Get Fit Quick Tip:

Ask for Accountability!

Find a workout partner or exercise group to hold you accountable to your fitness. Simply knowing you have to report your progress, means you’re less likely to skip a workout. Here’s how to start:

Talk to your friends, coworkers or family. Ask if they have fitness goals. If so, ask how they stay on track.

Ask for what you need. What exactly are you asking of them? Be specific.

Define your terms. Be clear how you’ll communicate progress, how often and what the ramifications are for falling short.

Follow through. Stick to your agreed upon plan.

Ask for Accountability in your Fitness

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Find a fitness partner!

If you’re short on motivation, find a fitness partner. You’ll be less likely to miss a workout when you know someone is waiting for you. What are additional benefits of having a training partner?

Adds support. Who better to know how much effort you’re applying than your fitness partner. He or she is there to provide encouragement when times are tough. Support is key for fitness success.

Provides accountability. Slacking off a little? Your fitness partner will let you know. Have made huge progress? Your fitness partner will let you know.

Encourages unaccustomed exercise. Working out with a fitness partner means you may try new workouts more often due to differing interests. Over time you’re able to introduce one another to your favorite workouts and types of exercises.

Should you consider a fitness partner?

…GET MOTIVATED with us!

Join our #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat tomorrow, Monday January 12, 2015 at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter.

Simply log into Twitter, enter #HealthyWayMag to join in the conversation as we chat all things fitness. How to get motivated and stay motivated on your fitness journey, favorite gear and tips to make workouts more enjoyable, where to find fitness information and training partners, how to prepare for races and community events, ideal fueling and healthy eating and balancing fitness and family just to name a few of the topics we cover each Monday.

Tomorrow, January 12th Fitness Chat is Sponsored by AthLights:

AthLights are the world’s smallest, lightest personal lighting product for runners. A small and powerful magnet that grips to your clothing, so you can place them anywhere to be visible from up to 600 feet away. AthLights come with an easy changeable cell batteries, so there’s no need to buy new lights. Go to www.AthLights.com to place your order. Follow them on Twitter @AthLights for more details on how their lights can keep you safe while exercising outdoors.

You’re Invited to…

Working up a sweat with a friend is a great thing, especially if you hate to exercise.  Having a buddy keeps you accountable. It is much harder to skip your daily exercise if you know there is somebody counting on you to show up. Exercise is more enjoyable when shared with others. It fulfills the human need to socialize.

People are social animals, and thrive on the feeling of being “in this together.”  Exercise buddies both motivate you to keep your exercise commitment, and celebrate your victories, such as pounds lost or miles walked. They encourage you when the scale is not budging, and keep you focused. That is, if you have chosen the right partner.

Here are the essential qualities to consider when choosing an appropriate exercise buddy:

They keep it positive. The person you choose to exercise with needs to possess a positive attitude.  Negativity is the enemy of long term success. Exercise is supposed to make you feel good. How can you feel good when your focus is on what is ineffective? Patience and persistence are good attributes in a workout buddy, especially if you are not. Impatience undermines the most well intentioned exercise plans, because, despite being bombarded by get-fit-quick messages, it takes at least twice as long to get fit than to become unfit.

They possess a stick-with-it quality. You don’t want a partner who easily gives up when it gets tough. And let’s face it, getting fit is tough.

You share similar capabilities and exercise experiences. Look for friends who have similar goals and fitness levels as you. If your buddy is too advanced or too far below your fitness level, you or they will be likely to quit due to difficulty or lack of results. 

Their personality is a match for yours. Most important, you need to enjoy the company of the person you workout with and the activity you choose. No one sticks long-term with something or someone they dislike, regardless of activity results or progress.

Set a goal to find a workout buddy, and then commit to an activity you both enjoy. You will survive your exercise program and reap the benefits of better health. 

By Mary Miriani. BA Exercise Science; ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist.
Reality Fitness, Inc.; Naperville, IL. Contact her via email, mary@miriani.com.

The Buddy System by Mary Miriani