It’s no secret that Dana and I are competitive at the gym. We will gladly beat each other’s times/reps/scores when possible to have bragging rights at home and to keep the gym interesting. But, our desire to live a healthy life together goes far beyond just competing against each other at the gym. Each relationship is different, but here are a few ways that we’ve been able to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle together:

1. We try to keep our competition at the gym healthy. It’s fun to push yourself in a workout to beat the other person (complete with a little playful poking afterwards), but it’s equally as important to celebrate your partner’s successes. It’s hard to encourage and celebrate your partner when they just hit a snatch PR that you’ve been working towards for months (to no avail), but we’ve have learned to encourage each other always, even in moments of our own short falls.

2. It has become extremely important to us to hold each other accountable for showing up to the gym. We are both people that get mentally and emotionally affected when we miss too many gym days, which noticeably affects our daily lives and our relationship. Setting gym “dates” (which, for us, is almost every day at 4:30 after work) has helped us get into a routine of showing up and working out together.

3. In terms of eating healthy, Dana’s advice is to “eat whatever she makes”... Through trial-and-error, we’ve nailed down a good routine and have found healthy recipes that we love to make and love to eat. Together, we discuss what meals we want for the whole work week and meal plan so that we will have (mostly) healthy meals, including dinners after the gym and lunches while we’re both busy at work. This makes grocery store runs much quicker (which is a good thing when Dana tags along). Don’t get us wrong, we love a good, probably unhealthy meal out, and we love our adult beverages, but planning ahead for the week has helped us to stay on a healthier track together.

4. We have found activities outside of the gym that we enjoy doing together. Hiking, backpacking, camping, paddle boarding, snowboarding and a few others. We love our gym time, but outside of the gym is where the best memories have been made. Plus, getting away from the gym helps us to get away from a competitive mindset and reminds us why we want to stay healthy.

Maybe these points can be applied to a relationship (spouse, partner, friend) of yours. They work for us. Compete with and encourage each other at the gym. Hold each other accountable to be there. Share healthy recipes and meal plan (or prep) together. And stay active together outside of the gym!

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Dana and Madi Mellage

WOD
15 rounds
:30 row, :90 pause and within the :90 pause
5 goblet squats 55/35 and 5 burpees
Score is total number of meters rowed

171229 - Guest Post - The Mellages - How to Support Your Partner in Fitness and in Health