Ready, Set, ... Activate your family and relationships! article 2

Are you the runner, gym rat, triathlete, or walker that wants more than anything to convince those around you to take the step towards a healthier lifestyle? Are you the "I used to be fit back when" and would like to feel that energy again? Do you stand with your nose to the glass (so to speak) knowing you should take healthier steps but don't know how you could fit it in? I will be sharing a series of three articles from ACE that may help you do just that. They will focus on 1. family 2. your significant other and 3. you. Enjoy!

(click title for link or read article below)

Couple’s Personal Training—Fitter Bodies, Stronger Relationship

Do you and your loved one regularly carve out quality time for each other? Are you both getting enough exercise to feel healthy, fit and energized? If the answers are not a resounding yes, couple’s personal training could bring you closer. Sharing a workout is a great way to enjoy some together-time and paves the way to a healthy, active lifestyle.

Accountability and Focus

Your odds of sticking with an exercise program go way up, if your significant other is on board. Whether it’s getting up early for a run or lifting weights after work, following through is much easier when your partner is with you. Committing to a couple’s personal training program helps establish fitness as a shared priority and gets you working toward a common goal. You’ll merge your schedules to meet with a personal trainer, and in between sessions, you’ll help each other stay on track.

Dual Purpose

Whether you’re both already active or new to exercise, your trainer will develop custom exercise plans tailored to your needs as individuals and as a couple. Planning a vacation that involves a lot of walking or hiking? Expecting a baby? Training for a fun run? Remodeling your home? Your trainer will take into account whatever is going on in your lives to create a realistic and sustainable plan to help you reach your goals.

Social Support Matters

The value of social support can’t be overstated. Numerous studies show it’s a big factor in successful behavior change. It stands to reason that the person you share your life with has a huge influence on your lifestyle, for better or for worse, and research supports this. Weight loss studies show that when subjects participate in lifestyle interventions, their spouses also lose significant amounts of weight.
Couple’s personal training taps into the power of social support by enabling you to support each other’s fitness efforts in a very focused way. Because you’re in the gym sweating it out together, you’ll gain new insight into each other’s strengths and weaknesses and learn how to offer support.

Enrich Your Relationship

Couple’s personal training will boost more than your fitness level. You’ll have something new to talk about, laugh about and be proud of—together. Research shows that devoted couples who share new and interesting experiences report higher levels of relationship satisfaction than those who don’t. And here’s the bonus: As you become more fit, you’ll be able to enjoy adventures that you wouldn’t dream off participating in when you were sedentary.

Romance + Fitness

Over the long haul, combining romance and fitness can really lift your relationships to new healthy heights. Share an activity and strengthen your bodies while boosting your love life. Couple’s personal training really connects you with your loved one, improves your body image, your mood and your love life.

Additional Resources

How to Choose a Personal Trainer — American Council on Exercise
IDEA FitnessConnect — IDEA Health & Fitness Association
The Best Kind of Couples Therapy — The Cleveland Clinic