While it may seem easier to just snuggle up on the couch under a blanket, watch a DVD and wolf down a bag of chips, finding active winter dates to do on date night each week with your partner will help you fight off the winter bulge, make you both feel great (endorphins: yay!) and ensure you keep up your fitness throughout the colder months.
We’ve come up with some active winter date ideas that you can do regardless of the rain/snow/sleet/hail/wind/darkness outside!
Embrace the cold
Certain cities in New Zealand have an ice rink and there is currently a travelling rink – Ice World – making it’s way throughout the country. If there’s a rink near you, rug up warmly and go have a skate! Or if you don’t know how to skate, start taking lessons together! You could also give skiing or snowboarding a go if you live near the snow or by Auckland’s Snowplanet.
Dance up a storm
Attend a dance class together or, if you feel you want to make it a regular thing, take weekly lessons. Even if one or both of you has two left feet, it can be a great laugh and a lot of fun to give it a go. Remember that it could take you a few lessons just to get the hang of it (especially if you generally feel a little uncoordinated when it comes to this sort of thing!). Think outside the square: salsa, hip hop, swing dancing…
If neither of you feel like ‘formal’ lessons are the right way to go about it, look up local gigs and find a band you would both like to hear – preferably at a venue where dancing is encouraged! Even if you’re both just jumping up and down on the spot in time to music, you’re still getting a workout… Failing that, crank the stereo in the lounge and have a good dance at home.
Go on a gym date
Rather than entering the gym door and going your separate ways, be daring and work out with each other instead. Have a go at each other’s style of training, book a joint personal training session, go for a treadmill run next to each other, or try out a fitness class together. You never know it may become a regular occurence!
Image / Flickr – Chris Hau