Maybe it's that extra serving of french fries, or that indulgent dinner he bought me, but when it comes to relationships, I find myself eating more than I normally would and skipping workouts to do more fun activities with him.

Bad weather, a rigorous grad school schedule and not enough time all contributed to me relaxing on maintaining my girlish figure this time. But falling in love and gaining a little extra weight have been a trend for as long as I remember.

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No matter how much love can conquer, it doesn't keep me thin.

It all started in ninth grade. My first major boyfriend had a thing for chocolate and cheese fries -- not together -- but often enough that it affected the way I ate. I could have said no, but what fun would that be?

Then came college, and Mr. Fries and Beer -- both delicious, but not necessarily the best thing to consume every night. But it was college, right? Too bad my taste for fries and beer lingered long after my taste for him.

Soon enough, I fell for Mr. Dairy Queen. He hadn't been to the place in years. Then I come along, he finds one right down the road, and the DQ is the first stop after a game of tennis or basketball. The workout came first, but lost its positive influence with each bite of my Oreo Blizzard. I'm not at all attracted to fat guys, or even lazy ones who don't exercise regularly. In fact, I usually get together with active guys who can get away with the occasional indulgences -- occasional being the key word. There have been many who shunned fast food altogether, but for some reason they don't last as long.

For some lucky people I know, gaining weight is never an issue, relationship or not. Many more find themselves adding notches to their belts with each notch on the bedpost.

A friend of mine dated a guy who was all about ordering takeout, which is not the way to stay healthy. Lying in bed and eating pizza may be fun on a random rainy weekend day, but not when the weather's good and the grocery store around the corner sells fresh food.

A bad diet is clearly a problem, in love or out. But why does it feel like falling in love gives one license to lose self-control?

Those butterflies in the stomach are supposed to replace food cravings, right? Actually, they help me relax a bit too much, perhaps.

As I let go of my inhibitions in love, I get a little more comfortable, a little less inclined to kill myself through daily workouts.

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It's not that I was working out harder before to get a man, it's just that my relationship distracts me from the routine. As I'm about to work out, he calls with tickets to a baseball game.

And then there is some sort of bonding quality about sharing bad habits. I choose not to eat fries or onion rings, but when he orders them I feel like I'm getting a special naughty treat.

Eventually there comes a time, like the diet ads shout, to stop the madness. I may get more comfortable with my appearance after I find someone who likes it just fine, but being in love is no excuse for hopping off the exercise wagon indefinitely.

Some people go too far, but in my case all is not lost. Sure, we've both gained a few pounds, but we're working out more and eating less fries, together and alone.

It was fun to gain a few extra pounds together, but it's been much more fun to shed them.

We've got to eat, but there are many fat-burning activities to do before we get to the restaurant. I'll let you come up with your own ideas.

Laura Lewis is an adventurous 20-something who knows how to make the most of being single. Her column appears every other Thursday.