Sweating With Your Sweetheart: 3 Reasons Getting Fit Is Better With Your Significant Other

Your buttercup, your honey bun, your one-and-only — Today, we’re adding a new pet name to the list: Your fitness partner.

As it turns out, committing to a healthy and fit lifestyle with your significant other is a great method for keeping yourself motivated and your goals on track. The benefits go beyond becoming a healthier couple; they can strengthen your relationship as much as your muscles. If you’re looking for an excuse to get your SO up and moving, try making it a team effort!

Chasing a common goal together is not only easier, but makes the journey getting there much more fun. In this article, we outline exactly why you and your partner can turn your #goals into a #transformationtuesday.

1) Discipline is Easier with Constant Motivation

The most obvious benefit to training and living healthy with your significant other is the ability to motivate each other in ways you wouldn’t be able to motivate yourself. You should become each other’s “pre-workout,” inspiring the other to push through the lethargic feelings and get a move on.

While many people prefer to lose weight on their own, going at it with a special friend has some huge benefits. For one, they can monitor your eating habits — even when you’re craving that 2AM cheeseburger. Your attitudes should encourage each other to push through the cravings to make a smart choice. Whether it’s a family party or a night on the town, you’ll always have someone to stop you from over eating or drinking.

You could even foster in a healthy dose of competition, winner-take-all style. Try incentivizing each other to be more active throughout the day. For example:

· Whoever’s pedometer shows a lower step count at the end of the day must cook dinner that evening.

· Every time either of you loses 5 pounds, you get a 30-minute massage or foot rub from the other.

· When you collectively lose a certain amount of weight, you get a special date night at your favorite restaurant.

You’ll also receive honest feedback, something very unique to having a relationship with your fitness partner. Whether it’s your squatting form or your choice of fries over a side salad, your significant other will be there to remind you of your goals (and the rewards for achieving them).

2) Same Goals = Same Mind Set = More Fun

One the most unique benefits of committing to fit with your partner is that you’ll both have the same goal-oriented mindset. This gives both of you the chance to reciprocate encouragement, and in the process create a healthy atmosphere to live in.

Being on the same page makes healthy decision-making incredibly easier. Acting as each other’s voice of reason to encourage healthier lifestyles is a great motivator for making better choices, and will eventually become second nature.

If you live together, you’ll be less tempted to keep unhealthy foods in the house.

You could begin to cook healthier meals, suggest more active recreational activities, or even just challenge each other to do some extra push-ups before bed.

A Sunday of Netflix and chill can easily turn into a hike at your local state park. Spaghetti and meatball night can become Taco Salad night. Even watching TV can turn into a competition, like “How many commercials can you hold a plank for?”

It’s like having your very own Jiminy Cricket, but one you can cuddle with. You’ll soon realize that exercising, eating clean, and being active with each other, is not only easier, but a helluva lot more fun!

3) It’ll Strengthen Your Relationship

Couples are not often put on the same team and challenged to do a similar task. Of course, living together is very much a team effort, but adding a few clearly outlined goals to chase together is bound to strengthen your bond. Motivating each other to live the healthiest life possible will spill over into other areas of your life. Soon you’ll be cruising through challenges as a healthy, motivated power couple, taking on whatever the world throws at you, together.

In a weight loss or fitness journey, you’ll face challenges together, learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and you’re guaranteed to spend more quality time together. If you both enjoy the gym, try assigning one another to pick the workout for that day — whatever exercises the other person selects must be done. This gives you both a chance to lead the workout and explore different exercises, stretching and strengthening different muscles in the process. If your partner likes to weight train, try taking them to yoga. If he or she can’t get enough of yoga, try a Zumba or spin class. Whatever workout you choose, you’ll have someone to push you (or suffer with you) through it.

If you and bae are just beginning your journey, start by mapping out your goals together over the course of 6 months. Set achievable goals for every 2 weeks, and then establish new rules to live by for getting there.

Some examples could be walking at least 30 minutes a day for 2 weeks straight. Another could be 2 weeks of planking before bed, adding 10-seconds onto your previous time every night. Even buying a blender and committing to drinking one smoothie a day for 2 weeks can be an easily achievable goal for you and your sweetheart.

Deciding to chase a healthy lifestyle with a partner can be one of the most gratifying choices you make in your life. Having a partner to eat with, challenge, and celebrate milestones with can make weight loss an awesome experience and inspire you to live a healthier lifestyle.

Best of all, you’ll be able to watch each other succeed, celebrating every step of the way. If you’re looking for a fun, easy way for you and your partner to lose weight, look no further than the other side of the bed. ;)