Love and marriage may be good for the soul, but when it comes to physical fitness, many couples live in sickness rather than in health.
Those are the findings of a newly released British study commissioned by the Department of Health suggesting that married people exercise much less than their single counterparts.
This research was carried out in England, but we see the same patterns in this country and in our state as well.
In fact, several previous studies, including one from University of North Carolina, have shown that married couples are twice as likely to become obese due to their inactivity.
The question is why married individuals are less physically active than singles. One of the reasons cited by the study is that, for some people, getting married and settling down means they can let themselves “go.” Being in great shape may not seem as important to them anymore.
Another reason, researchers say, is that married people lead busy lives focused on work and family obligations. When leisure time is limited, physical fitness becomes less important; it takes a back seat.
However, no matter how hectic our lives are and how many responsibilities we juggle every day, we can still find time to fit in some exercise into our schedule. Too often people fall into the trap of thinking that just because they are busy, they have no time to exercise. But all it takes is motivation, creativity, and planning.
We suggest getting busy married couples moving and shaking:
Make fitness a priority: Being married is no excuse for slacking off. Just because you are in a committed relationship now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look and feel great.
Plan: Schedule your workout sessions ahead of time, just as you would any other important appointment. As the saying goes, ‘failing to plan is planning to fail.
Include your spouse: If you complain about the lack of quality time with your significant other, go on ‘fitness dates.’ There is a great motivational aspect to exercising as a team. Ask a trainer to show you some exercises that couples can do together.
Choose wisely: If your time is limited, ask a professional fitness instructor to demonstrate the most time-efficient, structured total-body workout that includes essentials such as cardio and strength training. We offer both online and in person training, so remember it can be done anywhere any time!
Have fun: Don’t look at exercise as a chore or a burden on your time, but as a positive, bonding experience with your partner. You will get healthier and fitter without sacrificing quality ‘couple’ time.