Twice as Nice
By BETSY DEMITROPOULOS
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| David and Lisa Koester began working out together after the birth of their daughter, Elisabeth. Personal trainer Craig Kastning (background) at Premier Fitness Solutions in Algonquin says having a partner to work out with makes people more accountable. (Photos by DAVE SHIELDS) |
Let’s face it — life is busy.
It’s so busy that it can become difficult for a couple to find time to exercise in between family obligations, work and all of life’s other challenges.
So, why not do it together?
Experts say exercising as a couple has many benefits and offers partners a great way to spend quality time together while getting in shape. Working out with a significant other can boost the bond between partners and improve their relationship.
That’s why more and more couples are hitting the gym, running trails or yoga studios in tandem.
Craig Kastning, a certified personal trainer and co-founder of Premier Fitness Solutions in Algonquin, says people are more likely to stick to an exercise program when they have a partner.
“Accountability is the No. 1 reason people fail in workouts,” he says.
“[Having] a partner will not let this happen.”
Working out with a partner can help people make sure they keep a workout appointment. If they don’t show up, they’ll probably hear about it from their workout partner.
And what if a workout partner happens to be your wife? No husband likes to disappoint his wife, especially not David Koester of Lake in the Hills.
Koester, 28, and his wife Lisa, 27, got in the best shape of their lives for their wedding day in the fall of 2010. They felt so great that they wanted to continue working out together after they got back from their honeymoon.
Shortly after their wedding, Lisa Koester became pregnant with their daughter, Elisabeth, who is now 6 months old. Lisa Koester says she gained about 40 pounds during her pregnancy, while her husband gained a little “sympathy weight,” too.
The couple promised each other they would start working out together with a personal trainer after their daughter was born and would get back into regular workouts again. As first-time parents, they realized it would be challenging to work out together, but they still make it a priority because they want to set a good example for their daughter. It also keeps them healthy, and it’s good for their relationship.
“You both feel better, and when you feel better, you think clearer and produce a positive energy to those around you,” Kastning says.
The Koesters work out together with a personal trainer at Premier Fitness Solutions on Tuesday and Thursday nights while Lisa Koester’s mom babysits Elisabeth. Although the workouts are only about 30 minutes long, the couple says they’re exhausted because their sessions are very intense.
“We are both dying out there together,” David Koester says.
“We are each other’s motivation.”
Having her husband as her workout partner definitely helps keep Lisa Koester motivated during her workouts. She says if she were to work out alone, she might be more inclined to skip some reps or work out less vigorously. But with David there, she really can’t.
“I like working out with my husband,” she says. “He knows how to push himself, and he knows how to push me.”
David Koester says he’s very impressed not only by how hard his wife pushes herself during a workout, but also by the fact that she often finishes the same amount of repetitions for an exercise as he. He’s proud of his wife and says the results she has gotten from working out are “phenomenal.”
He’s seeing some great results, as well. After six months of workouts at Premier Fitness Solutions, both Koesters are back to their “pre-baby” weights.
Kastning says one of the greatest benefits of working out with a significant other is having someone there who cares about your well-being and can understand the process of what you’re going through.
He says the Koesters truly realize this benefit of working out together. They’re very supportive of each other and work out very hard together because being fit and healthy is something they want not just for themselves, but also for each other, he says.
Kastning says it’s not always easy to make working out with a spouse actually work out. He offers the following tips for making exercising and living a healthy lifestyle with a spouse a reality:
• Praise and encourage! Compliment each other’s accomplishments and be happy for one another.
• It’s OK to indulge occasionally! Allow each other one “cheat” meal together and enjoy the tasty treats.
• Let the trainer be the trainer! If you and your spouse are working with a trainer, don’t try to do the trainer’s job and offer tips as to how the other person should do an exercise. Offer positive support to your partner, but let the trainer do his or her job.
To make the most of the time at the gym, Kastning recommends couples work with a personal trainer who can create a unique program that benefits both parties and allows each person to reach results.
While working out with a partner can add enjoyment to the time spent at the gym because individuals aren’t sweating alone, Kastning says a couple needs to focus on their workout and offer words of encouragement while they get the job done.
“Save small talk for post-workout,” he says. “And do work at the gym!”
