HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS

HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS

70 romantic ways to have fun

In our busy lives, time can often seem in short supply so it's important that couples make the most of their time together. Here are some suggestions.

On rainy days

1. Clear out the garage, attic, cupboards or wardrobes* - it really doesn't matter as long as you do it together.

2. Go charity shopping. While away the hours browsing for books, CDs, games, retro clothing, bric-a-brac. You could try a carboot sale or trawl round some antique shops.

3. Get some exercise. Go swimming or ice skating, or enjoy a walk in the rain.

4. Enjoy a movie marathon.* Visit the video shop, stack up on snacks and spend the day being film critics. And if you're stuck for inspiration, take a look at films reviews and related events

5. Visit an art gallery. Find an exhibition in your area.

6. Step back in time and visit a museum. Many of the buildings themselves deserve a look and you never know you might learn something at the same time!

7. Improve your memory and then spend the day testing each other's powers of recall.

8. Discover yourself. Bookshops and the internet offer a wealth of personal profiling tools which can help you find out your personality type, your IQ or your relationship style.

9. Create something, such as a coffee table, some shelves, a bird table, pottery dishes, vases, face sculpture, candles or soap. Craft shops are full of ideas.

10. Go to the football or a sport game. Even if you're not into the sport, you'll find the atmosphere electric. Especially if your team is playing their arch rivals!

11. Have an evening of pick'n'mix. Take a look at the TV listings and create a night of entertainment.

On sunny days

12. Go for a stroll anywhere you like.

13. Take a hike. Find a nice big hill and see who can fall into an exhausted heap at the top first.

14. Go for a bike ride. Like walking, cycling can be energetic or gentle - it's up to you. But either way it's sure to give your health a boost!

15. Hire a boat. Choose from an energetic canoe ride, a romantic row down the river or a leisurely cruise on a motor boat.

16. Visit the park. Spend the day on the swings or play a game of tennis. If you're really adventurous, you could even try out your skateboarding skills on the half-pipe.

17. Take to horseback. Look in your local directory for places that offer riding lessons (you may need to book in advance). Or better still, along a beautiful beach!

18. Be risky. Try some extreme sports - skydiving, rock climbing, potholing, ballooning, motor racing .. the list is endless. (You'll definitely need to book ahead, though.)

19. Visit a stately home.* You might even get some inspiration for your own love nest!

20. Obey your animal instincts by visiting a zoo or farm.* Relax as you wander round the park. And if you don't like spiders you can always go and talk to the monkeys!

21. Remember the picnic.* To make all the above even more enjoyable, don't forget to pack some beautiful food and wine. Let BBC Food help you choose the perfect tipple!

At the weekend

22. Walk this way - the Pennine Way, the South Downs Way, the Milky Way...

23. Go youth hostelling. There are many youth hostels catering for individuals, couples and families - and they're cheap.

24. Take a city break. Look at UK options as well as those in Europe and the United States.

25. Book a themed weekend break. There are plenty of options, from murder mystery tours to salsa dancing to Yoga.

26. Go camping,* either in your own back garden or at one of the hundreds of specialized sites around the country. Staying put will give your children the chance to learn more about their surroundings...

27. Visit friends or relatives.* Take the chance to spend time with people in another part of the country. If they can't put you up for the night, book into a B&B.

28. Indulge and pamper yourself at a health farm.

29. Pick any room in your house and give it a complete makeover.

30. Spring clean the house or give your garden a serious sort out. Make sure you take regular breaks and treat yourself to a delicious takeaway or meal out in the evening.

When the children are in bed

31. Play games, whether they're board games, computer games or naughty games...

32. Work your mind with brain-teasers, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords or quiz books. See how your IQ rates against the rest of the nation!

33. Pamper each other. Give your partner a massage, manicure and pedicure. We all need a little pampering sometimes!

34. Rent a film to suit your mood, be it a comedy, weepy, romance or horror movie.

35. Star gaze. Lie in the garden and see if you can name the constellations.

36. Have a blind food tasting.

37. Enjoy a romantic dinner for two: light those candles, put on some soft music and get out the posh crockery. As if you needed an excuse to indulge!

38. Have a picnic in the garden.

39. Put on a themed evening. Try a little Eastern promise or a sushi night.

40. Drag out the duvet, make two cups of hot chocolate and snuggle up on the sofa or in front of the fire.

41. Read the same book and compare notes. If you're stuck for inspiration, why not see what everyone else is reading?

42. Dig out the photos and enjoy a night of nostalgia. Or if you want to get more involved, why not take some of your own portraits? You could be the next icon!

43. Try a new recipe together. Have a go at Thai, Indian, Greek - whatever tickles your taste buds.

44. Learn a language.

45. Go internet shopping. Why not treat each other to a surprise? Buy online and then wait for it to arrive!

46. Compose something: a poem, a story or - if you're feeling musical - a song.

For an evening out

47. Go to the theatre. It could be the Palladium or, if the budget's tight, your local am-dram group. Find out what's near you or pack your overnight bag and make a weekend of it!

48. Get some exercise. Go swimming or to the gym, or play a game of badminton or squash.

49. Have an evening of ten-pin bowling.* Or join your local bowling club. Many are opening their doors to a wider range of participants.

50. Attend a concert. Try something different, such as jazz, classical or rock.

51. Go to the dogs - but agree before you go how much you're willing to lose in bets.

52. Enjoy a few drinks at your local pub, and keep a look out for quiz nights and local bands. They say music is the food of love!

53. Join an evening class. There's a huge range available, from poetry and dancing, to local history, cooking and wine tasting.

54. Have a leisurely dinner. Whether it's cheap and cheerful or top-class nosh, enjoy the chance for uninterrupted conversation.

55. Go to the cinema. Slip into the back row and enjoy the latest blockbuster. Find out what's on in your area.

When you've only got an hour to spare

56. Have a fight - with balloons or pillows rather than words. Or if you're worried to be more loving, why not indulge in some sensual touching.

57. Have a bath with oodles of bubbles.

58. Eat in bed, whether it's breakfast time or not. Make it all the more special by preparing an aphrodisiac meal!

59. Use your limited time to plan what you'll do when you have a whole evening to yourselves.

60. Start researching your family tree, then add to it every time you have an hour to spare.

61. Bake a cake or anything you'll enjoy eating together.

62. Do a fitness video together, whether it's aerobics, Pilates or Yoga.

63. Do an online quiz.

Romantic gestures

64. Say "I love you"

65. Give each other a hug

66. Leave a love note, in a briefcase or on the TV screen. Or request your favorite love song on the radio.

67. Blow a kiss - or just start flirting outrageously! Why not?

68. Give flowers.

69. Keep in touch. When you're apart, send a text or email, or pick up the phone.

70. Write "I love you" in lipstick on the mirror or in glow-in-the-dark chalk on the front wall.

Two women swimming

SWIMMING

The Greek philosopher Plato declared men who didn't know how to swim as uneducated. These days we're a little less dogmatic about swimming's merits, but there's little doubt it's a vital skill - for our health and safety. By Laura McLair.

FAT BURNING: Swimming isn't only a great form of general exercise, it can also be therapeutic for particular conditions and injuries. Even animals can benefit: for a dog, a five-minute swim is said to be the equivalent of a five-mile run. Swimming is a great way to tone up and trim down, because to swim you need to move your body against the resistance of the water. Just swimming a few lengths can involve most of the major muscle groups, giving your body a great work out. If you crank up the pace, you'll get a brilliant aerobic workout too. As the resistance in water is more than ten times that of air, you're also burning up more fat - American research suggests you use up 25 per cent more calories in water than you would if you were swimming through air. Because you can swim at your own pace, slowly if you wish, you can keep swimming for much longer than if you were going for the burn on a bike, for example. Maintaining your staying power is a vital goal in fat-burning exercise.

LOW IMPACT: The other big advantage of swimming is that water supports your weight and takes the stress off your joints, so you can put your body through a good workout without your knees, hips or spine paying the price. Research shows that exercising in waist-deep water reduces the pressure on joints by 50 per cent , while exercising in chest-deep water reduces it by as much as 75 per cent. However, although swimming is great if you have joint problems such as arthritis, it won't build up much protection against the brittle bone disease osteoporosis because it's not a weight-bearing exercise. Swimming is a wonderful exercise in pregnancy. The weight-supporting effect of water means it's especially good in the late stages when you're struggling to get about.

Start children young: Knowing how to swim greatly reduces the risk of drowning - one of the commonest causes of accidental death in young people. Start your child swimming at an early age; most people recommend lessons once they can walk, but you can get them in the pool as soon as they're immunized and there are even some courses for this age group. Get expert instruction at your local pool.

Specific health issues: Although swimming is generally great for your health, there are a few health problems that can occur:

Swimmer's shoulder. Three related injuries that can develop through overuse of the shoulder joint, causing inflammation and pain in the tendons and other tissues that form the capsule, or fibrous shell, of the shoulder joint. However, this is mostly a problem for serious or competitive swimmers.

Girl walking with dog

WALKING, By Flora Hayes

Most people walk somewhere sometime, but making walking a regular activity and focusing on the intensity or distance covered can greatly increase your fitness. Here we look at the general benefits of walking and the different types to try.

Types of walking

Rambling. Walking in the countryside, often in groups, over a set route. Such routes may use footpaths, bridleways, waymarked paths, national trails, common land and national parks.

Hill and fell walking. Walking up hills increases the work load and energy cost considerably; even walking down again uses more energy that walking on the flat. Walking downhill can also make you sore if you're unaccustomed to it, as it uses muscles as shock absorbers. If you're going on a hill-walking holiday, plan rest days to allow your muscles to recover. Before going hill walking, get expert advice on how to kit yourself out and training on mountain-craft skills and map reading.

Fitness and power walking. The idea is to walk at such a fast pace that it would actually be easier to break into a run. You actually burn more calories walking at this speed than you would running at the same pace.

Race walking. This can be highly competitive or sociable and friendly. At one end of the scale are highly tuned Olympic athletes; at the other are fun race walkers, often to be found holding their own in the middle of a field of fun runners. To learn the correct race-walking technique, contact your local athletics club.

Benefits

Walking improves the condition of heart and lungs (cardiovascular fitness), and works the muscles of the lower body. It's a weight-bearing activity, so it may improve bone density, yet it's also low impact, putting less stress on the joints than some other forms of exercise.

Is it for you?

Anyone can take up walking activities, provided they're healthy. If you have any doubts about your health, though, you should consult your doctor before attempting any exercise program.

If you do little activity at the moment, you should start walking at a suitable level and work up to the more demanding varieties such as hill or race walking. Consider an activity you already do on a regular basis and start your walking program just above this level.

Getting started

If you're a fitness beginner, the following tips can help kick-start your walking program.

Walk, don't drive, to the local shop. If you have a lot to carry, take a small rucksack.
If you have children, walk them to and from school as briskly as you all can manage.
Get off the bus or Tube a stop early. This will give you some extra exercise and may also reduce your fare.
Take a walk during your lunch hour. Half an hour's walk after a meal will cut the amount of fat you store by using it to fuel your exercise.
Once a week take a longer walk along a completely different route to keep things interesting.
Once you've got used to the idea of walking more, try this eight-week walking program. Week five is an easier week, to allow your body to adapt to the changes made in your physical activity patterns.
Each time you walk, start out gently with your shoulders relaxed and head up. As you begin to feel warmer, gradually increase your pace until you're walking at a comfortable steady pace. As you reach the end of your walk, gradually slow down until your breathing returns to normal.

Where to do it

You can walk wherever there is solid ground, of course, but some places are better - and more picturesque - than others. The British countryside, for example, is covered with a network of footpaths and bridleways, which not only provide stunning scenery but also different terrains.

When it's dark, cold, icy or foggy, a gym treadmill is a useful sustitute. It can also be useful way of plotting your progress. Modern treadmills often have programmed routes, too, which will automatically vary the gradient for a more challenging walk.

Clothing and equipment

For most outdoor walks you need no specialist equipment aside from the standard and sensible: stout shoes and a windproof/waterproof anorak. However, if the ground is hilly or rough, proper walking boots or shoes with moulded grips are strongly recommended. Some people prefer boots for any walk over three or four hours long. Mountain or winter walking naturally requires greater care and consideration (warm clothing, extra provisions, etc).

It's also a good idea to carry a few items in a small rucksack: a drink, some food, an extra sweater, first aid equipment and a compass, for example. By Dr. R. Nicks.

	MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	FRIDAY	SUNDAY	Weekly Total
WEEK 1	10 mins	10 mins	10 mins		30
WEEK 2	10 mins	10 mins	15 mins		35
WEEK 3	15 mins	10 mins	15 mins		40
WEEK 4	15 mins	10 mins	10 mins	10 mins	45
WEEK 5	10 mins	10 mins	15 mins		35
WEEK 6	15 mins	10 mins	10 mins	10 mins	45
WEEK 7	10 mins	10 mins	15 mins	15 mins	50
WEEK 8	10 mins	20 mins	10 mins	15 mins	55