Did you know that training and exercising with your partner can significantly increase your outcomes for both parties? Well now there are no excuses.

Being Valentine’s Day today, what better way to grow closer than to celebrate the day by getting your sweat on… together. The research comes from The University College, London, and reports that couples who changed their habits together were 50% more likely to succeed than those who did it individually. (Jackson, Steptoe, & Wardle, 2015)

So what are the best ways to get your partner out running with you? We’ve surveyed the entire office and have the best tips for you to try.

The gift of giving

There’s no better way to get your partner running with you than purchasing some new chic gear. Whether it be the latest, super-comfortable clothing from On, or some bright, new Cloudsurfers for them to wear. Whether male or female, everybody loves donning some new clothing or accessories, so it’s the perfect opportunity to immediately heighten their motivation.

Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill their husbands…

There aren’t too many pearls of wisdom in the movie, Legally Blonde, but Elle was spot on with this chestnut. If you or your partner are stuck in a rut, getting out and exercising is the answer. Among some other benefits such as Vitamin D increases and cardiovascular health improvements, exercise releases endorphins, which are hormones from the pituitary gland. They help relieve pain and induce feelings of pleasure or euphoria.

Rekindle the Romance…

Running together enables you to explore places you might not have even thought about, taking you to relaxing and inspiring venues (think rainforest trails, white, sandy beaches). These landmarks can lead to heightened levels of oxytocin, the ‘love hormone’, which is realeased from the pituaitary gland after social bonding. Who knows, with the increases in arousal, a quiet running trail could be the perfect spot for a make out session.

Compliment, not criticize…

Give your partner plenty of compliments, and they’ll be feeling more proactive about joining you for a run. For many people, particularly females, the biggest barrier to lacing up for a run is body image and fear of failure. You can boost your partners self esteem by giving them plenty of compliments about how their looking, and how they’d look great in their new clothing (see tip 1).

FITcation…

You could plan your perfect romantic getaway to the city of love, Paris… to run the marathon. Promise your partner a European vacation, but vow to run the marathon together to see the sights from a different vantage point. If Europe isn’t your thing, head to North America to the ‘Big Apple’ and try the New York Marathon.

For your valentines day, try these tips to get your partner running, and watch your relationship blossom to levels you haven’t experienced yet. If nothing else, you’ll at least both have improved your endurance and stamina for those special moments of love.

 

Source:

Jackson, S. E., Steptoe, A., & Wardle, J. (2015). The influence of partner’s behavior on health behavior change: The english longitudinal study of ageing. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(3), 385-392. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7554