That's Fit

In June, Chris told us that married people are generally healthier than their single counterparts. A new study confirms that the statistic is still true, but single men's health is on the rise.

Researchers from Michigan State University wanted to see if the changing trends in marriage and lifestyle -- such as waiting to get married until older -- have had an effect on the long-reported statistic about married couples being healthier.

The researchers reviewed 32 years of data from the National Health Interview Survey. Over time, the health information reported by never-married singles improved dramatically. The self-reported data by married women also indicate an improvement in health. Married men, however, remained relatively the same which narrows the gap between the health of never-married men and married men.

Science has shown us in the past that being married has it perks. Those people are more likely to be healthier, and some folks even attribute longevity to their marital status. But a new study shows that being in a happy marriage can keep your blood pressure in check too. Otherwise, you're healthier off being single according to researchers!

Couples who reported a low level of satisfaction, meaning that their relationship could be turbulent, had a higher systolic blood pressure reading than couples that were happy. Those people in a stressed marriage were shown to have blood pressure approaching an unhealthy level.

But a good level of satisfaction helped the blood pressure of those other couples. This seems like common sense to some people, but it's interesting to observe concrete feedback regarding the heart health of stressed individuals. Of course, there's also that one guy who lived to 100 allegedly thanks to staying single (if only he knew that couples who fight together live longer together).

Valentine's Day is not for everyone. Some people love it and some people loathe it. I don't think that whether or not you're a fan of Cupid's big day necessarily has anything to do with your dating/marriage status. Sure, there are single people who hate it and attached people who love it, but I also know happy couples who feel that any time is a good time to let their other half know that they love them and single people who consider the day a great time to let their friends and family know that they care.

I don't think that you should need an excuse to pamper a loved one (or yourself) but, let's face it, sometimes we all need a reminder. If you're an annual celebrant of Valentine's Day and can't wait to spoil a loved one (or spoil yourself for the benefit of a loved one!) check out the sites that follow for a range of ideas on how to do it. And if you're normally anti-February 14th, why not try altering your thinking slightly this year and use the day as an excuse to take a break and pamper yourself?

It's been a while since I dated, but when I did, it was all the same old thing -- dinner, drinks, maybe a movie. Not that I minded then -- that's what I did 5 years ago. I didn't have any real hobbies and wasn't too into fitness then so everything revolved around food or drink. But nowadays, I try to spend the majority of my free time doing fit, wholesome things, and if I were single, I'd try to incorporate that into my dating life.

Fitsugar recently put together a list of fitness date ideas, and they have some great ones but here are a few that I would add to my own list:

• Go roller skating or roller blading. Seriously, it's a riot.
  
• Go bowling. Ok, this is a date idea that's old but it's a good one!
• Go for a luge or bobsleigh ride. This might not be available in your area but it is in mine. It looks scary, but exhilarating.
• Go curling. It's fun. Really.
  
• Go for a walk around a market or street festival.
  
• Go play paintball or laser tag.
  

What do you do that's fit and fun on a date?

Sometimes the gym feels like one big 'meet' market. I don't mind working out at a co-ed gym but sometimes I feel a bit ... well ... violated when I catch some guy intently watching me pump iron in my curve-hugging workout gear. What's worse, I've looked over to be greeted by the super-cheesy head nod, which I've promptly ignored (Snobbishness be darned.) The gym just doesn't seem like the best place to meet people -- and that's not just because I am not single.

But maybe I'm wrong. This article from eDiets proclaims the gym an ideal place to find love. I guess it makes sense -- if you're into healthy living and exercise, it's a great place to meet someone like-minded -- but nonetheless, I don't think I'll advocate it to my single friends. Something about making chit-chat after a run when you're drenched in sweat doesn't appeal to me. What about you?

According to a study done by Marcus Westin of Uppsala University, single parents have poorer health than married couples or couples living together. The results applied to both single moms and single dads, although single mothers were less likely to seek medical help when needed than single fathers (and both were less likely than their married counterparts). The studied seemed to show a strong link between the generally poorer health of single parents and the decreased social outlets they inevitably face as a result of being solely responsible for children. Marcus Westin believes that the solution lies in making it easier for single parents to get out and involved in civic and social activities.

That kind of makes sense, although I'm thinking stress probably has something to do with it too?

For a lot of single people in their late 20s-and early-30s there is a moment when you suddenly realize, "Oh my God, my friends are all getting married and all I've got to keep me company as I grow old is a cat!" It's not a fun realization as, when we were younger, a lot of us -- especially women -- imagined that we'd be cozied up with a mate by now.

It may not seem like it when you've received invitations to three or four weddings in as many months but most people are waiting until later in life to tie the knot. Whether you're happily unmarried and find yourself constantly explaining to everyone else (especially your mother) why you're not ready to settle down, or whether you're wishing you could hurry up and find that perfect person as soon as possible, you're definitely not alone.

Here are some great reasons to support your single status. The benefits listed range from a bit silly -- if you get married older both you and your mate will have a better collection of stuff to pool together -- to very significant. With age comes the kind of wisdom and reason that will help deal with the arguments and problems that could come up in a marriage. So next time you find yourself in a Bridgit Jones-esque situation explaining your unmarried status, you can add the points here to your arsenal of pro-single arguments.

As do many people, I hate wasting food. So, although it's a poor excuse for overeating, the fact there's "just a little left in the pan and it won't really keep" is one of my most common pitfalls when it comes to portion control. Portion sizes in this country are out of control, there's no doubt about that, and could it be that one contributing reason is people's aversion to wasting food? It's a small reason probably, but I bet it's part of it.

Not to downplay the challenges of cooking for a large family, but having extra food sitting around isn't usually one of them. But for single people, or even some couples, it's another story altogether. Most recipes don't make just 1 or 2 servings, and most foods in the store don't come packaged in smaller more convenient amounts, or if they do they're much more expensive and hardly make sense.

I'm not single but because of busy schedules, my partner and I rarely eat together during the week, and I spend most weeknights I preparing single-serving meals. Not having the stress of cooking for someone else is nice, but it's also a bit dangerous because everything these days seems to come in h8uge economy-sized packages meant for families of four rather than the solo eater.

eDiets has these suggestions for someone dining alone. If your eating for one, watch your servings, make healthy choices and take your time -- rushing through dinner just causes over-eating.

How do you make smart, solo choices?

Dieting as a single person is rough. All the good recipes feed 4-6, and spending time with friends means hanging out and eating out on a regular basis. Convenience foods and the microwave are all that really get used in the kitchen, and the dining room table is only used to hold junk mail and pay bills.

Eating healthy is a real challenge, let alone eating healthy enough to lose weight. This article goes into some common faux pas made by single people when it comes to eating habits, and gives advice on how to change your routine and avoid falling into the same dieting "traps." Some of them seem useful, like ideas on what foods are high or low on the glycemic index. But I bet others, like sitting at the dining room table alone and lighting a candle for yourself, won't last more than a night or two for most people.