Marriage may take men and women off the dating market, but it takes them off the fitness market as well.

According to new research recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, marriage tends to be something of a stumbling block when it comes to helping men and women reach their fitness potential.

Researchers discovered this after following the lifestyle habits of 8,900 men and women (76 percent of the total were men) who met with the researchers regularly to see how their fitness goals were progressing.  The marital status of the men and women varied – some were married, some were single, some were divorced, some were married but got divorced within the three-year study period.

Just as the men and women’s marital status varied, so too did their fitness levels.  Variation became similarity, however, when the researchers associated “fitness” with marital status.

For instance, for women that started out as single and remained single throughout the study, they were more likely to improve their fitness levels (“fitness” was determined by a treadmill exercise that assessed their cardiovascular health).  Similarly, men who were married at the start of the study but divorced by its end, they too improved their fitness levels.

Where fitness declined or remained the same was among the married, re-married and those that got married, with the most precipitous declines occurring among men that were divorced at the start but re-married by the study’s conclusion.

In an email to Reuters, the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Francisco B. Ortega said, “This study provides for the first time evidence that marital transitions are (an) important social stimulus that can influence fitness.  Sometimes these effects are positive and sometimes negative.”

Ortega of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden warns that this is something men and women need to be aware of when seeking a mate.  In other words, Ortega’s not advocating that men and women divorce or stay single, but he is advocating that they be aware of the fitness traps they can fall into if they’re not careful.

Frank’s Take

I echo the good doctor’s sentiments.  I’m not married, but I can certainly understand why men and women who get married tend to lose their drive for health and wellness.  After all, let’s face it:  A major motivator for getting in shape is to attract the opposite sex.  And once attraction’s been achieved, the master motivator loses its luster.

Why should that be, though?  I mean, when you stop and think about it, shouldn’t one’s motivation be on the increase?  This is, after all, the person you’ll be spending the rest of your life with.

For whatever reason, though, the act of marriage has tricked us into believing that by marrying, we no longer need to woo our partners.  That because we’re now married, we can sit back and let ourselves go because our partners will love us no matter how we look.   It’s the classic “Take it or leave it” mentality.

Such an attitude not only robs you of your best self, but it robs your partner.  If your partner is your soul mate, you should always want to look your best.  And that’s best achieved by maintaining a daily exercise regimen.

Now, I grant you, life’s daily tasks tend to get in the way of fitness goals.  Whether it’s work, family obligations or hellacious commutes, there’s often not enough hours in the day to fit fitness into it.  In light of this, here are five ways to fit fitness into your schedule and foster together time!

Exercise Together

Studies indicate that men and women that exercise together are more likely to stick to it for the long haul.  That alone is a good enough reason to exercise together.  But besides that, exercising with your partner is a great way to foster the camaraderie and cohesiveness that’s essential to every marriage.  Sign up for a road race.  Buy some bicycles.  Train for a marathon.  Find something you both can enjoy and go out and do it.

Set a Schedule and Take Turns

Young children to take care of can often make exercising together next to impossible.  If that’s the case, establish a schedule with your spouse so you can watch the young ones while she’s out for a run and vice versa.  People are creatures of habit by their very nature, so setting up a set time and day for running and/or watching kids should help make your plan a reality.

Join a Gym

Oftentimes, sheer willpower isn’t enough to start exercising regularly.  That’s where health clubs come in.  Spending money on a gym membership provides the financial incentive to begin exercising regularly (if you’re anything like me, when you spend your hard-earned money on something, you want to make sure you’re putting it to good use). 
Another perk to joining gym is the daycare service.  Lots of gyms nowadays have daycare centers, so you can workout away while they play away.

Exercise with Other Couples

No doubt you’ve gone on dates with other couples.  Why not workout with other couples?  Exercising with other couples helps provide that extra incentive people often need, as each person is relying on the other for motivation.  Plus, when husbands are maxing out their best bench presses to impress their wives, they’ll need the other husband to help spot them should they need it.

Hire a Personal Trainer

Any health club worth it’s salt will have personal trainers on staff.  Personal trainers are a great resource to go to for health novices, as they can help you make sure you’re performing each repetition with the appropriate form and weight.  But personal trainers are great for fitness freaks, too.  Because the body adapts to exercise programs fairly quickly, the physical benefits eventually plateau.  A personal trainer will help you mix things up a bit so every rep, every stride is getting you closer to your fitness goal.

Source
newsmaxhealth.com