Fully-booked restaurants, cards and flowers…love it or hate it, Valentine’s day is upon us. Although I believe in celebrating V-day year-round (so I’m a little corny, what can I say), the holiday definitely does give couples an excuse to regroup and reconnect. So I thought, why not take a moment to also assess the healthfulness of your relationship…that is, whether your relationship does, in fact, contribute to your health?
Now I’m no relationship expert, so I drew inspiration from my own experience, from friends, Facebook and Twitter friends and put together a list of habits of healthy couples. And who knows…maybe these habits could benefit your actual relationship, too!?
Habits of healthy couples
They have healthy communication
Good, open dialogue is a pillar of any solid relationship and when it comes to living healthfully, this means conversing at meals rather than watching television or using your smart phones. It also means talking about your health goals with one another, since this keeps your honest and accountable for them. Finally, it means talking about your struggles and being transparent about when you need support.
They cheer each other on
When I signed-up to my first half-marathon, I did it to challenge myself. And let me tell you, there definitely a few occasions when bad runs and shin splints left me bummed out and had me seriously second-guessing myself. Thankfully though, I had an awesome cheerleader, that kept me going until the finish line.
They keep a healthful home
Healthy couples eat, well, healthfully. Pantry, fridge and freezer are stocked with fresh produce, healthy snacks, staples for last-minute meals and processed foods are kept to a minimum.
They save dining out for special occasions
Dining out too often can take a toll on your health, not to mention your budget. If you notice yourselves eating at restaurants (or ordering in) out of convenience, it might be a sign that your meal planning strategy needs tweaking. Healthy couples focus one homemade meals and keep eating out for special occasions and date-nights.
They make their own fast food
Craving pizza, tacos or fries? Why not stay in and make them together! Schedule a pizza night, build your own tacos or make a batch of sweet potato fries. It’s fun, it gives you complete control over your ingredients and so gratifying when you DIY!
They take “active” commercial breaks
Since couples can spend a great deal of time lounging around, watching television, I love the idea of being active during commercial breaks, an idea that comes from my good friend Cynthia who says her and her man do sets of push-ups before hitting the couch.
They plan to be active
When planning dates or getaways, focus on seasonal activities that will keep them moving like skiing, snowshoeing or skating.
They sweat together
Along with the mood-boosting and health benefits of physical activity, working out with a partner can be especially good for keeping you motivated.
They have independent hobbies
This may sound contradictory to the previous point, but a little separateness can do good for the healthfulness of your relationship. We mentioned that working out together is a great motivator, but you may not always find common ground. You may be passionate about yoga, while it just isn’t their thing. It’s ok to maintain independence in your activities. This keeps you happy, healthy and fulfilled.
They shop, plan and prep
Grocery shopping, meal planning and prepping are essential activities for a healthy running kitchen. Healthy couples know this, so they build these activities into their together-time or, they split the tasks to take a load off one-another.
They promote a healthy body-image
Healthy couples should have healthy thoughts, too. By reminding themselves, and each other, of what they do like about their bodies, rather than point out their flaws, healthy couples help each other feel good in their own skin. Focusing on wellbeing, better habits and progress, rather than looks alone, also promote a healthy body-image.
And here’s what you said when I asked for some of your healthy couple habits:
Training for a specific event together. It was a really nice couple experience, a sense of shared accomplishment. – @cynz13
Planning our meals for the entire week and getting snacks ready in advance (like cutting fruits for example) !! – @Jon_G
We try to always have ready-to-eat fruits, whether they’re frozen or fresh, to munch on when we need a sugar fix! 🙂 – @b_lavallee
Are you a V-day fan? Is your relationship healthy? Do you have any other healthy couple habits to share?
Photo credit: Pinterest
Love this post i agree that having that partner that is supportive and wants to be healthy makes a difference.
In my last relationship, my ex was very unhealthy. It made it so difficult.
I hear you. It makes such a difference and we often don’t realize just how much!
I love this post. I couldn’t agree more. My husband and I are comming up on our 26th wedding Anniversary and 31 years together. We met each other on the track field in High School. We’ve tried to keep each other healthy, I keep feeding him home cooked meals and he keeps me out there and active, even if it’s just an after dinner strole together with the dogs in tow. We eat dinner at the dining table (our kids tell us this is not the norm) and pack our lunches every day, (huge money saver). We have date nights without the kids and shower each other with endearments daily as well as hold hands and kiss publicly. We both work hard and have similar life goals. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing but we except each others faults and chalk it up to growing up. After all, we started our journey together at 17, I hope that I’m more rounded than that little girl of the past and as our bodies age, I know in my heart, my Husband will be there as long as we both shall live.
Myra, so inspiring to know you and your high-school sweetheart are still going strong. I hope, many years from now, my story will resemble yours. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂