My husband keeps undermining my diet. My wife keeps nagging me to exercise. I want to be healthier, but I can’t do it on my own!

First comes love, then comes marriage . . . then comes a larger pant size? Many couples find themselves gaining weight as they settle into a relationship, but some couples manage to buck this trend. They exercise (together or separately), they support each other’s healthy eating habits, and their relationships are stronger as a result. What are their secrets?

It turns out that many of us are ignoring the most powerful tool we have to help us get healthier and stay healthier—our spouse or significant other. For more than twenty years, Drs. Thomas Bradbury and Benjamin Karney, codirectors of the Relation­ship Institute at UCLA, have been studying how couples communicate around these issues, wit­nessing firsthand how partners can help (and hinder) one another’s progress toward better health. In Love Me Slender, they identify the specific principles that successful couples use in their quest to improve their health. Learn:

Why reassurance and praise can actually backfire when you’re trying to change your partner’s habits—and what to say instead.

What your spouse can tell you (that no one else can) to shift your attention toward your long-term health goals.

How even if only one partner resolves to become healthier, both partners will benefit.

How to nudge your partner toward a healthier lifestyle in subtle, effective ways—without them even noticing it.

Featuring self-assessments and case studies from real couples working to stay healthy together, Love Me Slender is an eye-opening, uplifting guide to changing the dynamic of your relationship and improving your health—and the health of those you love most.