As summer fades into the far horizon, and signs of the impending winter season set upon us, it is normal for our motivation to disappear with a gurgle down the drainpipe. Like a big Canadian Grizzly, we seem to prefer the comforts of hibernation, and exercise gets tossed into the ‘to do later’ pile.
Don’t you wish though, that just for once, you could get thru the cooler months of the year without feeling like a ravenous porpoise who grows an extra belly? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to continue all those wonderful exercise habits and get through winter with a spring in your step, a smile on your face, and not carrying an extra ounce of bodyfat?
Find yourself a workout buddy. NOW. Why, you ask. I’ll give you 7 reasons why:
- A buddy becomes a support network who can help you achieve your goals. Having a support network and being accountable to someone is a powerful way to stay on track. In fact, a recent Oxford University study found that we are 78% more likely to stay on top of our fitness goals if we have a buddy involved in it with us.
- A buddy will boost your commitment levels. It’s much more difficult to ditch a workout when you have somebody who you’ll be letting down in the process. Further, training with a buddy means workouts will need to be planned to compliment your own personal schedules; and once something is planned and scheduled it’s much harder to ignore.
- A buddy will keep you safe. Regardless of whether you’re working out in a gym, park, pounding the streets, or in a fitness class, a buddy will promote safety on all accounts. You’ll have someone to escort you in the dark, someone to help you set up machines and load weights, and someone to ensure your form and technique stays on point.
- A buddy promotes competition. Most of us harbor some little snippet of a competitive streak, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. Having a buddy to exercise with will guarantee that you not only work harder, but also for longer. It will also enhance your overall adherence to your exercise programme. Nobody enjoys appearing to be the weakest link, and a buddy system promotes better quality training and enables us to find another gear.
- A buddy will bring variety to your training sessions. Everyone has different experience and backgrounds in exercise. Your workout buddy will bring ideas, skills, and strategies to your training sessions that you may not even realise exist. This is great for keeping things interesting, and prevents complacency and boredom.
- A buddy makes you braver. It’s much easier to show up to a new gym or trial a new fitness class if you have a buddy to attend with.
- A buddy just makes exercising more fun! And the more fun you are having the harder you will work, the more enjoyable your training sessions will be, and you’ll begin looking forward, more and more, to future training sessions too. Working out alone can be lonely, but having someone by your side to support, encourage, motivate and laugh with will make them all that much better.
Keep up your exercise habits through the winter. Enlist the help of a buddy who has similar intentions and motivations to you, and who you know you’ll enjoy the company of. Beat the bulge this winter, and beat everybody else who is lagging on the couch. Exercise with a buddy and stay on top of your own personal fitness goals.
For comments email corinne@fitfixnz.co.nz
