Trying to stay fit is a challenge for many of us. Staying motivated is one major factor that often causes us to fall off our exercise regimen before it starts. They say the buddy system is the best way to exercise and stay motivated and what better way to incorporate this idea than to include your significant other? If you’re both looking for a way to stay healthy and fit, doing it together can be a great start.

Not all exercise activities will work for all couples so it’s important to find exercises that will interest both of you. Of course you’ll want to change things up every once in a while to avoid becoming bored. Talk with your sweetie to find out what physical activities you both enjoy as well as hate. If you love to jog and your significant other can’t stand it, chances are this is not an activity that will benefit the buddy system. It’s no fun getting fit if you or your significant other is miserable in the process. Play off your strengths.

You don’t have to be a fitness whiz to come up with exercises you can do as a couple. If you and your significant other like to keep things simple, you can begin working out together by taking a casual walk around your neighborhood or favorite park. Doing this a few times out of the week is a wonderful way for you both to escape familiar surroundings and it also gives you a chance to catch up on life and talk while getting fit. Enjoy a bit of friendly competition? Challenge your sweetie to a game of one-on-one basketball. You don’t have to be an athlete to have a good time dribbling and shooting. If your boyfriend or husband is a huge basketball fan, this is a great opportunity to do something he enjoys and what guy doesn’t find it a turn on to see his girlfriend or wife shooting hoops? The upside to playing basketball together is that it won’t feel like exercise. Just one game will have you sweating and physically involved.

Are you more goal oriented when it comes to exercise? Then try regular gym exercises such as jumping rope. You can both do this activity in your home or at your local gym. Set your timer and see how long the two of you can jump rope consistently without messing up. Start off with jumping rope for 2 minutes and then rest for a minute. Then reset the timer and add an extra minute each time. Or if you’re both feeling up for a challenge, see who can jump rope the longest without messing up for five minutes. You can think of it is a friendly contest for further encouragement.

Another fun exercise you can do as a couple in your home involves the following: find a comfortable place on a carpeted floor (make sure the space isn’t surrounded by clutter or furniture) and sit facing your partner in a sit-up position. Place your feet together and in between your partner’s feet. One of you should have a five pound dumbbell in hand. Start off with both of you lying flat on the floor. Both of you will do a regular sit-up and hand off the dumbbell to your partner. After handing off the dumbbell, go back to your original position on the floor and repeat. This exercise basically involves the both of you doing sit-ups at the same time while doing light weightlifting by passing the dumbbell back and forth to each other.

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