Many people exercise with their significant other, whether it be their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife.
I would really like to vouch for this practice. In fact, why not make it a habit?
For starters, working out with your partner motivates you. You may have had a rough week and are in no mood to get your workout in. Having a partner who exercises regularly will want you to do the same thing-especially if that partner is getting the results he or she wants. Let's face it-we are mirror images of who our partners are (literally and figuratively speaking). If one partner consistently binges on junk food, chances are, the other one will do the same thing. If the husband is sedentary and likes to spend his time watching too much television, you can bet the wife is also a couch potato. It is influence at its best and worst. If we live out good, exemplary qualities and our significant other emulates them, then that is positive influence. If it is the other way around, needless to say, that is negative influence.
I know of stories of couples who are going off the right course in life because of influence. There is a woman who was never into gambling but as soon as she started a relationship with a compulsive gambler, she became a compulsive gambler as well. I have an aunt and uncle who eat everything in sight and get little to no exercise. As they grew older, they began to suffer the consequences of their negligence. My aunt is beginning to experience health problems. My uncle shouldn't be too far behind. His belly fat has reached massive proportions. Your own influence is just as powerful on your lover or spouse. You may not realize it, but it is.
Men can get too engrossed in whatever activities they are involved in (I confess that I am not an exception to this). That being said, why not put this to good use? If the man works out regularly and the woman doesn't, the woman may feel left out and neglected. If this is the case, the man should personify his good example even more so that the woman will catch on. Working out or exercising regularly will then become a lifestyle-not just a mere hobby-of the couple. In this scenario, the man's influence served as a springboard which will strengthen his long-term commitment to his spouse (or girlfriend).
I put in early morning workouts myself (depending on my schedule), so my wife can follow suit.
She hasn't.
This doesn't dissuade me at all. I fully understand that her job is physically and emotionally demanding. This doesn't excuse any of us. Exercise is as important as sleep and good nutrition habits. What's good about it is that regardless of how crazy my wife's work schedule gets, she still manages to exercise weekly. In fact, we recently bought a stationary bike which we can use right inside the comfort of our own home. We have different schedules, but that won't stop us from working out together whenever we can.
Motivation is just the tip of the iceberg whenever you exercise with your partner. As I mentioned, another great reason to commit yourselves to this is the camaraderie that is strengthened. Sure, you can work on your marriage and strengthen your bonds while munching on potato chips and flopping on the couch. But you should also look at things in a different light-if you want to enjoy long life and consequently a long and fruitful relationship with your partner, you have to look after your health. No excuses.
Simply put, by exercising as a couple, you strengthen your relationship as well as your physical and emotional well-being. Think about this: how can you enjoy a stable commitment with your partner if your body and mind are whacked out? It is a given that married couples work on their goals together-their ambitions, their children's education and well-being, financial stability, vacations, etc. Seldom do I come across couples who include "physical and emotional well-being" in their list of goals to be accomplished.
It's never too late to get started, right?
