Dating an athlete can be a little mystifying, especially if you aren’t personally athletic.
As a married woman I don’t come across this problem much anymore, but I remember back in college that sometimes athletes had issues dating non-athletic people. If you are athletic of course, the easiest way around this is to just date other athletes, but you obviously don’t want to sell yourself short, especially since opposites attract. Athletic people, especially those who engage in sports often live different lives with a special emphasis on schedules, and strict diets. This can be confusing for someone to understand if they have never really been into sports. So here are five tips on dating an athlete, to help your love life run just a little more smoothly.
Scheduling is important to an athlete. If they have a game the next morning, they will be going to bed early. If they want to get an extra workout in at 5 AM, they will do it without question. Athletes know that everything runs on a schedule, so if they aren’t flexible with their time, a little understanding might be necessary.
READ MORE: Tips for Beginner Triathletes
Sports relationships are different than regular relationships. The sense of camaraderie you get from playing a sport with someone creates a unique bond, so you may not always understand why an athlete is friends with someone, until you see them on the field or court together.
Athletes are directly impacted by the sports they play, and there is no getting around the fact that losing sucks. So you may have to deal with mood swings occasionally, but if you know the source of them stems from a sport, it might be a little easier to navigate.
There is a different language that athletes use, when it comes to their individual sport. If you are going to date an athletic person, you should try and at least learn the lingo of the sport, because it will make it a lot easier to communicate in the future.
Athletes eat a lot. So if you don’t know how to cook, it’ll be a real plus to your relationship to learn. Focus on heart healthy meals with lots of protein and you will easily be able to find your way into an athletes heart, and overall life.
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