Saturday, March 30, 2013

A Date Day at Fort DeSoto

The day we got married 8/5/05.
Not a lot of recent pics
of the two of us.
My last post was about the benefits of fitness dates. This is just more evidence.  I wish my phone had been working or that I had a charged battery for my Rebel XTI but alas...pictures were not a part of our day.  I am borrowing some from various other bloggers.

Josh came up with this one all on his own.  For years now, I have been saying how I would like to try kayaking.  Deep down, the idea of being alone on a tiny little plastic boat out in the water...where all manner of sea critters dwell...secretly terrified me.  But this past year has been about testing myself, putting aside fears, and living in the moment.  On the surface kayaking was appealing because of the full body work out it provides; as well as being able to get really close to coastal mangroves, which fascinate me. 

Josh decides we'll grab a big breakfast, head to Fort De Soto Park, explore the fort, do some kayaking, then some swimming at North Beach.  It was so perfect.  We walked around the fort for a while, reading the historical material about how it was used and why it was built.  We both remember the fort seeming bigger when we were kids.  I think it's a shame the other buildings that once housed the officers are no longer on the island.  Then we headed over to the kayaks.

Got this here
We bought two hours in two kayaks.  I chose a Sit-On-Top kayak for my first time out while Josh chose a Sit In.  I liked the Sit-On-Top while we were in the inlet. The water was calm and I had decent leverage for paddling.  I also felt like I was getting a great core workout.  We wanted to explore off the water trail a little but it meant being exposed to choppy water due to wind.  We had done half the trail in 30 minutes so we headed back to switch my kayak for a sit in.  Once we switched we headed out at a leisurely pace.  The Sit In was much more stable in the choppy water. 

While kayaking we got to see lots of egrets and blue herons.  We got to witness a pair of Osprey fishing.  One circled about 200 yards ahead of us.  It tucked it's wings, swooping toward the surface of the water, then plucked a fish with it's talons and soared back to it's water-side nest.  We also got to see a pelican do multiple dives in a lagoon off of the path.  Lots of fish were jumping. Annighas were swimming, fishing, and drying their tar-black wings on the low speed boat signs.
This pic originated from dipity.com...but wouldn't open.

Afterward, we headed to North Beach.  Josh's plans of swimming were waylaid once I felt the icy waters.  Instead we laid on the beach to relax.  We got to see a small pod of dolphins swimming in the distance. 

Our final activity was to take a long walk along North Beach.  We started out by the North Beach Snack bar and walked north along the shore until it curves into the inlet.  You could see all the different currents warring in the water.  A dangerous place to enter the water for sure but apparently an excellent spot for sunbathing, shelling, and fishing.  Across the inlet we saw boats and tents pitched for primitive camping.  After walking for about an hour is was time to wash off the sand and head home.
From the Fort De Soto main page

This was one of the best workouts and most relaxing dates ever.  We made a new memory with each other.  Josh and I have been together 12 years this June.  We will have been married for 8 of those 12 years in August.  Instead of Getting Fit Like No One is Watching...it feels like we are getting fit and I hope people see the benefits of what it can be like when you do it with your partner.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Fitness Dates

Healthy Hearts Beat as One


My husband, Josh, and I decided this week, while trying to figure out what kind of a date night we were going to have this weekend, to do a fitness date.  While there was a movie I wanted to see...I was worried I wouldn't be able to resist the buttery popcorn and soda that usually accompanies the movie.  I suggested a fitness date would be a good idea.  Here are the top five reason why this was a stroke of brilliance!

1) Explore the Great Outdoors
We live in Florida, the Sunshine State.  While most of North America is still experiencing severely cold or snowy weather in early March...it's starting to feel like spring here.  In our county, we have the Pinellas Trail.  It is a linear trail park that starts in St. St. Petersburg, cuts across the county along Tyrone Blvd, and then goes north all the way to Tarpon Springs.  Some sections are more scenic than others.  We started at Seminole Blvd and walked to Tryone Square Mall (4.36 miles) and then headed back. 
We walked by Blossom Lake Park, passed the St. Petersburg/Madeira Beach KOA, and across Cross Bayou.  It was very pleasant with 3 overpasses.

2) Time to Talk
Couples face a lot of obstacles to remain intimate.  Most couples have careers that keep them apart from 8 - 16 hours a day.  By looking at your family schedule and figuring out when you can etch out some time to workout together, you'll be giving yourself the gift of connection.  Josh and I were able to talk about some of the separate activities we have
done that week.  I told him about a lesson plan I was struggling to plan out for an observation.  He told me about his experiences volunteering at the Specia
Olympics and how his classroom observations were going.  We talked about our daughters and our bucket list for summer traveling.  It's not that we wouldn't talk about these things if we didn't walk together but this was such a pleasant way to do it!

3) Collaborative Goal Setting
Setting goals while you are trying to loose weight or get more fit is really important.  See my previous post about goal setting. Josh and I have separate goals.  He has more weight to loose than I do.  I have some personal
achievements that I am working on.  I want to be able to run a 1/2 marathon and eventually a triathlon.  But our training goals are common, run/walk 3 - 5 times a week.  I am also trying to build some muscle. Because we are both aware of each other's goal there is a high level of
motivation, support, and accountability. According to Jari Love, a fitness  instructor, 94% of couples stick with their fitness plan when they work out together.

4) Time to tease
When you exercise, your body produces chemicals that evoke feelings of happiness, reduces stress, and increases libido.  If you are exercising with your partner, you are both producing
those hormones at the same time.  There is a certain amount of playful flirting that occurs while exercising with your spouse.  Whether it's a saucy smile as you bend to lift a free weight, a pat on the bottom as your running side by side, or some playful nudging was you pass each other on the trail...it all can add up to a very flirtatious encounter.  Want more evidence that sweaty workouts with your partner are worth it?  There are a number of
scientific studies that support the idea that exercising = more love making!

5) Cheap!
We spent a grand total of $20 on our 3.5 hour date.  Our usual date night is about $50 for dinner (a huge calorie surplus), and $20 for movie tickets (if it isn't an IMAX or 3D (movie), plus another $15-20 for snacks at the theater (another calorie surplus there). 

So...where are you going on your next date?

Here are some ideas to get you started:
  • Picnic Hike
  • Beach Fun: play some volleyball, jog along the shore, paddle boarding, etc.
  • Row, row, row you boat: rent a kayak or canoe
  • Just Dance!  Whether you use the Xbox Just Dance game for the kinect, go out for some salsa dancing, take a class, or hit your gym for Zumba...dancing is a steamy way to exercise with your partner.
  • Yoga or Hot Yoga
  • Bike ride
  • Join a recreation team league.  Most communities have adult rec leagues.