When I started my journey to lose weight, I was a little lazy. So I decided to invite my best friend to be my partner and to help me to achieve my weight loss goal. I knew that she was struggling to get herself into the gym too. So we started going together, and after three months we both lost a ton of weight. So here are the reasons why you need a workout partner–the true secret to lose weight!
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First, it's harder to let down a friend than it is to let down yourself. When the only person counting on us to go to the gym is ourselves, it's easy to just shrug it off. We don't have to answer to anyone or confront anyone about our laziness; we just blow it off and that's the end of it! But imagine you have a friend waiting for you at the gym. Suddenly it's a lot harder to just casually decide not to go. If you don't show up, you know they're going to be disappointed, and you're going to have to answer for it later.
This doesn't just apply to upholding dates that have been made. When you make a pact with someone to undertake the same goal, you don't want to let them down. It makes you want to try a lot harder in general.
Another benefit of taking on the task with a friend is that you'll both have a steady supply of encouragement. This is extremely important as you try to get in shape. We're often our own harshest critics. It's hard for us to see progress we make, even if it's obvious to others. Be sure to encourage each other often; it's a vital fuel for achieving one's goals.
Of course, it's not all about having someone there to pick you up when it gets tough. It's also about having someone there when it's easy and fun. Yes, it's possible to have fun during a workout–and having a friend there helps make it possible. Having a friend with you during the tough times makes them far less tough.
It helps to have someone there from start to finish. Any task feels easier if you have someone there to pick you up with it gets tough, and celebrate with you at milestones. When it comes time to celebrate, won't it feel so much more worthwhile to have someone there who was with you from the beginning?
So when it comes time to get in shape, don't take on the task alone. Find a close friend and then help each other achieve the same goals.
This post was originally published on December 30, 2013.
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