Marriage and fitness are both long-term and lifetime commitments. You can’t veer off the path you have desired to be on and expect everything to work with the results you want. Both are like a canoe going down stream and each spouse has a paddle. If you work together, you will get through the obstacles safely and stay on route. But if you lose a paddle or go against one another, the vessel may lead you to a path of destruction or even flip. The same goes for your health, if you make bad decisions for your overall health, you will not only feel it, but see it when you look in the mirror. And doing so, also may lead to health concerns, degenerative diseases, or maybe even pre-mature death.
It’s about keeping the candle wick lit and constantly reminding yourself who you are as a person and what you bring into your marriage. Growing up as a child, my parents often reminded me that you get out of life what you put into it. The same goes for your marriage as well as your body too; quality input gets quality output. If you continually provide and aim to satisfy your spouse’s needs as well as their wants, a fit marriage is achieved. A marriage is something you have to work at every day. Love and training are both verbs, meaning action. So what you do today doesn’t always count for tomorrow, just as acts of kindness, eating healthy and exercising must be continued daily to increase longevity of life and marriage. Marriage is a lot like an endurance race and the less fit you are, the more you will struggle.
I find my wife, Robin, to be more attractive today than when we first started dating in high school. Yes, we are high school sweethearts and so are both sets of our parents, all from the same high school and by the way, who are still happily married. You might hear of something like this in a small town, but we grew up in Tampa, Florida, a busy populated metropolitan area. Both of our parents are great examples to what a marriage should be in both bad times and in good.
On our wedding day, March 25, 2006, we made a vow, “To love each other in sickness and in health till death do us part”, and in our eyes, this is written in stone. It’s important to be honest with each other and keep an open line of communication all times. I will always be by Robin’s side no matter what, as she will mine. She is my number one fan and we support one another as we journey through life together. She has helped me become the man I am today and has always supported my passions. They say, “Behind every man, is a great woman”, and I could not agree more. She continually goes out of her way for me, just to please me and others too. In everything she does, Robin gives it 110% dedication and strives for perfection. She is the type of person you can always rely on to get the job done and done right. She is one of the most caring persons I have ever met, hence, just one reason why I married her.
Both Robin and I aim to stay physically fit and be an example for our little girl, this also helps keep the attraction to each other stay alive. I admire her willingness to always strive to push herself in the gym, just so she can say that she is better than she was yesterday. I look forward to the times we get to train together, which is not as often as I would like, because I know she will push me to be my best. My philosophy of being fit is simple, the healthier we are as we get older, the more years we get to spend together and watch our family grow; that is what life is all about. I look at couples who have been married for many years and admire their passion for one another. Those are people you can learn from and one day, I hope couples will be asking us what the secret to marriage is.
We are both very independent individuals but we work together as a team. After all, that’s exactly what a marriage should be. There are times when I leave town pursuing my passion of hunting and fitness, and Robin picks up where I left off, not skipping a beat. She is extremely organized and wants the best for everyone. We find ourselves finishing each other’s sentences or thoughts and completing actions without anything ever being said. And that’s how you know you were made for each other. Robin and I are both “out of the box” type thinkers looking for new ways to better ourselves and everyone around us. For example, I may do most of the cooking, but she is always researching and finding recipes and tweaking them to make them fit our Hunt Strong lifestyle. 
I can honestly say I have married the love of my life. Robin is my best friend. I can go to her about anything in life. She pushes me to do my best in everything I do and I am so blessed that God made her for me. She is the mother of our little girl who we adore and love with our whole hearts. I pray Emma grows up to be a spitting image of Robin.
Robin understands what motivates me and helps to keep my paddle moving while God directs our path so our canoe stays on route. I look forward to the many years to come and what we will accomplish in life together.
I love you Robin more than you will ever know and I truly appreciate all that you do.
