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Beat the boyfriend bulge

We’ve all done it: begun a relationship in a blaze of passion and glamour and then, as the comfort sets in, slipped into a domestic haze of TV dinners, rental movies and early nights. 
 
But all this eating and sleeping can wreak havoc upon the waistline. There's only so many romantic dinners, trips to the cinema and takeaways your figure can take before you develop love-handles - quite literally!
 
Luckily, Virgin Active’s national fitness and development manager, Nick Hudson, has shared his top tips to help whip loved-up ladies back into shape.      

Follow Nick's advice to beat the dreaded 'boyfriend bulge':
 
* Don’t eat portions the size of his! (Oops!) Based on the ‘norms’, men need 2,500 calories per day whereas women should consume a maximum of 2,000. It is tempting to load up both your plates with nice, home-cooked food, but unless you want to fit into his jeans, watch your portion-size!

* Enjoy being active together – whether it’s going for a walk to the shops or kicking a ball about in the park (we've tried this and its actually a lot more fun than it sounds!) Exercise doesn't have to mean putting in the miles on the boring treadmill, so be creative - we can think of at least one great way to burn off the calories together, hehe.

* Don’t go halves on a take-away because both of you are feeling too lazy to cook – make something healthy instead! If you cook together it is half the work and twice the fun - and you save money as well as calories!

* If you want to treat yourselves to a cooked brekkie (in bed), replace the frying pan with a grill, which is equally delicious and much less hostile to the heart!

* We know it is tempting to snuggle up on the sofa with him every night –  but don't! Go out dancing with your girlfriends!  Shaking your booty is a great calorie-burner but apart from that, it is also a lot of fun! 

* If the thought of sweating copiously in front of your man doesn’t fill you with horror, join a gym class or activity group with him so that you can keep fit together.

* Look after yourself just as much as when you were single: boyfriends may come and go, but you are stuck with your body for life, so treat it well!

* Drum roll please, we saved the best for last…Have sex.  Lots of sex.  It’s scientifically proven to burn loads of calories, it encourages a good night’s sleep (well, if there is any night-time left!) and leaves you feeling more energetic the next day.  And we thought getting fit was all work and no play!

If you need some inspiration for healthy yet delicious home-cooked dishes, go to www.closerdiets.com to get a meal plan tailored to your individual needs!