Today’s guest post is by Pamela Hernandez. Pamela is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and an ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach. Today, Pamela writes about how you can strengthen your relationship by working out as a couple. Pamela is the owner of Thrive Personal Fitness. Follow her healthy weight loss and fitness tips on twitter: @thrivefit. She is ThriveFit on DailyBurn.

My husband is a fitness buff like I am. He likes to lift weights and hit the Stairmill. He eats clean (most of the time) and focuses on taking care of his body. We weigh in every Sunday morning, comparing notes and sharing progress against our goals. If I try a new recipe he’ll eat it without complaint. (However, I know if he doesn’t eat the leftovers then he really didn’t like it.)

I’m lucky.

I realize that for a lot of women who are trying to start a fitness journey this is not the case. There can be a subtle tug of war between workouts and quality time with their significant other. Disagreements can arise about who is going to take care of the kids while you hit the gym or the new healthier meals showing up on the dinner table. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Exercise and time together as a couple doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition.

You don’t have to sacrifice “traditional meals” to be healthy. Fitness, specifically exercise, can be a boon to your marriage. It can provide time just for the two of you and create a common bond. It can also improve both of your chances to sticking to an exercise program. Studies indicate that social support can have a significant impact on exercise adherence. One study indicated that married couples who attend fitness classes together have a much higher rate of attendance than those who attend without their spouses.

Instead of nagging or arguing, I suggest using some more subtle methods to get your mate to go along for the ride. Here some simple tips to turn your fitness journey into a journey for two:
 

• Set a goal together. Sign up for an event like a half marathon. Or perhaps set a goal to lose a certain amount of weight as a couple. Create a plan to reach your goal as well as reward that you’ll both enjoy, like a beach vacation or a new television. The money you would spend on unhealthy junk food can be saved to your reward fund.

 

• Focus less on the workout and more on the time together. There are many things couples can do together outside of the gym that will provide fitness benefits. Try a martial arts class or ballroom dancing lessons. The emphasis should be on the activity and time together, not on the exercise factor. This works great when your husband (or wife) is less than enthused about hitting the gym.

 

• Take date night to the kitchen. Grab a new cookbook or search recipes online. Make plans to send the kids to the sitter and then spend the evening cooking together at your very own candle lit table. Not only will you be able to try healthy foods together but you’ll save more money to add to your reward fund.

 

• Defuse stress. After a hard day nothing beats going for a walk with my husband. The sunshine and fresh air help lift both our moods and we can talk out the problems of the day without the distraction of television or internet. iPhones stay at home, too.

 
I am a firm believer that the strongest relationships are built on having common interests and goals. Being healthy and fit can satisfy both of those requirements. And an added side benefit is a little boost to your “romantic” life as well. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Thanks for your post today, Pamela! Readers: how to you stay healthy and fit in a relationship?