10 ways to burn calories with your valentine

It’s Valentine’s Day. With candy everywhere and maybe a fancy dinner or cocktails on the agenda, you might be thinking about ways you can keep your healthy habits on track and burn all of that off. If you’re part of a couple, you may already have an idea of a fun way to burn calories, but this is a family-friendly column so let’s look at a few alternatives. Each of these activities can be done at any age or skill level.

1. Dancing It can be fast, slow or anything in between. Grab your sweetheart, put on some music, and get moving. Dance also involves touch, bringing you even closer together.
2. Bike riding The weather is beautiful in the Treasure Valley right now. Why not mount up and take the bikes out for a spin? And remember, nothing says I love you like making your significant other wear a helmet.  
3. Hiking The Boise Foothills are a perfect spot for a romantic hike with your honey. Wear sturdy shoes and keep in mind that our recent rainy weather has made some trails muddy and worn down. However, it has been unseasonably mild, so most of the trails are in decent condition. Just be observant so you can prevent further damage. Check out trail conditions by clicking on this link
4. Jogging A nice jog, or walk, along the Greenbelt, or through your neighborhood, is another great way to spend some active time with your darling. Try to go fast enough to get your heart pumping, but not so fast you can’t enjoy some friendly conversation.
5. Racquetball If you like to work up a real sweat, take your loved one for a game of racquetball. Keep in mind that this can bring out a competitive streak, so if you’re not into that, this may not be the best activity for you. Otherwise, game on.
6. Weight lifting Although you may not lift the same amount of weight, you can work in to each other’s set. And it’s always good to have someone there to spot you and encourage you along the way. Just avoid showing off and hurting yourself by trying to lift more than you can actually lift. Besides, in case you didn’t know, no one in the gym appreciates it when you slam the barbell into the ground. No one. Really.
7. Yoga Whether you take a class, or use a DVD at home, yoga is a great full-body workout that will help build muscle and increase flexibility. It’ll also get your heart rate up and may inspire you to try a few new poses … in the bedroom. (But please wait until you get to the bedroom.)
8. Stretching If yoga’s not your thing, there’s always good old-fashioned stretches. You can help your partner stretch a little farther by applying gentle pressure. Not only is this good for your body, but it encourages you to touch one another and focus on breathing, which can be quite intimate.
9. Interval circuit Pick a series of exercises (at least three) and lay out the equipment you need. For example, you might want a step or box for jumping, a BOSU ball for Burpees, and a medicine ball for chops. Do a circuit using a timer, say 50 seconds of exercise and 10 seconds of rest, working your way through the circuit. Each of you starts on a different exercise so you’re not crashing into each other. When the timer goes off, you switch positions.
10. Ice skating Why not? Head out to Idaho IceWorld, lace up those skates and have some fun with your sweetie. You’ll probably need to hold on to each other to keep steady, but that’s OK. It’s like a built-in snuggle session. And ice skating is a great way to burn calories.

Talk it up:

What’s your favorite way to work out with your significant other?

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