Having a workout buddy / or joining a group with the purpose of motivating each other to exercise and be healthy can be a really positive thing but it's really important to make sure that you are connecting with the right group of people.
If you join a group and then share that you feel like devouring a tub of ice, do you want the response from the group to be encouraging you to eat it or not? If you are feeling a bit demotivated and thinking about skipping a workout, do you want to be encouraged to do the workout or skip it? I am sure many of us have experienced a group where the motivation and encouragement was not there. Yes, of course, everyone indulges once in a while and everyone skips a workout, but you don't need the people in your workout group to be the ones who regularly give you the green light to do so! If you have joined a group specifically to motivate you to eat healthily and workout, the last thing you need is for the people in that group to demotivate you.
My ideal workout group is one where the members encourage each other to make healthy choices. The members will share the workouts they do and congratulate each other for working out. If someone shares that they are demotivated the group will rally round and motivate them. If a member hasn't shared a workout for a few days the group will call them out and ask what is going on.
Its the same for a workout buddy, an ideal workout buddy for me, encourages me, challenges me and pushes me to get the most out of a workout. I doesn't matter what level of fitness they are, if they are working hard, then it motivates me to work hard. I also think everyone in a group should be encouraging each other, cheering them on through a tough set, calling people out if they are not pushing themselves, highlighting if they are not doing an exercise correctly or spurring them on if they are slowing up or taking too many rests.
My recommendations are that if you are setting up a group either virtually or physically or getting yourself a workout buddy, then have the chat! What are each of your looking for from the relationship? Is it OK to give a bit of tough love if you think they might need it? Are you all agreed that while you won't chastise each other, you won't condone poor choices? What are you going to do to motivate each other? How are you going to make sure the group helps its members achieve their goals?
I would recommend getting a few groups, motivators and workout buddies. Then you have the right group to turn to for the different approaches to motivation you need.
Photo by Justyn Warner on Unsplash
If you join a group and then share that you feel like devouring a tub of ice, do you want the response from the group to be encouraging you to eat it or not? If you are feeling a bit demotivated and thinking about skipping a workout, do you want to be encouraged to do the workout or skip it? I am sure many of us have experienced a group where the motivation and encouragement was not there. Yes, of course, everyone indulges once in a while and everyone skips a workout, but you don't need the people in your workout group to be the ones who regularly give you the green light to do so! If you have joined a group specifically to motivate you to eat healthily and workout, the last thing you need is for the people in that group to demotivate you.
My ideal workout group is one where the members encourage each other to make healthy choices. The members will share the workouts they do and congratulate each other for working out. If someone shares that they are demotivated the group will rally round and motivate them. If a member hasn't shared a workout for a few days the group will call them out and ask what is going on.
Its the same for a workout buddy, an ideal workout buddy for me, encourages me, challenges me and pushes me to get the most out of a workout. I doesn't matter what level of fitness they are, if they are working hard, then it motivates me to work hard. I also think everyone in a group should be encouraging each other, cheering them on through a tough set, calling people out if they are not pushing themselves, highlighting if they are not doing an exercise correctly or spurring them on if they are slowing up or taking too many rests.
My recommendations are that if you are setting up a group either virtually or physically or getting yourself a workout buddy, then have the chat! What are each of your looking for from the relationship? Is it OK to give a bit of tough love if you think they might need it? Are you all agreed that while you won't chastise each other, you won't condone poor choices? What are you going to do to motivate each other? How are you going to make sure the group helps its members achieve their goals?
I would recommend getting a few groups, motivators and workout buddies. Then you have the right group to turn to for the different approaches to motivation you need.
