Of her new weight loss, Kelly Clarkson recently told People Magazine that her ramped up fitness and improved diet were thanks to some encouragement from her music manager boyfriend, Brandon Blackstock.
The couple don't exercise together, exactly. "We did that once and I ... didn't like looking all red and gross, so I don't do that," Clarkson told People, adding that her desire to be attractive to her new beau motivation enough.
But what Clarkson may not realize is that having a boyfriend double as a gym buddy can actually do wonders for your workout -- and your relationship. Research shows that working out with a gym buddy helps you to stick with your fitness goals. And psychology researchers agree that working out together creates a better bond.
One University of Denver study found that couples who have fun together, by stepping away from responsibilities like childcare, bills and work, report happier marriages in the longrun. "The correlation between fun and marital happiness is high, and significant," lead researcher Howard Markman, co-director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies told USA Today at the time of the study's release.
But it's fine if you like different activities, Paul VanWiechen, director of exercise physiology at Cleveland Clinic Canada said in an editorial. "Research shows that the happiest couples are those who like to exercise together, yet also give each other the space to exercise apart. So, after you’ve hit the courts and she’s practiced downward dog, the two of you can take a walk."
While Clarkson and her new boyfriend might keep their workouts separate, here are some other celeb couples who are often spotted working out á deux:
