It’s no secret that having a gym buddy is an excellent tool that helps many people to stay accountable and motivated in their fitness goals. So, it makes sense that there’s been a new resurgence of couples looking to become each other’s fit buddies––after all...
Who knows you better and spends more time with you than your partner?
Relationship Health
Just a quick Google search of #fitcouple reveals a plethora of Instagrams, websites and resources all built on the idea of expanding a relationship into a partnership in both physical fitness and wellness. Whether you’re a couple looking to lose weight, to run your first 5k, or reach a new fitness goal like completing an obstacle course, knowing that you aren’t in your new wellness journey alone can have a significantly positive impact on not only your physical health, but the health of your relationship.
Motivation & Accountability
As with having any gym buddy, having a significant other as a workout buddy is an excellent way to create a regular exercise routine with little to no excuses for skipping a planned day. This is especially true if you live with them––you can’t come up with some fake meeting or fake feeling “under the weather” with someone you live with! Half the battle of working out is just getting your butt out the door, so having someone right there to go with (or drag you out of the house) gives you less wiggle room to get in your own way.
Emotional Support
Another great element of working out as a couple is the emotional support. Just think, who is a better cheerleader for you than your own partner? When you both are on the same page with encouraging each other to reach healthy, measurable goals and progress, you’re more likely to achieve them than going it alone.
When it comes to the fitness portion itself, having your partner around will more than likely cause you to step up your game, whether you realize it or not. Let’s be real: it feels good to do something successful in front of your partner, especially when it’s a challenge. And there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, which can not only push you both to your best efforts but can also add a little more fun to the exercise and relationship itself. Last one to finish a mile makes dinner!
According to Psychology Today’s 2014 article “5 Reasons Why Couples Who Sweat Together, Stay Together,” lab studies have shown that couples who complete engaging workouts and activities together reported increased feelings of overall relationship satisfaction, and even feeling even more in love with their partner. So even off the mat and in the kitchen, spending time together to achieve a new, beneficial goal is a proven way to increase emotional intimacy and happiness.
Let's Get Physical
And since we’re talking about the physical, not only are you both going to enjoy seeing each others’ bodies tone up and get stronger, but the psychological responses of exercise––racing pulse, shortness of breath, sweaty palms––also mimic romantic attraction pretty closely. Feel free to take all that extra attraction and do your own kind of “special” cardio routine at home, if you catch my drift.
Alleviate Tension in your Relationship
With our crazy busy schedules, balancing all our priorities can lead to increased feelings of stress and anxiety––which isn’t good in any relationship. So, alleviate some of that tension by checking off the boxes for spending quality time together and living healthier at the same time! Coming up with new workouts, new recipes and trying new fitness activities are all amazing ways to continuously improve and strengthen your relationship with your partner while also working on your own health and happiness. That sounds like a win-win to us!
Build a Better Bond
So, instead of splurging on a fancy dinner this Valentine’s Day, maybe consider bringing some workout equipment into your home, joining a gym together instead, taking a healthy cooking class or rock climbing! By partnering up with your partner to achieve health and fitness goals, you create a new, dynamic way for you to bond and to get that bod you’ve been dreaming of––and who wouldn’t love that?
About Megan Tomaszewski
Megan is a freelance contributor for G&G Fitness. With a bachelor’s degree in Communication: Journalism & Media from SUNY Geneseo, she is a former staff member of The Buffalo News affiliate The Hamburg Sun, and currently works as a marketing writer at Barclay Damon LLP. Megan is a fan of pilates, weight lifting, and yoga, and has a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with cardio. Her secret for powering through tough workouts is imagining she’s in training to be an Avenger. In her free time, Megan loves listening to podcasts, reading, spending time outside, and watching Say Yes to the Dress. If you have an article you'd like to share on the LiveFit Blog, contact us.
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