By Lisa Leath Turpin, Wellness Coach
“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So, what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” ~Mark Victor Hanson, motivational author.
It’s 2022… where do you see yourself? We all have the same choices to make; to stay just as we are or bust down the barriers holding us back from what we know we need. Your health is a GIFT. Some capitalize on that gift, but many don’t. Finding the motivation we need can be challenging. We set new resolutions in our minds, but then what happens? Are you being too vague? Need a little help?
Take specific actions like finding a workout partner or group and set a time that is most feasible. A study by the Society of Behavioral Medicine showed that working out with a partner, especially in a team format, improved performance, double enhancing the workout of those who exercised alone. Working out with a partner or group increases your commitment to a fitness routine. Benefits include enhanced consistency, duration, motivation, conversation and inspiration, according to Dian Griesel, Ph.D. & co-author of TurboCharged. “Workouts with others improve consistency, because they involve a commitment. ‘No shows’ and cancellations get noticed by others and positive peer pressure can help curtail the urges to skip a workout—or quit.” One study found that 95% of those who started a program with friends completed the program, compared to 76% completion in those who tried the program alone. The friend group was also 42% more likely to maintain their weight loss. A partner can be a friend, group of friends, or a personal trainer. Accountability and camaraderie are the reason it’s so effective.
Group training or partner training is also a way to split costs, making it more affordable to stick with a trainer or structured program for a longer period of time. Find a group fitness class at a gym. The regular participants will become your friends and accountability partners. Also, a study published in the International Journal of Stress Management states that subjects that exercised with a friend felt calmer, had more fun and raised more endorphins, thus giving a more energized mood boost to complete the exercises. Group training with a trainer or in a gym exercise class delivers exercise variety and creates a bond when a group struggles, sweats, fights and grinds their way through a tough workout. And once that group workout is on your calendar, with others banking on you to show up, it’s a lot harder to hit that snooze button. You have options that lead you to better health and that can make things confusing sometimes. Grab a partner and make it easier to keep at it together.
If you’re serious about improving your health, join a group or grab a friend. If you want my help, email BeActive850@gmail.com.
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