Be your own coach: Find a friend to work out with

Exercise can be enormously beneficial in helping to maintain not only a healthy body but a healthy mind as well.  When you exercise you release chemicals into your body know as endorphins.  Endorphins are your bodies natural pain and stress fighters, and they can be hugely valuable in helping you to look after your emotional wellbeing.

We all know that we should take regular exercise.  The current guidelines from the NHS in the UK are that we should be doing 150 minutes of “moderate” activity every week.  This can include the following:

 

  • brisk walking
  • jogging/running
  • water aerobics
  • bike riding
  • pushing a lawn mower
  • hiking
  • rollerblading
  • volleyball
  • basketball
  • swimming

 

This equates to 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days a week.  For many people, this can seem like a lot – especially if exercise is not something which you currently take part in very often.

One way of getting more exercise into your life is to find a friend to work out with.  This could be someone that you know, a friend or family member, or could be in the form of joining a local group.  By working out with a friend you will have more fun; as well as the benefits of exercise you get to catch up socially and have a good gossip as well!

 

Here are some of the benefits of working out with a friend:

  1. Accountability – it can be so easy to talk yourself out of exercising, especially after a tough day. You are far less likely to skip your workout if it means letting down a friend.

 

  1. Motivation – when you’re running with a friend, their encouragement will push you to run faster than you probably would do on your own. It may also encourage you to cycle up that hill without stopping!

 

  1. Safety – this is an important consideration in many ways. When exercising somewhere remote such as a forest or hill, if you were to have an accident a friend can call for help and look after you whilst you wait.  If you are working out with a friend in a gym and lifting weights, they can spot for you to ensure you are lifting correctly and not putting yourself at risk of injury.

 

  1. Try something new – if you have joined the same gym as a friend, they might encourage you to try a new exercise class that you wouldn’t have thought of trying before. They can also act as emotional support when trying out new activities too!

 

  1. Social wellbeing – spending time working out with a friend ensures you have regular social interaction with at least one other person. This is so crucial if your current lifestyle does not include much time for socialising!  It could also lead to you making new friendships too and developing a support network for yourself.

 

  1. Shared goals – when training for an event with a friend, be it a 10k run or a sponsored walk, not only will you reap the benefits of training together, but you’ll also get to relish in the shared achievement of your goals!

 

The benefits of buddying up for your workouts are many and will motivate you in numerous ways to stick to your exercise routine.

It is strongly recommended that you consult with your GP before beginning any exercise program.

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