If You've Ever Feared Gaining "Relationship Weight," You Must Read This

There's no denying that dating is hard. As much as we need to "put ourselves out there," there's a lot of excess that comes along with it: excess drinking, excess calories, and overall excess effort. But one woman is speaking out about why we should not fear "relationship weight," because while it's definitely real, the happiness that comes along with it is, too. Natalie Kaczmarczyk recently took to Instagram to reflect on her relationship with her significant other and her level of self-love and how far she's come in seven years.

"Sometimes nostalgia can be torture," she captioned the photo above. "Looking back and thinking how 'skinny I was' as I'm sitting here 20 pounds heavier than the photo on the left (7 years ago!). And then I remember real torture: Making up excuses to miss dinners with friends and even this guy, because I was afraid of calories and thought my time was better spent in a smelly sweat box of emotion (aka the gym). Feeling like I HAD to be uncomfortable with myself or comfort would bring on that 'relationship weight.'"

"THAT was all torture," she added.

It has been a few years, but for Natalie, all it took was a #TransformationTuesday to reflect on her current emotional well-being with the side-by-side photos. She has learned to stop stressing about being "the skinniest" and learned what makes her happy.

"The joy I have today, despite being heavier and having the majority of my clothes not fit, is worth every extra pound," she explained. "I am happier and more fully involved in my relationships, and know that having fewer friends of gold is WAY better than having many of copper. There's more to recovery and transformation that meets the eye."

Natalie added, "I still struggle with the sense of being in a crowd and not the skinniest or size zero. But I can say that when I am around this guy, all of that goes away and I can just BE. And when I am teaching or running further than I ever could have dreamed in the past, I am truly grateful for the EXTRA I have with me that can get me through those tough miles."

Whether it's a significant other or a new hobby, it's about finding where you feel the most natural and thriving from it. "Relationship weight" is definitely real, but you cannot let it prevent you from living your best life and enjoying the great people around you.

"Strength is not measured in deprivation or 'self-control,'" Natalie wrote. "It's measured in the ability to let go and TRUST that what is meant to happen will. Start with the inside and the rest will follow."