Most people want to workout. They want to look and feel better, but more often than not, they fall off the fitness bandwagon due to a lack of motivation. There are tons of ideas of how to better motivate yourself from inspiration boards to rewarding yourself when you reach a specific goal. Sure, these work for some, but many of us require an extra push. We need accountability. The absolute, most important factor in staying committed to a fitness journey is having a support system. This is where the idea of a workout buddy comes into play. Studies have shown that the right partner can push you to go the extra mile and do more than you thought you could. However, not all buddies are created equal. They can be a teammate, a coach, or a cheerleader. Each buddy brings something different to the table. So how do you know which one you need or what to even look for in one?
First of all, don’t be afraid to be picky when it comes to choosing a fitness partner. It’s important to actually like your companion. Of course, you don’t have to be best friends, but your commitment and progress is based on the idea that you don’t want to disappoint them. If you feel like you have a responsibility towards another person, you are more likely to actually follow through. It’s a lot harder to ditch a workout or binge on junk food if you know you have someone checking up on you. Plus, the more fun it is to collaborate on fitness goals with your buddy, the more likely you are to stick to your workout and nutrition plan long term. It is also a good idea to find someone you consider a fitness role model. They’re level should be slightly above your, yet still seem attainable. Additionally they need to be positive and solution focused, always pushing you for better results. Partners are crucial by providing influential support, accountability, motivation and even a little healthy competition.
I love being a workout buddy for people. I tend to function as a coach. This doesn’t mean I get to physically workout with all my partners as some live miles away. But, believe it or not, social support significantly boosts motivation even if it’s just via phone. A study done by Stanford University revealed that even a phone call every two weeks from a coach increased the amount of exercise by 78% on average. That’s incredible! As a health and fitness coach, I am not a personal trainer nor am I a nutritionist. I am first and foremost a workout buddy. I make it my personal goal to check in with each and every person I work with to keep them inspired on their fitness journey. Typically, during personal check-ins I ask how much exercise has been done in the past week, whether any workouts were missed, how you can increase your workouts and/or the intensity of them, and I finish up by asking how I can continue to motivate you as your coach. Being someone’s coach has to begin by finding what specifically encourages them. Not everyone is the same. Therefore, I would never try to inspire everyone using the same tactics. Some people need daily encouraging words whereas other might need an actual workout reminder. Heck I’ve even jumped on a virtual workout before. Either way, I am there to support you by building your confidence to helping you to reach your goals. The most effective way to do so is by acknowledging and praising your achievements, while keeping your ego grounded and pushing you to do even better. I’ll be the little voice in your head on the days you don’t want to workout and you’re thinking of caving in. Nevertheless, I’m not just dedicated to helping you reach your goals, but fully committed to reaching mine as well. There’s no way I could possibly inspire others to achieve great things if I didn’t first lead by example. For me, coaching is a partnership. The people I work with motivate and inspire me just as much, if not more than I do for them. Seeing their results only makes me want to work that much harder to help others.
I’m sure by now you must be wondering how I can possibly keep up with everyone. It’s called a challenge group. I host them monthly through Facebook. They are private groups, limited to 10-15 members. This allows me enough time to focus and devote time and energy to each member. In a group participates benefit from extra motivation and sense of community built on the idea that “we’re all doing this together.” Everyone helps to hold each other accountable and keep from straying from the ultimate goal - a healthier, happier life. Even though daily participation may vary, as a whole the group agrees to focus on working out and eating healthy. Checking in online is a way for members to know you’re staying committed and if one person starts to lose steam there are plenty of others to rush to their side, boost morale, and pull them though. Most of us have a bit of a competitive side, which can encourage you to post frequently in the group, ultimate forcing you to take more control and responsibility for your fitness. Healthy competition is always promoted in my challenge groups as it makes individuals perform better.
So here are my questions to you:
Have you been meaning to make a healthy change in your fitness and nutrition?
Do you suffer from rollercoaster dieting and inconsistent workouts?
Could you use the extra motivation and support both a coach and challenge group offers?
Do you want to see results that actually last?
If you answered yes to these questions then I know you are ready to hold yourself and others accountable when it comes to health and fitness. Stop telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow. Commit to yourself, to your fitness journey, now, not tomorrow. Take the first step by signing up for a FREE account where you can find a meal planner, recipes, nutrition and workout tips, blogs, success stories, videos, and even connect with me for a more personal experience. Taking my health and fitness into my own hands changed my life and there’s nothing I love more than being able to share that experience with others.