See? The NYT endorses my interest in fit girls.
Every couple has its share of thorny issues, but when the point of tension is that one partner craves exercise and the other doesn’t, it can strain even the healthiest relationship, according to psychologists, fitness instructors and marriage therapists. Not only does the exerciser frequently cut into the couple’s time together. But unlike more frivolous diversions like, say, knitting or playing “Madden NFL” online, it is difficult for an aggrieved partner to complain about another’s healthy activity without sounding like a saboteur.
Exercising, as pastimes go, is beyond reproach.
That Americans laud fit people’s ability to get up and go, and look down on the flabby as weak-willed, also can put a strain on athletically mismatched couples. …
“When I’m with him sometimes I fall into a mode where I want to lie around, too,” admitted Ms. Johnson, who manages a legal staffing company in Chicago. “It would be really nice to date someone fit, who would push me, rather than me pushing them.” …
Ana Gabriela, a fitness instructor in Manhattan and Westchester County, N.Y., has clients who say they want equally toned and fit spouses because their existence revolves around being active. “Before or after work, they want to go to the gym or outdoors to exercise,” Ms. Gabriela said. To them, exercising is a non-negotiable that is almost as important as attending temple or church. [err, much more for an atheist like me]
Tired of having to justify herself, Rebecca Thurman, 39, a massage therapist and marathon runner in Atlanta, says she will no longer date a man who doesn’t prize fitness. “They don’t understand why you need to work out two or more hours a day,” she said, “or why you eat the way you do, or why you go to bed early and get up at the crack of dawn to go to the gym, or why you can’t do late-night dinner parties, or why you have a personal trainer, coach, massage therapist and chiropractor on payroll.” Once she had dinner with a man who said: “How can you go out and run for three hours? It just seems so boring!” (That was their only date.)
mmm hmmm, old news, i brought the very same point up on my blog not too long ago… (though in my opinion, “fit” doesn’t always equal “skinny”. gotta love bad genetics.) but that’s just me…
Will you stop! Please, someone else check out this photo and then tell Flygirl that she’s thin? (and hot!) Check out those skinny arms!
I am looking at the picture right now. It is society that makes “njflygirl” feel “fat”. I hate how society distorts the image of Fit, healthy or Fat. If njflygirl, were to lose another 10-15 pounds, she would look anorexic.
If you are athletic, it definitely makes the relationship a lot easier if your other half is too. My other half belongs in a hockey league and used to swim competitively while I belong in a volleyball league.
For all the single people out there looking for dates and potential mates, joining a sports league is the way to go!
Flygirl is hot. Derek, are you dating any runners/athletes right now?
I try to stay away from discussions of whom I’m dating on this blog. If I ever get engaged, I’ll announce it here, but until then….
Sometimes I think you’re speaking directly to me…
the article confuses a healthy attention to one’s own health with obsession. the last lady quoted in the article sounded obsessed with fitness and if I were to guess at her body type, I’d say ectomorphic-tending-to-anorexic – not the kind of girl I would want to date. The article skims over the subject too lightly and so makes a mess of it.
and for the record, I think NYFlyGirl is mesomorphic – and that’s just about right.
I agree that “fit” doesn’t equal “skinny” and that it’s best to date someone who is at least as interested in being active as you are. But yes, there’s sometimes a fine line between health and obsession.
I think anyone who runs more than 25 miles/week can’t really claim they’re motivated by health (I say as I massage my sore knee from running 18 miles on Saturday).
This whole topic is sorta played out, I promise to move on to something new. But I was looking through my clips today and found this story I wrote last year. I am just going to pass it along without comment, it seemed unfair to me as well.