Do you want a healthy marriage? Most couples do. If you’re into fitness, there’s no better way to boost your connection to your spouse that by workout out together.
Working out is great for your relationship and your health. Aside from doing awesome things like giving you abs and promoting a healthy heart, marriage fitness partners can also help you stick with your workouts and be more effective with your exercise.
Of course, to work out as a couple you have to have the right attitude. That means not acting like your spouse’s personal trainer or being judgmental about their routine. You can’t be competitive, either. You want this experience to bring you closer together, not to drive each other crazy.
The couple that sweats together stays together. Here are 6 ways that marriage fitness can strengthen your relationship.
Spend Time Together
One of the best ways to have a healthy marriage is to spend regular quality time with your spouse. What better way to do this than with marriage fitness? Make your workout a daily routine together.
Once you’re at the gym, don’t throw in your headphones and call it a day. Treat your workout as though you’re on a date. Talk to each other, do couples workouts, try crazy new poses and laugh together. This should be a fun outing together, not a time to run side-by-side without any interaction.
Create Accountability
One study, with participants 50 years of age or older, showed that 70% of those who were exercising with their spouse were still doing so after two years. Only a quarter of single participants continued exercising after the two-year span.
Couples are more encouraged to keep up with their fitness routine when they workout with their spouse. Something about sweating with the person you love the most will make you feel more accountable for getting (or staying) fit.
Releases Feel-Good Endorphins
Many people who have bouts of depression are encouraged to exercise more often. This is because as you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals reduce pain receptors in your brain and trigger a euphoric feeling throughout your body that is sometimes compared to taking morphine.
Endorphins are responsible for feelings of happiness and satisfaction. To put this in perspective, other occasions where your body releases these feel-good endorphins include while laughing, having sex, listening to music, eating chocolate, and while having an orgasm. Now that’s some healthy competition!
Exercising is great for your mental health and for the quality of your relationship. The happier you are, the better your marriage will be.
Taking Care of Your Bodies
By engaging in marriage fitness, you’re choosing to take care of your bodies as a couple. There are endless benefits to exercising for both your physical and emotional health. For a start, exercise will help keep you in shape. More importantly, exercising will combat various health conditions.
For example, studies show that working out has many cardiovascular benefits and can help prevent heart disease. Working out 30 minutes each day is also shown to promote sleep efficiency and quality. This means you’ll fall asleep faster and have a more restful slumber than if you didn’t work out that day.
Build Sexual Chemistry
One of the great benefits to marriage fitness is the way it boosts your sexual chemistry. To begin with, exercising promotes a fitter body. While your spouse may not be dying for you to have rippling muscles, a healthy body and the confidence it gives you will boost your spouse’s attraction to you.
Further research shows that women experience arousal during exercise. Sharing in stimulating physical activities has also been shown to boost marital satisfaction and reduce the likelihood of boredom in marriage.
Explore New Places
Nobody says that working out together means you have to go to the gym every morning. Treat your workout like a date and explore new places together. One great way to do this is by hiking in beautiful mountainous terrain or exploring a scenic forest path together.
According to a chart created by Very Well Fit, the average person will burn around 100 calories per mile. This number gets higher the more peaks and valleys your path has. Many couples also enjoy doing runs on the beach or water-based workouts. Whatever option you chose, these are just some of the fun, sexy, and romantic ways to get your workouts in while spending with your spouse.
Improve Workout Efficiency
When you work with a loving partner, it’s like having your own personal cheerleader. Not only can they encourage you during a workout, but they’ll also be able to help you achieve proper form during your workouts. This will make your exercises more efficient and lower your chances of hurting yourself.
There is no doubt that working out with your spouse can make your workout more efficient. One study published by the JAMA Internal Medicine journal found that both men and women are more likely to lose weight if they exercise together. The study went on to say that couples are also more inclined to quit smoking if they were pursuing the fitness goals as their spouse.
Promote a Healthy Marriage
By pursuing a hobby together, studies show that you are promoting a boost in marital satisfaction. Working out together can also contribute to a healthy marriage because of the feedback you give your partner. Cheering them on to push themselves at the gym and giving positive commendation about their progress can make spouses feel sexy and appreciated.
Marriage fitness is a great way to spend quality time with your spouse on a regular basis. This promotes happiness, intimacy, and improves your workout efficiency. By making your partner a part of your daily routine you not only care for your bodies, but you help build a healthy marriage.
Author Bio:
Sylvia Smith is a writer who likes to write about relationships and how couples can revitalize their love lives in and out of the bedroom. She is currently associated with Marriage.com. She is a big believer in living consciously and encourages couples to adopt its principles in their relationships. By taking purposeful and intentional action, Sylvia feels any relationship or marriage can be transformed and truly enjoyed. Follow me on Twitter or Linkedin
