



Team up to slim down: you’re more likely to drop pounds if your wife or girlfriend is also making healthy changes with you, finds a new study.

Researchers tracked couples for 4 years and found that when one person lost weight, the partner was three times more likely to follow suit than in pairs where the significant other stayed the same weight.

It worked for other lifestyle changes, too: people were more apt to quit smoking or exercise more if their partners did the same.

Buddying up improves your odds of success because you can inspire and encourage each other, as well as hold each other accountable, says study author Sarah Jackson, a researcher at University College London.

So if you want to shape up, enlist your better half and make a commitment to eat better and exercise together, Jackson suggests. Instead of binge-watching Netflix, bond over an activity like rock-climbing, cycling, or cooking nutritious meals (like this selection of MH's best ever dinner recipes).

Single? Team up with friends, family, or even coworkers for the same effect, says Jackson. Ask them to join you for a healthier lunch break, go for a walk instead of smoking, or meet up at the gym after work.

By: Gillian Francella; Photography: Getty

A version of this article originally appeared on menshealth.com

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