[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/pulling-your-weight\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/pulling-your-weight\/","headline":"Pulling Your Weight","name":"Pulling Your Weight","description":"Pulling Your WeightFitness experts weigh in on motivating your partner By L.A. Jones Not sharing health and fitness habits is a big compatibility issue for...","datePublished":"2010-04-29","dateModified":"2021-06-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/#Person","name":"Equally Wed","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/","identifier":787,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/health-fitness-gay-wedding-pulling-your-weight-diakadi-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/health-fitness-gay-wedding-pulling-your-weight-diakadi-1.jpg","height":511,"width":355},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/pulling-your-weight\/","about":["Fitness & Health"],"wordCount":704,"articleBody":" Pulling Your WeightFitness experts weigh in on motivating your partnerBy L.A. JonesNot sharing health and fitness habits is a big compatibility issue for couples. If getting in shape for the wedding is an A-list priority for you, but it isn\u2019t even a blip on your honey\u2019s radar, what can you do? \u201cIt\u2019s probably one of the toughest things that I have clients run into in terms of helping them meet their goals,\u201d says Billy Polson, co-owner and founder of Diakadi Body, a Bay Area gym and wellness center.\u201cIf you\u2019re in a couple and what he wants to do is drink margaritas on the beach all weekend and you want to go kayaking, it really becomes a tricky line to walk.\u201d Photo courtesy Diakadi BodyHopefully, your partner will be glad to accommodate you, even If it means breaking out of his or her comfort zone. But if your partner is completely new to healthy living, Polson suggests seeking personalized guidance. \u201cFind a very experienced trainer who can make an assessment of where he or she is and make a recommendation based on his or her body\u2019s needs.\u201d Bringing in a third party has other advantages too. \u201cThe biggest mistake people make when motivating their partner is to do it in a bossy or nagging way,\u201d says Allison Pelot, a personal trainer with Pure Energy Wellness in Winter Park, Fla. Feedback that might be interpreted as hostile or bossy coming from you is just professional advice from a trainer.One tip both trainers identified as crucial is leading by example. People are often motivated by their partner\u2019s success. \u201cThey see improvement in your looks and happiness, and start being more involved,\u201d Polson says. \u201cIf people can take even the smallest of changes and see the difference in how that makes them feel, it kind of organically happens.\u201dTake your relationship in a healthy direction with these fun activities: 1. Biking. Provides great low-impact cardio: pick a local nature trail or scenic park to explore together.2. Dog-walking. If you share a love of animals, adopt a pooch together and take him on long daily strolls.3. Qi Gong. Rhythmic and calming, this is a fun practice to take up with your partner.4. Salsa dancing! Latin dances are high-energy, fun and sexy.5. Tantric Yoga. Interlocking asanas enhance intimacy and boost endorphin levels.6.Thai Massage. It feels great, increases flexibility and helps relieve the stress of wedding planning.Pelot agrees, suggesting simple lifestyle changes first: \u201cMake the switch to organic, start taking time for yourself each day, drink lots of high quality water and get to bed early,\u201d she says, \u201cThe best way to have a positive influence on your partner is to be the change you want to see in others.  You have to live it first.\u201dPelot and Polson both emphasize that the key to motivating your partner is staying strong in your personal resolve. Ultimately, a relationship that leads you to compromise your personal ambitions and desires will lead to heartache and frustration.\u201cMaintain your own goals first of all,\u201d says Polson. \u201cPeople lose themselves and are not able to hang onto their goals when they are trying to please the other person too much.\u201dThis is an especially easy trap to fall into when a partner is resistant to change. \u201cSuccess and failure weigh heavily on whether the partner wants to get in shape,\u201d says Polson, who recommends that the motivated party make it a date: \u201cThere are lots of things people can do with their partner.\u201d If you\u2019re facing an uphill battle, he recommends adopting a cloak and dagger approach. Camouflage exercise as a way to spend time together. \u201cAs the lead person, look at your schedule of things you want to do each week. Say it\u2019s three gym workouts and two cardio. Make the cardio a bike ride and a hike together,\u201d says Polson. Pelot seconds this idea. \u201cIf you are going for a walk, invite your partner to join or go for a hike together,\u201d she says. \u201cMake it fun and exciting.\u201d Bonus: If approached tactfully, nudging your partner to improve their fitness will strengthen more than just your bodies."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Pulling Your Weight","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/pulling-your-weight\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]