For a lot of obvious reasons, going on a diet with your partner is going to be easier than doing it alone.

Sticking together means you’ll have each other for encouragement, you can add a little bit of competition into the mix to make the whole process a little bit more enjoyable, and you both get to enjoy a much needed boost in motivation and support.

But even going on a diet with your partner comes with challenges that can lead to failure for both sides of the couple.

For instance, some people are more disciplined than others, so while one of you may be ready to go all in with a challenging diet, the other may feel overwhelmed merely by the thought.

It’s probably best to set some ground rules before getting started, just to make sure you don’t end up getting in each other’s way as opposed to helping.

Tip #1: Set separate goals.

Just because you’re both losing weight at the same time doesn’t mean you have to lose just as much weight.

Chances are, each of you is in a very different shape and you each have a different ideal weight that you want to reach.

Trying to go for the same goal is going to leave at least one of you disappointed, just because that’s not the goal that’s best for you.

So as long as you’re doing this together, keep in mind that it’s fine to have separate goals.

Tip #2: Be encouraging… or competitive.

When “times get tough”, and one of you wants to quit, the best thing to do is to be encouraging, of course. Or… you could be even more competitive instead.

This all depends on each couple and the type of person your partner is. Nobody knows that better than you.

There’s no “one way” to help them out when they feel like quitting – just do whatever you know will motivate them most to keep going.

Tip #3: Synchronize your cheat days

Cheat days are those very special days you’ll get to set aside, when you’ll be allowed to eat whatever (or almost whatever) you want. So the last thing that you want to do if you’re losing weight with your partner is having those cheat days during different days.

Can you imagine your significant other munching on massive, tasty looking burger while all you get to eat that day is a salad?! I think not.

Tip #4: Keep track of progress and talk about it often.

A very useful trick that will help you make a habit of eating better is talking about it often. Talk about how much weight you’ve lost, or how proud you are about your low calorie intake from the past few days. Share some tasty looking low-carb meals that you want to try out.

Also remember to ask your partner how they’re doing and congratulate them often on their progress.

Tip #5: Losing weight will be easier for one of you than for the other, and that’s fine.

People tend to get competitive when they’re doing something at the same time. It’s really important to remember that this isn’t about that.

Losing weight is about feeling better about yourself, becoming more active and leading a healthier lifestyle. So it doesn’t matter if one of you will have an easier time accomplishing it than the other. That’s natural.

We each have our own metabolisms and body conditions so progress will be different for each of us. That’s why we set separate goals and go for it at our own pace.

And with these simple tips in mind, you’ll likely have a much easier time losing weight together, than you would alone.