Hi there, Liz here…

Today I was thinking about what has helping me through the years with having fun and breaking plateaus with fitness. It is having a workout buddy. My challenge for you this week is to find a workout buddy.

Having a workout buddy increases weight loss and motivation. When choosing a workout buddy keep this in mind; the exercise type, their fitness level, their skill level, and is this a friend or acquaintance that you won’t back out on no matter what? Whether you’re trying to shed a few pounds or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle, here are some great strategies to find a workout buddy.

A recent study at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine concluded that exercising with a workout buddy improves weight loss results. Still not sure if a workout buddy is for you? I’ve been there too. I’ve had some workout buddies that help me back from my fitness goals, but if you choose a motivated on, they are great for the following!

• Accountability, they don’t leave you hanging and you don’t leave them hanging.
• By working out with someone better than you, they will pushes you to work harder and go further.
• They are there to motivate you during the good and bad times. You are there for them also.

After you have a clear vision of what your ideal workout buddy looks like, now you can go out and find one.

You may have a friend or acquaintance that is perfect, but if you don’t look here:

• Meetup.com – You can find anything from a local yoga at the park group to meet-ups for exercising with your pets!
• Groupon – Everyone loves a great deal and you can sign up for anything from horseback riding to rock climbing. You can even do something outside of the normal fitness classes that’s perhaps a bit scary like pole dancing or trapeze. Doing something new creates a bond, then you can strike up a conversation that may be that perfect workout buddy you’ve been looking for.
• Ask Your Trainer or Coach – They know your fitness level and personality plus know everyone at the gym. Asking them will get you linked up with a workout buddy quick.
• Reach Out to Friends – This is a great way to spend time with friends, but watch out for chatting too much.
• Reach Out to Coworkers – Is there a coworker that is interested in healthy living like you? Talk to them at lunch tomorrow and find out what their fitness goals are. What’s great about this workout partner is you see them every day and you have similar schedules.

Here are some of my favorite workout buddies and a bit about why they are awesome:

• Lawrence Chavez teaches cycling at Defined Fitness in Albuquerque, NM. He could tell when I could push a bit more during class and encouraged me to push hard. Now, while I teach cycling my goal is to bring the energy and encouragement that he brought when I took his classes.

• Nicole Wainwright, Bri Martin, Cherie Barber, and Olivia Martin were clients that turning into great friends. I’m not very good at running so these ladies would push me to run quicker and would not let me slack. Each of them lived in different parts of San Diego so I would get in 2-3 different terrain workouts each week.
• Lee, Kelly, Dustin, Kim, and Victoria are some of my trainers that taught me how to be a great personal trainer through them training me. I didn’t always like the fitness and nutrition programs they put me on, but I learned discipline and how to get great results from working hard. Every year I like to hire a trainer gives my fitness and nutrition a make-over.

Support each other every day and let’s move as a team through your daily workouts. Post what you did and share your advice. If you need help then ask for it, we are all in this together.

Live Healthy and Happy,

Liz

P.s. BIG NEWS!!! On my Facebook Page I’ve got a fitness tip just for you today. I look forward to connecting with you. If you liked what you read comment and share.