Advertisements leading up to Valentine’s Day suggest that Valentine’s Day is so special that a small gesture means you don’t care—only a grand gesture will do. I disagree with this. Of course, I think it’s important to show appreciation to those you care about—so important that one day isn’t enough.

Making small gestures of appreciation on a regular basis helps to nurture a relationship. If you’re making small gestures regularly, not purchasing the perfect gift, organizing the perfect dinner, planning the perfect trip, etc. won’t be such a big deal. On the other hand, one large gesture on Valentine’s Day probably won’t do much to improve the health of your relationship if you’re not regularly doing small gestures of love.

The same is true for fitness. A while back I worked at a gym that provided free initial visits to all new members. One of the members I worked with said that they hadn’t exercised in the past year—except for completing a obstacle course race. Obstacle course races are usually challenging and injuries are not uncommon—even for the physically fit. They walked alway from the race without injury, but they didn’t walk away with a fit body. That’s why they eventually found their way to the gym.

Just like it may take some trial and error to find out how best to nurture your relationship, it may take some trial and error to find out which exercise routine works best for you. If you need some help creating and sticking to an exercise routine, don’t be afraid to ask a fitness professional for help. 

Thanks for reading. Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day, and I hope you have a safe and healthy week.