The "Falling in Love" 15

Any future college student is warned that late-night pizzas and the never-ending flow of beer can very well result in an added 15 pounds. And of course, there are those stressful situations in life — moving, marriage, divorce, death, and new job — which can also result in tighter-than-usual jeans.

But the sneakiest weight-gain culprit of all, that no one really warns you about, is what I like to call the "Falling in Love" 15. Those few extra pounds that slide on your body, unbeknownst to you because you are to busy enjoying a new relationship or falling into the comfort of a long-term partnership.

I know it happened to both my boyfriend and I, especially this summer as he prepared to move. I think there were a couple of weeks straight where we lived off of take-out and the leftovers. It makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it, but luckily, my BF and I have both remedied the problem — we haven't eaten out in awhile and both of us exercise daily.

It's very easy, though, to eat unhealthy when you are in a relationship. The first part of the courtship is all about going out to restaurants on dates, or watching movies together with the inherently unhealthy snacks. It can rotate into a vicious cycle unless you are careful. A lot of couples I know exercise together, so that can be one solution. But if you are someone who likes to work out alone, like I am, than the daily exercise can provide some good "me" time.

But what are some other solutions to avoiding the relationship weight gain trap? Or what have you found works best for you?