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Motivating partners help you reach your goals. It can be tough to stay motivated to follow your New Year’s resolutions when the going gets tough, but your significant other may be your best motivator. “Researchers found that married or cohabiting couples with a ‘healthier’ partner are more likely to change than those with an unhealthy partner. The study also revealed that having a partner who was making healthy changes at the same time was even more powerful.” The researchers examined a group of people mostly over 50 who were looking to quit smoking, lose weight and get fit. “17 percent of the smokers kicked the habit, 44 percent of inactive participants became newly active, and 15 percent of overweight men and women lost sat least of 5% of their initial weight. Those who were smokers were more likely to quit if they lived with someone who had always been cigarette-free. Similarly, those who weren’t physically active were more likely to start if they lived with someone who was already active. On every measure of health that was tracked, all of those who started off unhealthy were much more likely to make a positive change if their similarly unhealthy partner made a healthy lifestyle change.”
