Search Here

A new study has found a surprising benefit of cheating on your partner: weight loss.

Researchers found that being unfaithful can be one of the most effective ways to shed the pounds, according to a new survey.

The bizarre survey revealed that 53 percent of men and 62 percent of women said that they had lost weight after cheating on their partners.

What's more, researchers found that the pounds lost during affairs were pretty substantial, with philandering men losing 6 pounds (2.7kg) on average and adulterous women losing an average of 10 pounds (4.5kg).

"Most commentary about adultery focuses on the negatives. Our study proves that there can be positive outcomes also" UndercoverLovers.com spokesperson and adultery expert Emily Pope said in a news release.

While the survey, conducted by UndercoverLovers.com, a dating website for married people seeking affairs, should definitely be taken with caution, experts say that there are several physiological reasons why being adulterous might help in weight loss.

"Engaging in an affair puts an enormous amount of pressure on an individual," psychology professor Craig Jackson, of Birmingham City University, told Daily Mail. "Telling lies, avoiding direct confrontations and sneaking around someone's back cause a lot of stress."

"Being stressed has a whole range of effects on your body. You produce adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol, your heart rate goes up, you breathe faster, your blood pressure rises and levels of serotonin are increased. All this can burn calories," Jackson explained.

"There are also the behavioral changes that take place when you have an affair," he said. "When you're up to no good, you're more likely to be rushing from A to B, with less time to eat your lunch or have that extra pint. These things can also affect weight loss. "

Jackson said that physical pressure to look good for a new lover could also help in weight loss.

"Many men will want to be the alpha male, and looking good for their new lover is important," Jackson explained.

"Also the chances are, if you've been married for 20 years, you're probably not having sex that often  [and benefiting from the calorie burn that brings]," he said.

Researchers from the survey estimate that having sex can burn anything between 100 to 300 calories per 30-minute session.  They say that even just kissing can contribute to burning off the unwanted weight with 30 minutes of kissing burning up to 70 calories.

"Having an affair can provide a huge psychological fillip," Pope said. "It's well known that we eat more, and less healthily, when we're unhappy. Many UndercoverLovers.com members have endured years, and in some cases decades, of marital unhappiness before embarking on their affair."

"The instant joy and boost to self-esteem that many experience by having a new lover and the desire to look their best for them, can provide the perfect incentive to lose weight," she added.