize Individual Relationships with Food: Acknowledge that each of you has your own history and relationship with food. Discuss these differences early on to understand each other’s perspectives and avoid potential friction.
Do Different Things Together: Instead of making dining out the centerpiece of your relationship, try to engage in a variety of activities together. Go for walks, visit museums, or take up a shared hobby. This way, your bond isn’t solely dependent on food-related experiences.
Talk About Changes: If you decide to change your eating habits, talk about it with your partner. Let them know why you’re making these changes and how you can still enjoy time together in ways that support your goals.
Make New Traditions: Find new traditions that don’t revolve around food. It could be as simple as having a weekly movie night or trying a new activity together. These new rituals can strengthen your relationship and reduce the pressure on dining out as your main way to connect.
By trying different activities and talking about changes, you can improve your health and your relationship without one being at the expense of the other.
Remember, food is just one part of your connection—it’s more about the time you spend together and the memories you create.
P.S. Struggling to find the right balance of food in your relationship (or in your life more generally)? Click below to jump on a call with a member of our team to get some advice.