Accountability is absolutely everything when it comes to sticking with an exercise and healthy eating plan. Working with clients, I find that I’m constantly encouraging each client to be accountable to themselves to move forward and achieve new goals. For some, being accountable to him or herself is easy, but for others I find that being accountable to someone else can be an even greater motivator for making good choices and staying on track. Getting a buddy can be a game changer for some, as it can introduce a new element of connection and fun—both act as motivators for healthy change and compliance to a plan.

3 Reasons to Get a Workout Buddy:

A workout buddy can…

• Help get you moving: Feel like skipping your workout? Too bad, you are responsible for someone else’s workout now too. Pairing up with a fitness buddy can help take the focus off of your workout and can help motivate you to get moving for the sake of someone else, which is a major motivator for some. Having a workout buddy can also help you get moving, as it works both ways- you need a little motivation to get moving? Great news, you have someone to push you along.

• Push you to work harder during your workout: Feeling like slacking during your workout? Well too bad your buddy feels great and has a lot of energy today, so now it’s up to you to keep up with them, and that’s a good thing. Sometimes when we get into a routine our intensity lags over time—well not once you have a workout buddy. Most of us respond well to competition, so a little friendly competition in your everyday workout can help push you to the next level.

• Help introduce you to new types of movement: One of the biggest secrets (or not secrets) in the fitness world is that in order to continue to see results, you must shake up your routine. We get stale when we stick to the same routine and we also get bored, which doesn’t help with motivation. Trying new activities that your fitness buddy may have experience with can not only help to improve flexibility, mobility, and strength but it can also help to keep you excited about your workouts.

A few tips to help you pick a workout buddy…

Choose a buddy who…

• Has similar fitness goals
• Has similar fitness interests, but who may be interested in a few activities you have never tried (this can be a major plus)
• Is of a similar fitness level
• Has a similar schedule—scheduling can be one of the hardest parts of staying on track with a buddy

Don’t have anyone who you can buddy up with?

That’s ok, you can pick a friend or family member who lives farther away and track each others exercise from a distance. Set some goals and rules before you begin as remote buddies can be just a little harder to stay on track. Use emails, a google doc, Facebook or any others to help keep your results.

Who’s my workout buddy?

My boyfriend Eddie is my workout buddy. He has committed to help me get to those early morning workouts (and vice versa) that we hate to get out of bed to go to, but love when we’ve done them. So even I take my own advice, and I promise it’s extremely helpful!