Are relationships the leading cause of obesity?

I’ve noticed a disturbing trend – whenever I enter into a relationship, I tend to gain weight. I know I’m not alone in this – but can’t help but wonder why it is??

Perhaps it’s because I’m not going out as much – and a good evening usually involves cooking some friends a decadent dinner or going out to restaurants.

Also – there’s the fact that men can usually eat whatever they want without having to worry about weight gain (well all the ones I’ve dated). FD’s physique is quite literally perfection – mostly because he’s an exercise junkie – and he can eat as much of whatever he wants without it having any effect. Watching him tuck into pastas and burgers while I pick at my dressing-free salad is depressing beyond belief.

With all of this in mind – I need to try and change what I can... and with a new job will come a new exercise regime! Rock climbing doesn’t really do much good aside from a little toning... the muscles that do the most work are my forearms – which isn’t exactly the part of my body I’m hoping to target.

So it’s off to gym for me! I’ve always been happiest on a treadmill, but reckon it’s time to don the spandex (not really) and give the group classes a bash. That together with regular gymnastic love-making sessions (I read an article that said that 21 orgasms per month lower men’s risk of prostate cancer, so it’s for FD’s sake) should get me into a better shape by the time summer rolls around.

Does shacking up always lead to breaking up?

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, FD and I aren’t currently having the ‘moving in together’ conversation – but after watching the collapse of several of my friends’ relationships, it’s gotten me thinking...

FD stays over six nights a week – we always spend Mondays apart. We stay over at my spot 99% of the time, purely because of traffic issues and the fact that he doesn’t need to be at work at specific time while in my current job (only for the next two weeks though) I have to clock in (yes, literally clock in) at 08h00 each morning (my feelings on this could take up an entire post in itself).

Despite the amount of time he spends at my spot – all I’ve given him is one drawer in a hard to reach spot amidst my six cupboards. So FD has to sit in traffic each morning and practically live out of a suitcase and I’m aware that this sounds a bit heartless and cruel, but I think it’s important that we still distinguish between his place and my place.

There seems to be a massive difference between someone staying over almost every night and actually taking the leap to moving in together. Even though you’re probably spending the same amount of time together, something in the relationship dynamic seems to change dramatically – leading to most of my friends ending their relationships – or at least having regular and enormous arguments with their partners.

Having never done it myself, I have no idea what causes it – but it’s made me very hesitant to ever take that step. I’m a bit old school in that I’ve always believed that post-engagement is the best time to shack up. That way you’ve still got some time to feel it out before you tie the knot. But maybe the sooner the better – rather know that you’re incompatible right from the start – right?

So that big thing...

It’s happening.

This may be an anti-climax for some of you, but I’m changing jobs.

This is epically huge in my life for several reasons – a) The job I’m currently in is my first since finishing my studies and b) I’ve been doing it for three years.
Another reason this is a huge deal is that I’m making the leap from business 2 business to consumer publishing – working at a popular women’s lifestyle mag. So exciting!!!

The whole thing kinda snuck up on me. I saw the job advertised on bizcommunity a little while ago and decided to send in my cv, without really expecting anything to come out of it. So much so, that I didn’t even bother checking the email address I provided them with. A few days later I remember and logged on, only to see an email from the editor requesting I come in for an interview... sent three days prior to me actually seeing it!!

I freaked out and quickly emailed back and luckily they were still able to slot me in as the last interview the next day. It went okay – but didn’t come out feeling overly confident. I then had to do some writing for them and I spent days trying to come up with ideas and polishing it up before I submitted it. FD, C, my mom and dad all had to read through it a gazillion times making corrections and suggesting changes.

A day later I got another call from the editor asking me to come in for a second interview. This time I was seriously nervous and came out feeling like I had messed it up completely! I spent the next day checking my email and phone every 30 seconds – until it eventually rung and heard the editor’s voice saying that I had gotten the job.

I resigned from my job on Friday... and had a mixed bag of emotions – with some people taking it better than expected and others taking it much worse than expected. My young jedi burst into tears – I felt so guilty!

Now my managers are being a bit shady and definitely regarding me with contempt – but who cares – I’m going to be working at a fabulous magazine from August 1. It’s the change I’ve been longing for – woohoo!!!!!!!