When my boyfriend Tim and I arranged a trip to a tropical island, we agreed that we should get in better shape.
We hoped to feel confident in our swimsuits and look our best in the photographs.
Tim and I also paid for a bunch of physically demanding excursions. We planned to hike a volcano, zip line by a waterfall, kayak, hike, do a biking tour and snorkel. All of these excursions would require a lot of endurance. We didn’t want to waste our time and money by not being sufficiently fit to complete the activities. We hoped to avoid becoming so sore and exhausted after the first outing that we couldn’t manage the rest of them. Tim and I attempted some workouts on our own, but it didn’t go very well. I eventually signed us up for a couples fitness program. Tim wasn’t all that excited about it, but I was sure this was the right course of action. Wanting to get the most out of it, I decided to exercise to prepare. I went on three-mile runs in the evenings and started riding my bicycle to work. I gave up alcohol, fast food and sugary snacks. Despite all my preparations, the first few training sessions were a challenge. The trainer was really supportive and motivational, but he pushed us to our limits. The day after the sessions were always tough. My legs were always sore, and I had difficulty getting out of bed. Tim didn’t even make it to the third session. At the first session, he ended up sitting down and waiting for me to be done. For the third session, Tim refused to go with me. I continued with the couples fitness program on my own. It was a little awkward because I had to partner up with the trainer for most things.