NFL fans hoping to keep slim and watch their figure might want to choose their loyalties carefully, because a recent study proclaims losing teams are making their fans fat.

Thanks, Browns.

The Chicago Tribune (h/t For the Win) spoke with Professor Pierre Chandon of theINSEAD business school on his recent study with doctoral student Yann Cornil that was published in the Psychological Science journal.

You may have heard of the freshman 15, which is the weight packed during a student’s first year in college. Well, Chandon would like you to meet the football 15.

Unfortunately, Chandon doesn’t quantify how much weight a fan might gain by following a losing team, merely that there is a very real propensity to eat horribly following losses during the season.

One day after a defeat, Americans eat 16 percent more saturated fat, and 10 percent more calories. But on the day after a victory of their favorite team, then it’s the opposite. They eat more healthily. They eat 9 percent less saturated fat, and 5 percent fewer calories. There was no effect in cities without a team or with a team that didn’t play.

When your team wins that big Sunday Night Football game, there is a skip in your step and a smile on your face. Sure, I’ll have a chicken salad for lunch!

Or so the theory goes.

When your team drops another game and the season inches toward the dumps, you drag your feet into work as a storm cloud hovers above your head. Looks like it’s a bacon double cheeseburger for lunch and chili fires. It’s not like any of this matters anyway. ~Bleacher Report

This literally explains EVERYTHING! Lets set the clocks back 12 years, The Buccaneers were in their prime and dominating the NFL.  In 2002 they won a Superbowl, and I was in the best shape of my life*. It was the greatest NFL years of my life (thus far). Then what happens? The Bucs trade Sapp and Lynch, a few years later they RELEASE Derrick Brooks, Mike Alstott retires, and I fall into a deep football depression. What came along with that?  Slowly getting out of shape. I totally get what this study is saying. When the Bucs win I feel like I could sprint a quarter-mile, when they loose, I feel like I could eat a Quarter-pounder. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not in the worst shape i’ve ever been in (The year Alstott retired was the worst) but for sure not the best. I feel a good season coming on for the Bucs and myself. I signed up at the gym and the Bucs signed Revis. (Coincidence? I don’t believe in such things) Who knows, by seasons end I could be dunking a basketball. (COULD)

-MattyV

* When i say “best shape of my life” I mean that I could walk up and down stairs without sweating and getting out of breath.

PS- I think fantasy football plays a huge roll in mental health. Which also explains a lot.

PSS- This past weekend I went up to beautiful Standish Maine. While there I did a little swimming and dock climbing. Here is a pic of me after up on the dock twice, and in my defense it was pretty tall**

**6 feet max