Michael Jai White and Gillian White tell couples how to find their fitness and love language

Before the pandemic hit, there was little question that it was a challenge for busy couples to find meaningful time together. Combining work, children and life’s ups and downs is basically quite a challenge. Date nights have gotten few and far between, and unless you are already a “couple” who loves to exercise, you’ve got almost never made it to the gym or found time to do some cardio together.

Well, now that you may have somewhat more time together at home, why not find a fitness club together? What are you able to do together to promote a healthier and longer life together? Married actors and fitness enthusiasts Michael Jai White and Gillian White have mastered loving together and living their healthiest lives. Today, the couple joined the first-ever virtual edition of our Wellness House program on the 2020 ESSENCE Cultural Festival to talk with ESSENCE Director of Relationships and Wellness Charli Penn about how to find out which fitness or wellness activity works for you each and why it is necessary.

Michael has been a black belt since he was 12 and when he met Gillian he shared his love of martial arts together with her, now she is on his level and they enjoy doing it together. How are you able to and your boyfriend find your fitness “something”? Start by not attaching negative thoughts to it, Whites say.

“I would encourage people not to think of it as a chore or just that it requires a lot of discipline,” Michael insists. “It’s the law. Exercise is the law. One day we cannot have the option to do that. We’ll be too old for this sort of thing. And we’re young enough to do it now. And you get that feeling whenever you finish it. You know how good you are feeling after training? It’s a purge. it is a purge. It’s a release. Get used to this sense and it is going to handle itself…. I feel like I would like to do that… it is going to be weird if we do not succeed.

“And I think the best thing for couples is, you know, talking,” Gillian says. “Think about what unites you. Maybe you feel like running, jogging, or dancing. Anything that gets the blood flowing and gives you some cardio. Find out what you have in common and get closer to it.”

“Believe me,” Michael adds. “It makes relationships better.”

We agree. Healthy couples spend more years of happiness together and, according to experts, argue less. (Hello, endorphins!) Watch the clip above and stream the complete interview now at ESSENCE Studios.