Share This Article!

Do you feel more motivated when you’re working out with your hubby or BFF? To inspire your next exercise session, Inspirations & Celebrations‘ Fitness Contributor, Jacqueline Hinton (a Los Angeles based Pilates instructor and the CEO of the Pilates lifestyle brand Good Citizen) shares her favorite workouts that people can do together.


In celebration of Valentine’s Day this week, it’s time to get moving—with your significant other (or best friend, mom, sister, etc.). We all know that working out takes time out of your day, and sometimes you’d just rather spend that time with the one you love. But, skipping a workout doesn’t benefit anyone; so spend that time together, and make it count by getting sweaty with the ones you love.

Workouts That People Can Do Together

Fitness for Two - Workouts That People Can Do Together

Any exercise can be done together, but here are a few of my faves: take a run on the beach at sunset, find a beautiful local hiking trail, try a Pilates duet session, check out couples yoga, or maybe even find your stride at a dance class. Whatever you choose, exercising together will get you in sync with your significant other. And the health benefits aren’t that bad either. “Working out with someone increases your happiness with your relationship, improves the efficiency of your workouts, makes your partner fall in love with you, helps you achieve your fitness goals, and increase your emotional bond,” according to Psychology Today

So, how can you motivate each other to get in your best shape possible? Well, that’s easy: make it a friendly competition! Set up challenges for each other.  Whoever wins gets a free dinner one night, or maybe another night, the loser does the dishes. Whatever it is, keep it fun because it’s a win-win either way, as you are spending time together AND getting fit. Plus, a little healthy competition can bring back that playfulness in your relationship. Flirting is FUN! 

Fitness for Two - Workouts That People Can Do Together

Staying healthy isn’t just about working out. It’s just as much about what you put into your body. A healthy diet is a key to hitting those fitness goals. So, help each other by sitting down together and setting up a meal plan for the week. The best part is you can try new recipes and even prepare them together. My favorite way to cook for the week is how my husband cooks dinner and always makes extra so we have leftovers for lunch the next day. That’s one less meal we have to worry about and you get to eat the same thing again, even if you are both at work and can’t eat lunch together. And It just might remind you of the fun you had the night before preparing the meal. 

Maybe most importantly, exercising and doing activities together can improve your communication skills with your significant other. According to theconversation.com, when we watch someone else do the same thing at the same time as us, our brain ends up with a merged sense of them and us. It feels like we “become one.” It turns out that when you synchronize even a small movement, like the tapping of your finger in time with someone else, you feel closer and more trusting of that person than if you had tapped out of time. So get to synchronizing your movements with your partner’s for a better connection both in the gym and in the kitchen.

For more workout ideas and tips, visit the Fitness section on Inspirations & Celebrations.


Fitness Contributor: Jacqueline Hinton

Contributor Jacqueline HintonJacqueline Hinton is a Los Angeles based Pilates instructor, the CEO of the Pilates lifestyle brand Good Citizen, and a professional dancer with a BFA in Dance from The University of Texas at Austin. Jackie has over a decade in the Pilates industry and has forever changed the world of Pilates by creating the original personal Pilates loop. As a fitness contributor to Inspirations & Celebrations, Jackie shares exercise and fitness tips to help you shape and sculpt your body.


[Image credits: Pexels; Inspirations & Celebrations]

 


Share This Article!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.