Sweating Together
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — It's hot and sticky outside, all your friends are at the beach or at brunch. It's tempting to blow off a workout, but getting sweaty with your significant other definitely ups the fun factor and makes it easier to stick to. We asked some of our favorite swolemates (that's Internet speak for soul mates who like to get swole, as in muscular or swollen, together) about the creative ways they sneak in a workout and how it has improved their relationships.
MAKE IT FUN
Giuliana and Bill Rancic started working out together 11 years ago when they started dating and have been sweating together ever since. Their Instagram feed is full of cute photos of them water skiing, boating, golfing and carb loading at their restaurants RPM Italian in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Giuliana: “Bill and I recently started playing Pickleball regularly and (we) love it. It's like tennis meets pingpong and is a great workout and can get very competitive as well. We play it on outdoor courts, which is perfect for us since we both love being out in the sun. We also love to hike together or go to the gym together when the weather isn't great outside. He's the best workout partner I could ask for.”
Bill: “Working out as a couple is another way to be together while doing something that is good for you. Even if your workweek is too busy, plan to set aside an hour each weekend to either go to the gym, play a sport or take a hike. At the very least, a walk around the neighborhood is a great way to get some exercise and reconnect.”
SCHEDULE A WORKOUT DATE
She's a fitness trainer to stars like Ryan Seacrest, Kelly Ripa and Shakira. Anna Kaiser and her husband, Dr. Carlos Wesley, who are new parents, love to stay active, especially when they travel. They've been spelunking in Riviera Maya, hiking through the Amazon rainforest; have paired up for a relay mini-triathlon in Montauk, N.Y., and created their own running tour of Paris and London.
Carlos: “Last Sunday, my mom came over to watch the baby and we headed into Central Park together for 45 minutes. We created an interval workout that alternated between short runs and a series of four exercises. (Run for seven minutes, then pushups, burpees, side planks, teasers, each exercise performed for one minute, then run for six minutes and perform each exercise for 45 seconds and so on.) I monitored the time and Anna led the workout sections. We had the best time and came back to the apartment better parents than when we left.”
Anna: “We are new parents and we don't have much time outside of work and baby duties. So it can get frustrating not to get time to focus on ourselves, or one another. Working out not only gets us out of the house, but it helps us get physical together, push ourselves harder than we would if we were solo, and achieve a short-term goal that we have to work toward together. Plus, I think it's sexy to see him work out and push himself.”
FRIENDS THROUGH FITNESS
Fitness has always been the foundation of George and Jamie Hess' relationship. He even proposed on the treadmill at Barry's Bootcamp class. The couple, who are public relation execs, chronicles their fitness journey to 25,000 Instagram followers through (at)NYCfitfam as a side gig. They say working out has helped them both lose weight and discover new things. They ran their first 5K three years ago and fell in love. Last year, they ran the NYC Marathon together.
George: “Our date nights are now date days. While most people hire a baby sitter in the evenings, we hire ours on weekend mornings so we can head outdoors and share some fitness time and then grab a quick healthy bite on the way home. It's so much more gratifying for us than having a “date night” dinner where we eat indulgent food and then regret it when our pants don't fit the next morning.”
Jamie: “I would recommend finding something you love to do together, like a boot camp or spin class, and then sign up for that a few days a week. Not only does the routine help with consistency, but another cool by-product is making friends as a couple. Now that we have to juggle childcare (meaning they have to trade off mornings at the gym), we set aside time on Sunday nights to go over our schedule for the week to make sure we both get in all the workouts we need. The most important thing is scheduling the workouts and then making them non-negotiable.”
