Walking - Couple Time or iPod?

Posted by Tamar F.

Walking - Couple Time or iPod? It's hard to keep motivated to walk every single day. Things come up or I just don't feel like it. I'm a little competitive, so when my spouse says,"let's go walk", I am usually hesitant to send him out by himself. I mean, who wants to be the out of shape half of a couple? I don't want people looking at me like, "How'd she bag him?" So, I walk. But I have become one with my iPod. I love music: I was a violinist growing up and I edit a Southern rock 'zine. The sounds boost my heartrate and my mood. When the endorphins are flowing, it's so much easier to walk! But here's where the dilemma comes in - my spouse feels lonely walking with me when I have my headphones on. He needs the companionship and I need the beat. At one point, we made a deal where I would only use the headphones if I were trudging up some tough hill, when I needed extra motivation. But lately, I feel like I need extra motivation all the time! I don't know why - the weather has been lovely and I'm in better shape. Swimsuit season is approaching and I should have a fire under my feet. But it is what it is. I gotta have my tunes?

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Pedro D.

Maybe you two should walk at different times. Or, place workout goals for yourself and let your partner make a goal for himself as well. Make the goal only attainable if you workout hard and often. Reward yourselves after a good workout together by doing something fun together. Then you're listening to music, working out hard to a goal, and afterwards sharing time together when both of your endorphins are up and you're in a good mood.

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C.L. R.

Yes, exercising with a loved one (if you're not in the bedroom) can be challenging. Typically, you are going to be on very different workout schedules, as boys are built differently than girls. Use your time with him as together time and do your actual work-outs with music on your own. If you find you're not motivated lately, take a look at what's changed. Have you been eating differently? Sleeping too little or too much? These things can always come into play.

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Larissa

Try walking with your spouse and your iPod... just put your headphones around your neck so you hear the music, but you are still able to hold a conversation. Another solution is that he can find another walking partner. My situation is the opposite of you. I want to go on bike rides with my boyfriend, but he enjoys (and prefers going alone). But if I'm at the gym, I don't mind going alone. So we came up with a solution... when I'm at the gym, he goes for a solo ride. If neither of us completes our exercise for the night, we go together.

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Kristen D.

especially my other half. Even though I live in a safe neighborhood, I feel much better walking with someone in the evening after work, when it's most convenient for me to walk around the neighborhood. I'm a naturally fast walker, as is my boyfriend, so we keep each other motivated. And it makes the time pass much more quickly.

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Teresa J.

My husband and I don't have this problem, as we walk together pushing the buggy and talking, but because of that, it's not power walking. For cardio/strength/etc., we take Muay Thai kickboxing together. I also do yoga on the side, but we've been known to do that together as well. We're not usually partnered up in kickboxing, but it's still time together. Perhaps you could find an activity you can both enjoy without the tunes (or with--there's always music blasting at our club), like ballroom dancing or partner yoga or some such activity (that you can both agree on.) As Kristen D. said, working out with your boyfriend or in a group can really motivate you to push it that much harder!

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Swati S.

2. Earlier, when we had just started walking, I used to enjoy walking with my husband. We did not talk much, but it still felt nice. But then we both sort of started listening to music, and went walking separately. Reading this post made me remember that walking together was fun and it felt good to start the day on a together note. Maybe we will go back to walking together, at least a few days in the week.

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