Married Couples Fall Behind In Fitness Stakes

Married couples take less exercise than single people, according to a study by Loughborough University – and it's married men who are the laziest.

The research, commissioned by the Department of Health, found getting hitched makes people less likely to go for a walk, run or swim, leaving them trailing behind singletons in the fitness stakes.

It’s currently recommended that adults do 150 minutes of exercise a day, but the study found that only 27% make the grade, and it's mostly married couples who shun physical activity.

In total, 63% of wives don’t get their recommended physical activity but it was the husbands who fared worse with 76% of them falling short of the exercise guidelines.

The researchers at Loughborough University gave 100 adults accelerometers to wear for two weeks, where they tracked their pace and activity levels.

“Because married people are often older and have more responsibility for children and other factors, it could be these responsibilities which are curtailing their activity patterns,” Dr Len Almond, from St Mary’s University College, told the Telegraph.

So how can you make exercise a part of your hectic lifestyle? We asked Personal Trainer and Fitness Expert, Laura Williams.

1. Go on fitness dates! This might be trying a sexy dance class like Zumba, getting hot and sweaty together in a Bikram yoga session or even falling in love over the finish line at a charity race.
 
2. Practice bedroom fitness. Positions like the 'Lusty Leapfrog' and 'Reverse Cowgirl' will raise heart rate, burn extra calories and tone thighs and bottom.

3. Make it a family affair. Activities like paint balling, rock climbing (you should have a climbing wall near you) or even a kickaround on a Sunday afternoon won’t break the bank and you’ll get a great workout at the same time.
 
4. Sign up for a charity race. The combination of the Sunday training run (and the obligatory leisurely brunch afterwards) combined with endorphin-boosting sponsorship-raising makes for a fab, healthy bonding experience for you both.