The biggest gifts in life are good health and love. My husband and I plan to have a Heart Healthy Valentine's Day Date to encourage each other to keep up our healthy habits. We first met a couple of decades ago and frequently went hiking together. When I was pregnant with our first son, the hikes slowed down to daily walks or visits to the gym. After our son was born, we continued our daily walks and trips to the gym. After our youngest was born and I had additional surgeries, we went through phases where my husband went on runs without me and I fell behind. We sometimes went on walks, but not daily. Now that our youngest sleeps through the night, we are in a better place and resumed our regular exercise. Different phases of life and parenting have taught me to intentionally incorporate healthy habits into our daily lives. Consistency is so important for us. That's why I love our Heart Healthy Valentine's Day Date tradition! In today's post, I'll share tips for a Heart Healthy Valentine's Day Date.
1. Pick a new running route and/or make it a heart-shaped route.
Treat your run as part of a true date night. Try a new route. Make sure that you run past beautiful places such as fountains, a lake, or anything else. Try to create a heart-shaped path if possible. My husband has a run planned for us that is in the shape of a heart as shown below. If you live in Dallas, University Park, Highland Park, or somewhere else nearby, please feel welcome to borrow our running path below for Valentine's Day too!
Personally, my husband and I try to incorporate healthy habits into our life as much as possible, including Valentine's Day. However, we work all day and the sun sets early at this time of year. We are planning to go on a run in the evening after dinner to enjoy time together. The perfect gift for each of us is running gear. For instance, the ASICS GEL NIMBUS-22 shoes are our go-to running shoes. We've been using this line of shoes for years. It's nice to have our go-to shoes that we know are comfortable and hold up for many miles. Since my husband and I are both fans of this shoe line, I thought that the ASICS GEL NIMBUS-22 LITE-SHOW shoes would be perfect for Valentine's Day. We have less sunlight in the winter, so I really like that our favorite shoes come with the Lite-Show feature that helps us to be more visible on early-morning and after-dark runs.
These shoes have the same iconic GEL technology for extra comfort, cushion, and shock absorption that we've become accustomed to with the GEL-NIMBUS line of running shoes. The FLYTEFOAM technology in the midsole makes a big difference for extra spring in our steps. Of course, the good quality design and materials make a big difference in the life of the shoes too. The addition of the Lite-Show reflective details further improve these classic shoes. They are perfect for those of us in the Dallas/Fort Worth area where there are not enough sunny hours on the winter days.
I took a photo when we stopped to stretch at a nearby park so that I could show you the amazing reflective Lite-Show effect.
3. Gift each other new running apparel.
Whether you already exercise as a couple or are just starting new healthy habits together, this is a great time of year to refresh your workout clothing. Since we live in Texas and the daylight hours are limited at this time of year, I am a big fan of the ASICS athletic apparel with reflective features. Let me share some examples of items that are perfect for Texans at this time of year. My husband is wearing the ASICS Metarun Waterproof Jacket and ASICS Men's Lite-Show Tights. I'm wearing the ASICS Seamless Long Sleeve Texture Shirt and ASICS Capri Tights.
The outfits are stylish and comfortable. It's as if the clothing was made to perfectly fit us. We look forward to wearing our outfits on runs. (If it were socially acceptable, I would even wear this outfit to work. However, it's not, so I'll just look forward to wearing it on evening runs with my husband.)
In addition to style and comfort, I want to highlight the reflective bars on the apparel. In addition to the Lite-Show effects on our shoes, you'll notice that my husband's tights are also from the Lite-Show line and the effect with light is fantastic. His jacket, my top, and my tights also have reflective bars. This is so important for Texans, especially at this time of year when there aren't enough sunny hours in the day. That's why I love the gift of stylish and comfortable athletic clothing that also has reflective features.
In addition to the reflective features, let me share that the ASICS Metarun Waterproof Jacket is a must-have item for Texans since our weather is famous for sudden changes. This jacket is made from a lightweight waterproof fabric that is a lifesaver when it suddenly rains. The designers are perfectionists that paid meticulous attention to detail. This jacket allows a full range of movement and then you'll find that the pinnacle hood formation helps to protect your face from the rain. It's a really cool feature! Of course, the reflective accents on the front and back are meant for enhanced visibility when running in the dark.
The ASICS Seamless Long Sleeve Texture Shirt rocks my world as the soft fabric and comfortable fit is perfect for me. As someone who is tall, I have extra appreciation for the design that provides extra long sleeves. It's sometimes chilly at this time of year, so the ability to pull the sleeves partially over my hands is a nice luxury. Speaking of luxury, the shirt was crafted with seamless yarn and jacquard at the upper for an airy experience. As mentioned earlier, the design team at ASICS pays attention to every detail. The design allows fresh air to circulate which is greatly appreciated on runs!
Now, let's talk about tights. Tights are a hard item to order online because you never know whether they will be too thin and transparent. You don't have to worry about that with the tights that I mentioned. Both are made from good quality fabric and have excellent stitching. If you follow regularly, you know that I love brands that pay extra attention to detail. The ASICS Capri Tights that I picked out for our Valentine's Date are stylish and functional. They are constructed with mesh paneling that helps with breathability. They also have a drawcord for adjustability and a concealed pocket. Of course, the ASICS spiral logo at the calves helps with visibility too.
In addition to the nice fabric, stitching, and reflective bars that I mentioned above, the ASICS Men's Lite-Show Tights also have a couple of other features that my husband loves. These tights were body mapped for 360-degree reflectivity. Similar to my tights, these ones also have moisture-wicking fabric. They have a mesh insert at the back for breathability. There is a rear leg zipper and drawcord at the waist so that he is able to customize them for comfort. Of course, they also have a laminated pocket for storage.
As I mentioned earlier, whether you already practice healthy habits with your spouse or are aspiring to start new habits, ASICS is a great brand to check out for the quality, comfort, style, and reflective safety features.
4. Enjoy a heart healthy dinner.
Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that tempts me to break my healthy habits. I happily eat treats that my husband and children share with me, but I like to offset the treats with a healthy dinner. This year, my husband is making a salad with peanut chicken skewers served over fresh baby spinach. I'll share a photo soon. In any case, while you may be tempted to eat various treats, try to make sure that you plan a healthy dinner.
5. Stay hydrated.
Enjoy water with fresh strawberries or raspberries for a festive Valentine's Day touch! I add the berries to water and refrigerate for approximately 2 to 4 hours.
I hope that my tips inspire you to enjoy a Heart Healthy Valentine's Day Date. Good health and love should never be taken for granted and is truly worth celebrating on Valentine's Day!
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