Over the last few years, my family and I have dealt with a lot on the health front.
- My son was diagnosed with a spinal cord issue. I had a near death.
- I had a near death experience due to a heart condition (you can read the full story here)
- My wife battled breast cancer (read her story here).
- And that’s just the health issues with those who live under our roof.
When confronted with these types of crises, you’re forced to look at your health. So to say healthy living is a priority with us would be putting it mildly. Healthy living is woven through everything we do, everything we eat, and most conversations we have.
This mindset has also lead to a phenomenon we call the Sweat Date.
What is a Sweat Date?
As we have traveled this road to health, my wife and I have begun working out together on a regular basis. We’re both fitness coaches, so these workouts are often conducted at our house. But whatever the workout, we are spending between 30-60 minutes with each other—pushing, motivating, teasing, and sweating together.
These workouts have become my favorite part of the week. And when I stop to think about it, there are five key benefits to these sweat dates with my wife.
1. Feel Better
This might be obvious, but it’s true. There is plenty of research out there about the effect of exercise on mood, mental health, and physical well-being.
More than all of that, doing something with your spouse for the long term benefit of you both is uniquely rewarding. There’s something to simply sharing the fight.
2. More Relationship Security
It is amazing to me how many men are insecure about their wife getting in shape. Why would a spouse ever be against their significant other getting healthier?
But I can assure you, it is a real occurrence and happens way more often than you would expect. However, a shared journey to being fit builds bonds of security in a relationship as couples travel the road together.
3. Time Spent Together
My wife and I have a blast when we work out together. It’s between 30-60 minutes where we are sharing an experience, working towards a common goal.
4. Healthier Eating
When you focus on health together rather than just exercise, you have to spend time on your diet. This is much easier when you are attacking it as a team.
Meals can be prepared for the family, not just for an individual who is ‘dieting.’ If you are going through the effort of putting in the exercise, you are way less likely to want to compromise those gains by letting your diet go to pieces.
5. The Side Benefit
Let me spell this out for you—you are exercising, building confidence and connection together. When you exercise, endorphins are released improving mood as well as health. You are sharing experiences together.
All of these contribute to a heightened sense of connection in all kinds of ways. Yeah, we call them dates for a reason. I promise you, if you make your family’s health a priority together, your relationship will grow in all of the right ways.
Reposted with permission. Read the original post here.
