I’m a 25 year old male. I am super active and in great shape. Because of my job, I have all the time in the world to workout. My problem is my 25 year old girlfriend works at least 50 hours a week and seriously lacks the motivation to be active when she is home. I am looking for active things to do with her just to get her moving. I’m not looking to compete with her, but to get her to enjoy a more active lifestyle. I need some suggestions.
bump- I need some help fellows.
Tell her she is starting to look fat.
Sign up for a class together, ballroom dance, yoga, self defense. Pick a spot for a weekend hike & picnic, go for a bicycle ride. Self-guided walking tour of the local historic district. Boogie boarding at the beach. I don’t know where you are or what is around you, but there’s got to be a hundred things. See that she wears the right kind of shoes, nothing takes the fun out a walk faster than sore feet.
Go to the gym together and work out together. Use is as an “us” time.
Why does your girlfriend work 50-hours a week? Just curious.
I do the same thing - I manage a Theater Arts office in a University - and manage three student workers (and "babysit" the faculty, too). BUT I also am a artist and will come home after a 9 to 10-hour day and do some art "stuff" until 11-midnight or later. AND I'm picking up on re-certification as a Trainer. AND will be going back into Martial Arts training. AND I weight train 3-days a week and also interval rope jump in the evenings.
SO, I have experience in the "no time to be physically active" department. Truth is, if I was NOT physically active, I wouldn't have the energy to do all that I wanted to do. Tell your girlfriend that. All she needs is just 30-minutes, 2 or 3 days a week or weekend. That's it. If she is not useto a physically active lifestyle, it will be hard at first. There are alot of other options besides weight training. You're gonna have to find out what her interests are, and start from there.
To Patricia, my girlfriend just started a new job so is she is slower than most of the other employees. That is why she is working so much. I dont think it will continue for more than a few months.
I totally agree that she will have more energy, IF she can get past the first 2 or 3 weeks. Thats a big if. I also agree that there is much more than just weights. Jumping rope is a great idea and I will definitely try to throw that in the mix. I live near the beach so bodyboarding may be an option in another few weeks when it warms up a bit. Again, I am not trying to get her to be super psychotrainer (although that it would be cool), but just to be more active and maybe shed 4 or 5 easy lbs, and be able to have enough energy to work and to play.
Thanks for the suggestions. I will be throwing them all in the mix because I know boredom can be a killer to anyone who’s new to exercising. Please, if anymore thoughts come to anyone, throw them out there. In a week or so I will try to keep everyone posted on the progress.
Here’s some more detail on previous ideas: My city has a community center where there are all kinds of classes for pretty cheap, yours might have one also. You sign up for a 6-week session. Being enrolled in a class together gives a little discipline, plus a reason to leave work on time. On weekends you can plan a date around some activity. It will take some research and creativity on your part, but I’m sure you’ll get relationship points for it. Read the local papers, there’s usually articles about things to do. If you’re near the beach there’s probably in-line skating, bicycling, kayaking, etc with places to rent equipment. With a little luck and patience you’ll find something you both like and want to do regularly.
I’m sorry to hear that your gf works long hrs, but that seems to be normal for many peeps these days. Almost all my friends and I work long crappy hours. What do you do? Just curious cuz you said you have all the time in the world to work out due to your job. If it’s slow I work 40 hrs, and if it’s busy I work 60+ hrs plus travel time, which can be anywhere from 8-20 hrs extra depending on where I need to go that week.
Things to do -- how about riding bikes? Swimming? Or playing tennis/golf together? If she's a super competitive person who doesn't like to lose, then you don't want to pick something you're REALLY good at, but she's bad at cuz that'll either: 1. make her get really upset when she loses, and you don't want that; or 2. she'll not want to do it cuz she doesn't like to lose and she thinks she won't beat you fair and square.
I think there have already been lots of good constructive suggestions in this thread. The point I want to make is that whatever you decide to do, you suggest to do it together. Don’t just give her ideas on what she can do by herself because if she wanted to move around by herself she would have done so already. Incorporate things in the evenings and on weekends that you can do together that are active and fun–roller blading, biking, swimming, tennis, pick-up softball, hiking, beach volleyball, etc. etc. If you plan dates around active things, she will gladly join you! Women really get tired of the same date ideas over and over again, so incorporating active living into new and fresh date ideas will get her out of the apartment and will also spice up your relationship. Two for one!
What a bonus!