A healthy and fit lifestyle is one of the key pillars to having a strong, enduring, and passionate relationship with your partner. If you look good you feel good, multiplied by the power of two, you’ll both find yourselves in the best shape of your lives.
When it comes to starting a fit focused lifestyle, motivation and accountability are key factors to being able to maintain that lifestyle for the long haul. It can be very difficult to stay motivated when everyone around you is eating junk and spending their weekends sitting on the couch. The best way to stay motivated is to have an accountability partner and the best accountability partner is your partner!
Starting a healthy lifestyle can be overwhelming so here are some great ways to make it fun and simplify the process. If you need some extra support go check out Amanda Pennino’s article on why working out with your partner is the way to go.
Creating a Health & Fitness Plan for Two
Create Your Goals
You will never reach your goals if you don’t know what they are. Sit down with your partner and talk about your individual goals. Try thinking of both aesthetic goals and health goals for yourself. Great examples are losing 5lbs before that summer wedding you’re going to and compete in a half marathon by the end of summer.
After creating your individual goals, focus on your fitness goals as a couple. This is a great way to keep each other motivated. Plan a three day hiking trip, or decide that neither of you will drink any soda for the next 2 months. If you are both trying to reach the same goal you will both have to endure the same pain, and you will be able to push each other to reach your goals. Your chances of success are far higher together than separate.
Discuss How You Will Reach Your Goals
It is one thing to want to lose 5 lbs and a whole other thing to actually do it. You need to put a plan into action. Talk about the barriers you both face in reaching your goals and brainstorm how to knock those barriers down. Having your partners perspective can help you find creative ways to start getting healthy and fit.
Track Your Progress
Sometimes it is hard to realize you are getting closer to reaching your goals and how far you have come since the beginning. At the beginning of your health journey take pictures, measurements, and be aware of where you started.
Be sure to complement each other on any achievements. Surviving a week of no soda drinking, or fitting into those jeans that used to be too snug are amazing motivators to keep going.
Healthy Eating as a Couple
Changing your eating habits can be a hard adjustment and is one of the biggest challenges when starting a healthy lifestyle. Being able to have your partner by your side and part of this change makes it a million times easier. Check out these great tricks for meal planning and healthy eating as a couple.
Go Grocery Shopping Together
Okay so it doesn’t sound like the most romantic date but you are less likely to give in to the devil on your shoulder if you have your accountability partner standing right next to you.
Before you hit the stores, write down a list of all the healthy items you need to pick up and then stick to it. Focus on fruits, veggies, fish, chicken and some healthy dairy options like Greek yogurt.
Use a Smaller Plate
This trick seems silly but it really works. It is too easy to fill your plate with food and eat everything on it until you are bursting at the seams. If you fill a smaller plate with food you will still be super satisfied and not even realize you ate less, except you won’t feel like you want to die from over eating.
Share your food
Another way to decrease the amount your eating is to share. When you go out to a restaurant, split the french fries or a dessert. Not only will this save you calories, it will save you some money too.
Feeding each other chocolate mousse in a dark corner in the restaurant can now be romantic and healthy!
Healthy Meal Prep Together
Another romantic way to spend time together is in a hot kitchen, getting all your healthy meals for the week ready. One of you chops up some carrots and celery sticks while the other adds salt and pepper to those yummy baked chicken breasts.
Put on your favorite music and do the kitchen dance together. Having pre-packed meals for the week makes it so much easier to make healthy decisions and doing it together makes it less of a chore. You can for example make a Sweet Potato Crust Quiche.
- Sweet Potato Crust Quiche
This delicious recipe is super versatile and will keep you healthy throughout your week. Don’t be afraid to get creative by using different vegetables, cheeses, or adding tofu. Quiche is great for a hearty breakfast, satisfying lunch, or delicious dinner and just gets better as leftovers. Enjoy this quick and easy recipe!
Bring Your Cultures Together
Everyone comes from different backgrounds with amazing food and traditions. Pick out some of the healthier options from your childhood or turn some of your favorite unhealthy meals into healthy ones.
Get creative in the kitchen using spices for flavor and healthy cooking alternatives. Many people discover a new love for cooking they never knew existed and sharing your favorite recipes is a great way to bond.
Getting Fit Together
Working out as a couple is a great way to ensure you will both meet your health and fitness goals. You will stay more accountable when sticking to your work outs, you will be more motivated and you’ll be proud of each other.
Find a Healthy Hobby
Getting fit together is all about finding something you both love doing that keeps you healthy. Do you enjoy hiking, going for long walks, doing CrossFit, or hot yoga? Whatever it is that you like doing together, run with it (haha get it?). Maybe you can’t go hiking every day but if you make that your goal, you will both be more motivated to get into shape so that you can do that 4 day trek in the Appalachians next year.
Notice Each Others Bodies
Nothing keeps you more motivated then your partner nonchalantly grabbing your thigh or bicep and giving a little “mmmm”. Let your partner know that you think them being fit is sexy.
Check them out as they are getting in that last squat at the gym and tell them how much you enjoy being able to be active together. This can be some of the best motivation for couples to stay fit.
Do Some Private Yoga
Discover what your bodies are capable of and have fun with it. There are some awesome couples exercises where you can get a great work out and get closer to each other in new ways. Do some partner stretching or kiss every time you complete a sit-up. These might not be the most effective workouts you have ever done, but they will make you laugh, bring you closer together, and allow your fit lifestyle to become more engrained in your relationship.
Have a Fitness Schedule
You plan dates together, you plan for can’t miss TV shows, you might even plan sex, so why wouldn’t you plan out your workouts.
Having a set time for you both to stop, drop, and get fit, makes it so much easier to stick to it. And if one of you is feeling particularly lazy, your accountability partner will be right there pointing to the clock and telling you to put on your running shoes.
Be Supportive!
Getting fit and eating healthy is one of the best things you can do to improve your relationship right now!
Remember that you’re in this together. You’re doing this so you can feel sexy and healthy. Remember that you are not in competition with each other, do not start to resent your partner’s achievements. Be supportive of each other, especially when you’re feeling tired, sore, or in the mood for a banana split with fudge and caramel.
Be a cheerleader. Complement each other on how firm your butts have become. It’s a great motivator to keep up your new and improved lifestyle. Before you know it you’ll be feeling each other’s muscles and going shopping for sexier clothes together…which will just end up on the bedroom floor anyways.
Share with us what you and your partner done to get fit and healthy together? How has it affected your relationship?
[…] a couple is truly meant to be? They don’t have to plan “date nights” or “couples’ activities” to enjoy time together. So, if you’re in a relationship where spending time together […]
[…] a couple is truly meant to be? They don’t have to plan “date nights” or “couples’ activities” to enjoy time together. So, if you’re in a relationship where spending time together […]
[…] how I know when a couple is truly meant to be? They don’t have to plan “date nights” or “couples’ activities” to enjoy time together. So, if you’re in a relationship where spending time together feels […]
Great article, thank you! I like the part for the healthy eating!
For couple circuit workout, my gf and I love to workout together with our body-weights. We like to do some Tabata / HIIT exercises.
We like the Tabata songs, especially UpTown Funk :
http://tabatasongs.com/brett-fergusons-travel-tabata/
But the whole album is great! You can check it out here : http://tabatasongs.com/tabata-songs-mixtape-vol-1/
Just one question : do you know the name of the exercise where the girl is supposed to turn around the guy without touching the ground? We like to call it “the Monkey” but we don’t really know the real name… If you want to see this exercise on pictures, you can check it out on this free eBook : http://www.fitcoupleworkout.com on page 18.
This is an excellent article! I hope you continue in such articles. We also created some articles about music and exercises. I will be glad to see here too: Workout Music (http://gymradio.com/best-workout-songs) and Tabata Music (http://gymradio.com/best-workout-songs/best-tabata-songs/ ) I will be happy for your opinion and look forward to your other articles. They want a nice day for all readers