Motivate Him to Get Fit

By Julia Tolliver Maranan

Have you and your husband found it impossible to exercise since you had kids?  And have you noticed that maybe you're not the only one who has gained a few post-baby pounds?  Well, you're not alone. "When we don't have time to exercise, our fitness levels can go down," says Debi Pillarella, personal trainer, and American Council on Exercise (ACE) 2004 Fitness Director of the Year.  Both you and your partner.

Here are some clever ideas for motivating your man and helping him find time to fit in fitness.

Exercise together Reinvent date night by hitting the gym and grabbing a salad instead of the usual dinner and a movie. (Hire a teenage neighbor to come over for a few hours, three nights a week.) "Working out together is also bonding time, and that can be really motivating," Pillarella says. If you can't get a sitter, put the baby in a stroller and take a walk together every evening. Try playful fitness outings like going to the batting cages or golfing. Or if you enjoyed activities like hiking or snowshoeing before you had kids, take them up again and bring baby along in a carrier or sled.

Give gifts of fitness For gift-giving occasions, present him with a new pair of running shoes, a pedometer, or a set of hand weights -- something readily accessible he can use every day. Fitness gifts impress on him that the whole family wants him to stay healthy, which might be all the encouragement he needs.

Offer incentives Keep an exercise log where your husband can keep track of his workouts, even if it's just a quick walk at lunch (he can make short entries on a white board posted on the fridge, in his computer calendar, or in a notebook he keeps by the bed). After he reaches a certain number of workouts, treat him to a reward, like going to a ball game.

Set SMART goals Having specific goals (and writing them down!) makes you more likely to stick with exercise, says Pillarella. ACE suggests setting S.M.A.R.T. goals -- S is for Specific: I'm going to exercise twice a week. M is for Measurable: I'll do it for 30 minutes. A is for Attainable: I can work out during my lunch hour. R is for Realistic/Relevant: I'm not going to try and fit it in at 4 am. T is for Timeframe: In three weeks I'll check to see if I'm meeting my goals.

Get outside help Encourage him to hire a personal trainer to help him get (and stay!) on track. Check the trainer's credentials (download a checklist of what to look for in a trainer at the AceFitness Web site). Before making a long-term commitment,  set up an initial visit to make sure the two of them can work together. After the first few visits he may just need one meeting a month for a "check up," says Pillarella. If cost is an issue, share the expense by getting a partner package where the two of you can work out with the trainer together, or he can bring along a buddy. A little friendly competition never hurt.

Julia Maranan, a former editor at Natural Health magazine, is a freelance writer and editor specializing in health and fitness.