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You're burning 31 less calories an hour because of all that bickering, says science.
By Amanda Chatel — Written on Feb 23, 2018
Whenever I hear of a couple that claims they don't argue, I'm immediately suspicious. No relationship, whether it's a friendship, marriage, or even a friend with benefits thing, can escape the occasional argument about something. It's also totally healthy to argue from time to time; far healthier than keeping it in and letting it stew. While this is definitely true, there is such a thing as arguing too much, and in doing so it can affect not just your relationship, but also your waistline.
A new study has found that your excess arguing could be making you fat. This is especially true in those persons who suffer from depression or any type of mood disorder. The problem is that huge blowout arguments affect how high-fat foods are processed in the body and results in fewer calories being burned.
In fact, marriages where fighting was just a constant theme, those couples burned, on average, 31 less calories an hour than those who were in a marriage where arguing wasn't as frequent. One would think that getting fired up and shaking your hand wildly at your spouse while you try to prove your point would actually help you burn calories, but no such luck. Sorry, you guys.
The study involved 43 healthy couples that had been married for at least three years. After they were given questionnaires about their marriage, depression, and mood disorders, they were given a pretty hearty meal totaling 930 calories and 60 grams of fat. Then, roughly two hours after their meal, the couples were asked to discuss topics given to them by the researchers that were specifically chosen to really get each partner pissed off and yelling.
Over the next several hours, the couples were continually tested via their blood and breathing. Not only were the calories burned a minimal amount, but the angry participants also had 12 percent more insulin in their blood; insulin being a big contributor in weight gain, because it likes to store fat and never let it go.
Takeaway? Don't fight! I mean, you can, but don't do it all the time. Don't allow yourself to get out of control when you could just take a breather and talk calmly. And try to refrain from arguing all the time; there really is no need to harp on the same topic over and over again. You need to realize that sometimes seeing eye-to-eye just isn't going to happen, so walk away.
It's hard enough trying to beat the bulge, so anything you can do in addition to passing on the third slice of pizza and going to the gym and pretending you like it, is definitely going to help. Sure, makeup sex after an argument is great, but even makeup sex loses its appeal when it's happening all the time.
