5 Healthy Date Night Ideas

Have you heard of a pesky phenomenon called love weight? When someone gets involved in a relationship, they start to become less aware of what or how much they are eating because they subconsciously want to keep up with their date or they just get comfortable with their partner and forget about their usual healthy habits.

Of course, this is no one’s fault, but occasionally this leads to love weight. Why not plan a new kind of date for the next time you spend time with your husband, boyfriend, or even your “it’s complicated” friend…while keeping your health and well-being in mind!

A dinner and a movie date is classic and can be cute, but also goes hand in hand with concession stand highly processed snacks and drinks. If you’re looking to make a change and have a healthy lifestyle with your partner, steer clear of these temptations by doing something different!

Here are some ideas of date night plans that keep your wellbeing in mind:

1. Swap Dinner and a Movie for Picnic and a Stroll

Take your date to your favorite outdoor spot whether it be a park, beach or nature trail. After strolling outside for a while and taking in your surroundings, pick a spot to rest and have a picnic prepared.

This would be the perfect time to pack up some fruit and veggies that are easy to transport and need no preparation. Another suggestion, to further embrace your inner hippie among the trees is to pack your favorite granola to snack on as well! Here is a recipe we love: Peace. Love. Granola.

2. Take a Healthy Cooking Class Together

Remember our Sur La Table experience? Learning something new together is always a super fun date idea. By taking a cooking class, you are not only making your meal right then and there, but you can also take your skills home for the next time you are having dinner together! Thinking about it that way a cooking class is multiple dates in one—the date that keeps on giving.

Of course, choosing which class to attend makes or breaks the health factor of this date. Luckily, with the wellness revolution in full swing, this shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Look up some cooking schools in your area, and see if they have any classes coming up with a healthy theme. Or, if you research and are out of luck with nothing nearby, take an online class! Yes, this is a bit more complicated because you will have to shop for your own ingredients and supplies, but think of all the fun you will have pretending to be a Top Chef in Kitchen Stadium.

Challenge accepted?

Here are two resources for online classes: Nina Cucina or Cheap Healthy and Good Free Cooking Lessons to Try.

3. Go to a Partner Yoga Class

Yoga is a great way to strengthen a relationship. It is centered around concentrating inward into your emotions and mental well-being, and building a healthy relationship with yourself. When done in tandem with a significant other, this could be a great way to enhance your bond as a couple and get in some exercise together.

In addition to the emotional aspects of partner yoga, it can be a really fun way to try something new together! Smiling makes every workout better, and seeing your date in some comical positions will make it that much more fun. Even if you are an experienced yogi, how many times have you done a partner class, if at all?

Go to a studio near you, or try an online yoga class at home! Try Yoga Vibes or Yoga Download.

4. Get Pampered Together

This idea will probably have a higher price tag, but booking a couples massage could be an idea for a special date night for a birthday, anniversary or valentine’s day.

Getting massaged is a great way to relieve stress, and ease any soreness or stiffness from day to day life. With all the time we all spend in front of a computer, hunched over the keyboard, (*cough cough, me right now..) or sitting with bad posture, our bodies need to be released from the poor alignment to continue feeling great. In addition, it is said that emotion can be held up in your body when you feel tense. A massage together could help you both open up and connect as a couple.

5. Challenge your Date to a Bowl Off

Even if the last time you went to a bowling alley was for your best friend’s 7th birthday, don’t count out the good old fashioned fun. When thinking about bowling in a health sense, consider all of the weight you lift each time you take a turn.

Challenge your date to a game or two. Adding a bit of competition to a date always makes it more flirty and fun, and no matter if you win or lose, calories will be burned. On average, for a person who weighs 155lbs, you will burn 211 calories per hour of bowling. However, depending on your size and the weight of the ball you use the amount of calories will vary.

How do you make your Valentine’s Day healthy? Which of these date ideas do you like best?