Tag: weight loss

“He preferred me bigger”: Wife says weight loss jab destroyed her marriage and forced her to stray

The key findings

* 44% of women say losing weight boosted their confidence – but many say it damaged their relationship.
* Over a third report their partner became less affectionate after they slimmed down.
* One woman, 42, says her three‑stone “glow up” left her husband distant – and pushed her towards an affair.
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

Weight loss is supposed to transform your life for the better. But, for one woman, shedding three stone didn’t just change her body – it changed her marriage.

A new poll conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, involving 2,000 women has revealed that while slimming down often boosts confidence, it can also create unexpected tension at home – with 52% saying changes in their weight had a negative impact on their relationship.

According to the data, 44% of women said their confidence increased after losing weight. But the emotional ripple effects weren’t always positive.

More than a third (37%) said their partner became less affectionate after their weight loss, while 34% noticed increased jealousy following their “glow up”.

Meanwhile, 29% of women who slimmed down felt their partner seemed “intimidated” by their new confidence.

For one 42-year-old mother-of-two, who asked to remain anonymous, the change was stark. After losing three stone using Mounjaro, she says she has never felt better in herself – but her husband’s reaction left her blindsided.

“I’ve never felt more attractive in my life,” she says. “For years I struggled with my weight. I didn’t feel confident getting dressed up or initiating intimacy. Losing the weight made me feel like me again.”

But instead of reigniting the spark at home, she says the dynamic shifted. “He used to grab me constantly. Now he barely looks,” she explains. “At first I thought I was imagining it. But the more confident I became, the more distant he seemed.”

She says her husband even admitted he preferred her before the weight loss. “He says he ‘misses my curves’, but I think he misses feeling more secure. When I was bigger, I don’t think he ever worried about other men noticing me.”

As her confidence grew, she began receiving more attention – something she says her husband struggled with. “There were little comments. If I dressed up, he’d ask who I was trying to impress. If I went out with friends, he’d act cold afterwards.”

Eventually, she says the emotional distance pushed her elsewhere.“I thought losing weight would improve everything. I didn’t expect it to threaten my marriage,” she admits. “So, when my husband didn’t appreciate the way I’d become, I decided perhaps it was time to find someone who did – and I’ve been having an affair for the past two months as a result.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Sex and relationship expert at IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni, says the findings reflect a power shift that can occur when one partner undergoes a visible transformation. “Weight loss can dramatically alter relationship dynamics,” she explains. “If one partner’s confidence increases significantly, it can unsettle the balance that existed before.”

She adds that insecurity can manifest in subtle but damaging ways. “For some partners, especially if the relationship was built around a certain dynamic, a physical ‘glow up’ can trigger feelings of inadequacy or fear of abandonment. Instead of celebrating the change, they may withdraw or become jealous.”

Leoni says it’s not uncommon for increased external attention to amplify tensions. “When one partner starts receiving more validation from outside the relationship, it can highlight cracks that were already there,” she says. “If communication isn’t strong, resentment can build quickly.”

Further Reading

For more on this topic, explore married dating on Illicit Encounters.

Has your partner lost weight? They may be cheating on you, study reveals

The key findings

* 74% of men say they put on weight after getting married, with 61% blaming their wives for the weight gain.
* 72% said that they’re in better shape and have shed pounds since starting an affair.
* Unfaithful husbands lose on average 11 pounds in the first three months of their extramarital escapades. 
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

It seems our bodies might be betraying us more than we realise when it comes to relationships.

A recent study in China found that men are more likely to gain weight after tying the knot compared to women. Exercising less and eating more, married men risk letting themselves go post-wedding.

But, according to a recent survey by married dating site IllicitEncounters.com, changes in a married man’s weight could also be a telltale sign of infidelity.

In a poll involving 1,200 of its male members, 74% said they’d put on weight since the day of the ‘I do’, and 61% of those blamed their wives for their poor eating and lifestyle habits before engaging in an affair.

A staggering 72% of men revealed they’ve been shedding pounds since embarking on their extramarital adventures, suggesting cheating could be the secret to losing weight. Incredibly, in the first three months of their affairs, love rats lose on average 11 pounds. Forget about keto or intermittent fasting; apparently, infidelity is the ultimate weight-loss plan. 

For 39% of men, cheating on their partners has pushed them to work out more frequently, and 34% admitted to using the gym as an alibi for secret meets with their lovers.

Anthony from Glasgow, a member of IllicitEncounters.com who took part in the survey, said “I first noticed I was putting on weight about a year into my marriage, and it just seemed to spiral from there. Takeaways every other night, and endless evenings sat on the sofa – that’s about as exciting as my marriage got.

When I started having affairs about two years ago, I knew I had to start taking more pride in my appearance – I wanted to feel good emotionally and physically, and appear more attractive to women. From that moment, I vowed to work out more regularly and be careful with what I was eating. 

If you were to see a photo of me from two years ago, you wouldn’t recognise me. The confidence I’ve gained from having affairs and the push it’s given me to want to take better care of myself is mental.

My wife’s obviously noticed the difference, but she just thinks I’m having a mid-life crisis!”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Relationship expert at IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni, commented on the results of the survey, saying “It’s no secret that at the beginning of a relationship, we tend to make more of an effort, with a huge emphasis on looking good in the hope of securing a life-long partner. 

Well, it turns out once you’ve done all that hard work, it could all potentially go downhill. Complacency in marriage is a huge catalyst for infidelity – dull routines are a hurdle that many couples will face at some point in long-term relationships.

Just because your partner hits the gym religiously and can rock a pair of skinny jeans doesn’t mean they’re on the prowl for a secret rendezvous, but the next time your husband tells you they’re off to work out or starts mysteriously shedding pounds, you might want to start asking some questions.”

Has your partner lost weight? They could be cheating on you!

The key findings

* 62% of married couples feel that a relationship entices them to overeat

* 76% of adulterers believe an affair has helped them lose weight

* In the first 3 months of having an affair – men lose on average 7 pounds and women lose on average 11 pounds
* Research conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading authority on infidelity

Forget the diet – have an affair! Adulterers skip counting calories and cheat their way slim instead.

IllicitEncounters.com surveyed 1200 adulterers (split equally by men and women) and found that weight loss is a sign your partner may be cheating you. 

We’ve all heard of the heartbreak diet, but what about the infidelity diet? 76% of adulterers claim an affair has helped them lose weight. 

62% of married couples felt their relationship was a catalyst for overeating with 59% blaming their partners for encouraging bad food choices. 

70% said feeling comfortable in their relationship made them lose the motivation to diet.

The average amount of weight loss occurring in the first 3 months of cheating for a man is 7 pounds and a woman is 11 pounds.

A plethora of research supports the notion that relationships trigger weight gain. A study by market research firm OnePoll, surveyed 2000 couples and found that the average poll participant gained 17 pounds in the first year of marriage.*

‘I’m going to the gym’ is the top excuse love rats use to cheat on their spouse with a collective 45% of men and women citing this reason as their top alibi to sneak out for secret affairs.** It’s no wonder weight loss comes into play – you can’t expect your partner to believe you’re doing tons of exercise without slimming down a little.

Jenny, 49, Brentford, a member using the site said ‘We both got fat. I blame takeaways and eating out. We egg each other on to eat unhealthy snacks, gosh especially with the kids. You know, we’ve gone through spells of changing our lifestyle but on the whole, I do feel we got fatter since we married.

I started having an affair in August last year and I’ve gone from a size 14 to a size 10. I put it all down to the affair. I wanted to look and feel sexy to impress my date and I had this buzz from all the sneaking around that made me feel more conscious about what I was eating. What’s great actually is it has made my husband notice me. As if he came out of this daze and realised his wife of 15 years is a hot commodity. I’ve stopped cheating now but I wouldn’t hesitate in having an affair again if I needed to shed some pounds.’

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, said ‘Want a monogamous relationship? Expect some fidelity fat to come with the safety and security of chastity. And should your partner be down the gym and getting fit I’d be worried he’s pumping more than just iron.

Married couples get way too comfortable together as time goes on. You’re more likely to cosy up on the sofa with a takeaway on the weekends than go out on the town – so who cares if you don’t fit in that party dress anymore? 

Adulterers are losing weight and having fun. The party doesn’t have to stop when you’re married, just keep the cake and don’t eat it! ’

* 2018 OnePoll Study of 2000 married people on behalf of the weight-loss program Jenny Craig

** 2021 study of 800 members on IllicitEncounters.com

About the research

NOTES TO EDITOR
IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1,000,000 genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 12 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.
 

Email: presspr@illicitencounters.co.uk
 

Mobile: 07824 353986
 

Twitter: @cheatsafer

Has your partner joined the gym recently? They could be cheating on you!

The key findings

* ‘I’m going to the gym’ – is the number one excuse loverats are using right now to cheat on their spouse!

* Second top excuse for men lately is going to the ‘pub with a friend’ and for women it’s going for a ‘walk’

* 73% of adulterers believe their affair has helped them lose weight

* 89% of adulterers found it hard to come up with excuses to cheat during national lockdowns

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people
 

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Could your partner be pumping more than just iron? Adulterers pretend they are going to the gym so that they can enjoy secret affairs!
 
According to new research released today by IllicitEncounters, the UK’s leading married dating site, the number one alibi for cheating right now is going to the gym. 
 
800 members of the site, split equally by male and female respondents, were surveyed on their recent affair exploits. The survey found the top go-to excuses adulterers have been using to cheat in the last month now lockdown restrictions are easing.
 
In the last month 52% of men and 38% of women have used the gym as an excuse to cheat on their spouse.
 
Most gym fanatics got their fitness fix doing home workouts during lockdowns however cheats felt the burn with gyms closed as it ruined their affair alibis. Now that gyms are open it’s no surprise that loverats choose ‘I’m going to the gym’ as the number one excuse to cheat.
 
And for those who suspect that spouses are suspicious when their partners aren’t getting any slimmer from exercising, 73% of affair seekers believe cheating has actually helped them lose weight! Making it the perfect cover up. 
 
Second top excuse for men is ‘pub with a friend’ (15%) followed by a ‘walk’ in third place (13%) and ‘working late’ (12%) in fourth. Fifth most popular excuse is ‘golf’ (4%).
 
Second top excuse for women is going for a ‘walk’ (27%), followed by ‘coffee with a friend’ in third place (20%) and going to an ‘outdoor exercise class’ in fourth (5%). Fifth most popular excuse for women is ‘sunbathing’ (3%) – although it is expected this excuse will garner more momentum as the weather gets hotter.
 
89% of those polled agreed that national lockdown restrictions made it difficult for them to come up with excuses to cheat.
 
Georgia, 42, London, said ‘I’m in a less than satisfying marriage and I have had affairs in the past. I lost my confidence during the pandemic and put on quite a bit of weight.
 
As soon as my local gym opened I joined. It’s a great excuse to have an affair. My husband never questions me. He thinks it’s great I want to lose weight. What’s brilliant is I’ve lost 10 pounds in the last 4 weeks and I’d go as far as saying that it’s all down to the affair, maybe I’ll cancel my gym membership.’
 
Jessica Leoni, sex and relationship expert at IllicitEncounters.com, said “Sexercise over exercise? It’s just a different type of workout! Adulterers can don their activewear, slip outside the house, and their spouse is none the wiser. 
 
It’s interesting to note men chose going to the pub as an excuse, whereas women opted for going for a coffee – some gender biases here over stereotypical male vs female behaviours. It seems it’s more believable that a man may want to venture to the pub for a pint, and women think it’s a more plausible excuse to use a coffee meet up as an alibi. 
 
Lots of men and women use going for a ‘walk’ as an excuse – perhaps as this has been the easiest excuse to continue using since all the lockdown restrictions.
 
Golf featured as a male only alibi, although I do wonder how many men forget to pick up the golf clubs when they leave the house.
 
Sunbathing also only seems to feature as an excuse for women. If your husband tells you he wants to go sunbathing, it’s safe to say he’s probably telling the truth.”

Top Excuses Men

Gym 52%

Pub with a friend 15%

Walk 13%

Working late 12%

Golf 4%

Other 4%

Top Excuses Women

Gym 38%

Walk 27%

Coffee with a friend 20%

Other 7%

Outdoor exercise class 5%

Sunbathing 3%

Has an affair helped you lose weight?

73% Yes

27% No

Was it hard finding excuses to cheat during national lockdown restrictions?

89% Yes

11% No

NOTES TO EDITOR
IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1,000,000 genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 12 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

Check out what our users are saying to each other in our live Lockdown Forum: www.illicitencounters.com/lockdown/pr
Username: pr
Password: openthel0ck4me

About the research

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: presspr@illicitencounters.co.uk

Mobile: 07824 353986

Twitter: @cheatsafer

Brunettes, not blondes have more fun – model adopts seven different looks dating online to find which works best to find sex, a rich sugar daddy and the man of your dreams

The key findings

  • Fitness fan Hayley Leeanna changed her picture and profile details and dated for two weeks with each different look;
  • Men were keenest on sex when she used some pictures of herself when she was younger – showing off her 28FF surgically enhanced bust as a bubbly brunette with a prominent cleavage;
  • Rich, older men liked her most as a party-loving blonde after she changed her hair colour and held a glass of red wine in her profile pic;
  • Hayley, 36, found she met the most genuine men as a gym bunny and when she dressed as herself in a revealing party dress;
  • She got little response when she wore glasses or dressed as smartly as a businesswoman –  and she was completely blown out as a slacker without make-up;
  • Hayley conducted the experiment for IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people

Brunettes and not blondes really do have more fun, according to a model who adopted seven different looks to find love and sex while online dating.

What the numbers show

Fitness fan Hayley Leeanna, 36, had dated men online for years with varying success and could never work out which look potential partners liked most.

So she conducted an experiment – adopting seven different looks and dating for two weeks with different profile pictures and personality traits.

And she proved once and for all that you really do more fun as a brunette rather than a blonde when the number of approaches halved after she changed her profile picture to one where her hair had a golden colour.

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Hayley said: “I spent six months learning everything there is to know about how subtle changes to your profile picture and personality details can make a huge difference to the type of man you attract.

“If you want to have sex, it sounds obvious but you need to be make clear in your pictures that you are out for a good time. So accentuate the cleavage, smile and look like you are up for a laugh.

“You should also use some pictures of you when you were younger to hide your real age – everyone is doing that online.

“If you want someone rich, blonde is definitely the way to go – that look attracted lots of sugar daddies who wanted to wine and dine me before taking me to bed.

“The most genuine men came forward when I was most like the real me – either showing my age in a revealing dress while out on the town or as a keep fit fanatic in my gym gear.

“I also meet some lovely men when I wore glasses because they thought I was a bit of an intellectual.

“The two looks which really bombed were when I wore glasses and when I went completely without make-up as a total slob.

“I also tried the businesswoman look in a smart suit but all the guys I met were total bores.”

Hayley, of Peterborough, Cambs,  went on all the dates over six months through IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people. Here’s which looks worked best:

Best for sex – the busty brunette – 87 approaches

Hayley said: “This was far the best look for creating a buzz and getting lots of attention. Sadly a lot of men were only interested in one thing and made absolutely clear that they expected sex on the first date after we got chatting online.

“I tended to get attention from younger men who were keen to exchange sexy pictures. I did date three of the men who contacted me with this profile and we had a lot of fun but it didn’t go anywhere.

Best for a rich sugar daddy – bubbly, party-loving blonde – 43 approaches

Hayley said: “The key difference when I used a picture from a few years ago with me as a blonde was that the men who came on to me were older and richer.

“Obviously they were married because this was IllicitEncounters.com – they had made their money and were looking for a fun-loving bit on the side.

“They loved the fact that I was holding a wine glass and gave the impression I was a party girl.

“I dated two men who contacted me with this profile picture. One was lovely and we had a great weekend together in Marbella staying in a five star hotel.

“He was in his 50s and he was a bit old for me but a fantastic lover nevertheless.”

Best for companionship – the gym bunny – 25 approaches

Hayley said: “I am happiest when I am in the gym and I found a few kindred spirits when I used some work-out pictures of myself on my profile.

“I had men wanting to meet up at the gym rather than a bar or a restaurant which was a nice change. I met some great guys but I was conscious that I was not making enough of my feminine side.”

Best for love – Hayley as herself – 32 approaches

Hayley said: “I am naturally a fun-loving brunette who is proud of my figure and loves my surgically enhanced boobs. I use IllicitEncounters because I am fed up with dating skint pretty boys.

“I like enjoying the high life and sharing some intelligent conversations with older men. I found the men were a little more genuine when I went on as myself – they could see there was nothing contrived about my profile.

“I used full length pictures of myself rather than one that just focused on my bust and they showed my real age more clearly.

“I got fewer younger men coming on to me than I did with the cleavage pictures and more men who were interested in a proper relationship.”

Best for nice guys – Hayley wearing spectacles – 4 approaches

Hayley said: “If you are dating online, ditch the specs – that is my advice. I was worried I would not get any approaches at all but four men came on to me and they were all absolutely lovely.

“The spectacles created a whole new persona for me and that was reflected in the responses. The men were much more polite but sadly none of them had a lot of money.”

Best for boredom – Hayley in a smart business suit – 8 approaches

Hayley said: “It is not really me but I straightened my hair flat, wore a smart business suit and had the persona of a successful businesswoman.

“I thought it might get me a classier type of guy but it just attracted a bunch of bores. This definitely didn’t work.”

Best for a complete blow-out – Hayley as a slacker without make-up – no approaches

Hayley said: “If you are dating online, get out the slap – no one want to see you when you are not looking your best.

I thought men might like the fact that I didn’t care about my appearance but who wants to date a slob with spots?

You can really enhance your profile picture with the right make-up and hairstyle.,”

Hayley is now back dating on IllicitEncounters.com using genuine pictures of how she really looks.

She said: “It was a great experiment but I prefer being me. I won’t have as much as sex as I can do with some of the flirty pictures of me but I will meet a better class of men.”

IllicitEncounters.com spokesman Christian Grant said: “Hayley is typical of the women on the site who tend to be in their 30s and are looking for no-strings attached fun with men who have a good level of income.”

IllicitEncounters enjoys a 25% surge in membership in January and February as unhappy spouses vow to change their life in the New Year by meeting a new partner.

More than one million have registered with the site and popularity has shot up in the last five years because sky high house prices make it too expensive for couples to divorce and set up two new homes.

Instead they stay together unhappily and date secretly on the side.

NOTES TO EDITOR

About the research

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1.2 million genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 15 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: presspr@illicitencounters.co.uk

Tel: 020 7729 6098

Twitter: @cheatsafer

Poll Revealed! Most Popular Places to go to Meet a Cheat

The key findings

  • Survey of 1000 members of IllicitEncounters.com has revealed:
  • Nearly 1 in 3 users polled have gone to the gym to find a partner to cheat with.
  • 26% have found an extramarital relationship through work social events.
  • Of members who responded, 17% have made connections through social media platforms.
  • More cheaters meet in hobby clubs than bars and pubs

Could a newfound interest in fitness be a sign that your significant other is going to cheat on you? A recent survey of 1000 members of IllicitEncounters.com, the U.K’s leading dating website for married people, has revealed the top places where cheaters go to find potential partners to have an affair with.

What the numbers show

When asked how they go about meeting people to cheat with, shockingly almost a third of respondents chose the gym as their preferred place to seek an extramarital companion. This makes the gym the most popular place other than IllicitEncounters.com to meet an extramarital companion. The poll also asked how long the affair would typically last, those who prefer to find their fling in the gym also had shorter relationships.

The other place that polled highly is work social events such as leaving drinks, office parties, and other informal gatherings with 26% looking to get lucky with a colleague. Affairs that got their start at the office party also had a greater longevity.

Social media platforms like Facebook made up 17% of the polling result. With all the technology at our fingertips connecting and reconnecting is easier than ever, it is perfect for touching base with an old flame. Pubs, bars, and hobby clubs also made the list, the latter catering for more niche sections of the population. One user indicated under ‘Other’ that she would meet married men through her job as an animal psychic.

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Top places to meet a cheat

  1. The gym (30%)
  2. Work social events (26%)
  3. Social Media (17%)
  4. Hobby Clubs (12%)
  5. Other (9%)
  6. Pubs/Bars (6%)

Hannah, 41, from Portsmouth said, “I met the first man I ever had an affair with at the gym. Having a gym membership also makes it really easy to make time for my lover, it’s the perfect excuse to steal an afternoon for an intense ‘workout session’.”

Christian Grant, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com explained:

“Gyms today have become very versatile social spaces, the high end gyms are all kitted with cafes where you can grab a fresh brewed coffee, a glass or two of wine, and even a healthy bite to eat. It’s also increasingly common for gyms to have more than just weights and treadmills at their disposal. Now you can unwind in a steam room, sit in a sauna, or enjoy a relaxing soak in a hot tub.”

“With the continued momentum of the health conscious movement, more people than ever are joining up to gyms. If you want to forgo the discretion guaranteed by using IllicitEncounters.com, a gym membership is the way to go, unless your pet needs a psychic in which case I may know someone”

NOTES TO EDITOR

About the research

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1,000,000 genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 14 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: presspr@illicitencounters.co.uk

Tel: 020 7729 6098

Twitter: @cheatsafer