Have you let your healthy habits fall by the wayside since you’ve been in a relationship? Sometimes when we get comfortable and know that we’ve hooked our significant other, the feeling of having to keep ourselves up tends to disappear, and we stop trying as hard.
You might remember a time that happened to you, or maybe you’re in that situation now. Both of you might be in that comfortable place and healthy eating habits and exercise have been replaced with ordering in pizza and wings and nights on the coach watching movies.
Even if you’re in this situation now, you and your partner can get your healthy habits back as a team. You can motivate and support each other in a variety of ways.
Talk About the Whys
Make sure you both want to do it for yourselves. Talk about why you want to improve your health, envision how you will look and feel, and set some goals. Your why might be different than your partner’s, but that’s okay. As long as you both want to do it and are supportive of each other, it’s time to get started.
Put Down the Phone
If you call to order takeout a lot more than you call friends and family, it’s time to put down the phone. Cook healthy meals together. Even if you don’t like cooking, it can be fun to do with your partner. If you have kids, get them involved too. There are countless videos online that show you how. Find one you want to try, go shopping together for the ingredients, and get cooking! You’ll feel great when a nutritious meal you’ve prepared with your own hands tastes delicious. You just might surprise yourselves.
Get Off the Couch
Change up your usual couch time watching Netflix and do something more active. You could
• go outside for a walk or a hike and explore new areas
• take a dance class together
• join a co-ed sports team
• go skiing or snowboarding
• go ice skating
Find something that gets you moving that you like to do together and make a commitment to do it.
Keep it Loving
You or your partner or both of you could slip up along the way. It might be tempting to nag or criticize your partner if they are falling behind or not sticking to the plan, but try not to. Instead, positive, motivating words and behaviours can help them get back on track. Focus on what they (or you) are doing well, and aim to do more of that. Think compliments, not criticism.
It’s Worth It
It feels great when you set and achieve goals. When you make better food choices every day, schedule in more activity, and give and receive support and kudos while doing so, and start feeling better, it will make it all worth it.
And when your friends and family see the positive changes in you and your partner, you just might inspire them to get healthier too.