Happy Valentines: Why Couples Workouts Work

Happy Valentines Day! Here at Zims we believe in cultivating a healthy active lifestyle, and if we are lucky enough to have a significant other this Valentines Day he or she can be a big help in achieving our fitness goals.

There are several benefits to setting fitness goals with our partners:

1. Companionship- ever since Adam was lonely in the Garden of Eden human beings have worked best in teams rather than solo journeys. A partner or friend can help encourage us when the fitness is difficult. They can distract us with fun conversation. Studies have even shown we can fall in love with our partner more as we exercise together! (Psychology Today, 2014).
2. Accountability- setting a fitness goal with another person, especially a spouse, is a great way to keep us accountable for our goals. Some mornings it’s hard to wake up and get going. The last thing we want to do is exercise but the helpful encouragement of a person we love can get us out the door. They can also get us to put down that donut and reach for the fruit at the neighborhood potluck. We can fudge details to a trainer or dietician but not to our spouse

   
   

3.  Better workouts- According to Psychology Today working out with another person actually gives us more energy and makes us exercise harder than we do alone. “Even if you already feel competent doing a particular exercise, bringing along your romantic partner may be a fantastic way to boost your energy output. Your partner’s presence will improve your speed, without you necessarily being aware of their influence” (Psychology Today, 2014)
4. Shared Memories- exercise goals are a lot of work and rather than sharing this intense experience with bland people at the gym why not share it with the person you love most? For example, if you have a goal to run a marathon, doing it with your partner will not only give you a shared memory of finishing the race but all the mini-runs along the way to prepare.

There are many other reasons that exercising with your partner is a great idea and perhaps the most romantic way to celebrate Valentine’s Day the whole year round! If you want some fun ideas for specific workouts you can do together as a couple check out this article from Cosmo magazine click here.

Have you had success exercising with your partner? Does it make it more fun or do you prefer a solo fitness regimen? Let us know in the comments section!