How to workout with your spouse and enjoy it.

Our bodies are living vehicles transporting us through our daily lives. Just like our mechanical counterparts, our bodies require constant maintenance and care too (though of course our bodies are much more fragile and complex). As we all know, regular maintenance can be a tall order while dealing with all that life has to throw at us, and sometimes our spouse, partner, significant other, roommate, or family can be an additional roadblock—or they can be the key to our success!
When health becomes a priority for one individual in a relationship, the other half may not always be on board for the ride, but it’s important to figure out ways to navigate health and self-care together as a team. A support system is key to staying on track, finding balance, and achieving one’s goals in life. Staying healthy and fit is much easier to do together than it is alone! Here are 3 top tips and insights for you and your partner to begin nurturing one another’s journey to healthier habits:

Offer encouragement, not criticism

Focus on encouragement instead of criticizing to avoid making your partner feel badly. Ask supportive questions about exercise or time for physical activity, lunch choices, challenges in consuming a healthy lunch, or root for each other when deciding on something like a side salad instead French-fries.
Try mini-contests about number of steps walked, amount of water drank or new vegetables tried if you’re a more competitive couple. Invite friends and family to participate. Find creative ways to make old favorites healthier, try new recipes or even become healthy-fare foodies.

Lead by example

Don’t nag, push, degrade or judge. Instead, try inviting your partner to participate in exercise with you, but remember that change has to come from the individual. Take control of your health and know that you and you only can do that.

Put on your listening hat

Listening is always a good thing. There may be more than meets the eye to a partner who is resisting a healthier lifestyle. Understanding where the resistance is coming from may be as simple as they feel intimidated and find change difficult. Your partner may just need a little understanding and smaller steps to start.

See the full article here: How to tell your partner it is time to work out (without ending your relationship)