Work Out with Your Partner

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:32:58 +0000

Working out with your significant other can be a terrific way to intensify a relationship, but if done incorrectly, it can also do damage. Here are a few strategies to follow-and situations to avoidâ€”the next time you hit the gym with your loved one.

Do Something New
Pick an activity that neither of you have tried; that way you’ll both experience the novelty, pitfalls, and satisfaction together. If you find something that you can both do at different paces, then you don’t have to worry about keeping up. Try a cycling class or sign up together for popular programs like CrossFit cycling or SPX Fitness.

Work Together
If you see your partner hitting a fitness plateau, here’s your chance to jump in. Do they respond to motivational you-can-do-it cheerleader speeches or does a tough-love pep talk get their blood pumping? Finding this out is crucial for the longevity of a relationship, both in and out of the gym. Another technique that can bring you closer: Put the same playlist on your iPods and use the song changes as cues to switch up the pace. You’re doing your own thing, but experiencing it together.

Take Control
Even if you’re not at the same fitness level, you can still take turns planning the workout. If you both go to the gym, lead a circuit training session. If you’re runners, then map out a new trail.

Don’t Show Off
Being competitive is great, but nothing positive can come from gloating. The reason you’re working out together is to grow the relationship in a new domain, so it doesn’t matter who wins MVP.

Don’t Forget Your Goals
Your own personal goals are still very important. If you’re training for a race and need to stick to a schedule, then only workout as a pair on non-training days. Otherwise, set a goal and reap the rewards together.

Build a Healthy Meal

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 07:19:02 +0000

“Try this mix-and-match concept,” says Curtis Stone, host of TLC’s Take Home Chef. “Just pick an ingredient from each section and you have a fast, easy dinner. Even if you use just a few of the ingredients on hand you can create different flavors and textures.” (These amounts serve two people.)

PROTEIN
8 oz. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Grilled, roasted, or cooked in a nonstick pan

8 oz. Halibut
Pan-seared, oven-baked, or grilled

8 oz. Beef Sirloin
Grilled, pan-roasted, or broiled

8 oz. Peeled and Deveined Shrimp
SautÃ©ed, grilled, poached, or steamed

STARCHES
1 Cup Lentils
Cooked in water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock

1 Cup Brown Rice
Cooked in water or stock

6 oz. Whole-Wheat Pasta
Cooked in boiling, salted water

1 Cup Black Beans
Cooked in water or stock

VEGETABLE
1 Cup Broccoli Florets
Steamed, blanched, or sauteed

3 Cups Baby Spinach
Sauteed or steamed; you can also throw it raw into whatever you’re cooking, like pasta

1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
Raw, roasted, grilled, or sauteed

3 Cups Mixed Greens
Any type, raw

SAUCES
1/2 Cup Homemade Tomato Sauce

1/2 Cup Homemade Pesto

1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 Cup Olive Tapenade

1000 Shapes of A Female

Work Out with Your Partner

Build a Healthy Meal