2011 is upon us and I have officially started working towards some of my resolutions. As I have stated before, my health is one of my biggest concerns. I not only want to be in the best physical shape, but the best emotional and mental state I can be in. One of those ways to conquer all 3 of those aspects is by exercising. I decided I would attempt P90X again.
Round 1 and a half is going well so far. I feel motivated about what I’m doing. Don’t get me wrong, it is really hard and I am sore every day, but aside from that I have one of my best friends helping me stay on track. She has also agreed to take the challenge of doing P90X.
I figured one way for us to complete one of the most challenging at home workout series was to have a buddy keep me straight. I created an event for us on Facebook to log in every day and talk about how it went. I feel accountable to her. I feel like if I don’t work out, then I’ve let myself and her down. How can she rely on me for support on this journey if I’m not doing my part?
According to PRLOG.org, people normally double their success rate with a fitness buddy. I am doubling my chance of completing this program that I previously quit at 45 days. This gets me even more excited because knowing I can do this with higher probability of finishing I feel more capable. I have officially stopped doubting that I can become a P90X graduate.
More reasons to recruit a workout pal are because it’s fun and encouraging. We get to joke, laugh, complain, and cry about how the workout went. Without the fun and right support, it’s hard to stay on target for just yourself. If everyone around you is watching a movie, eating buttery popcorn, devouring chocolate-covered raisins and drinking soda, it is very tempting to do the same. With my pal, we workout then we can chill. It is very nice to have someone on the same page.
Another reason a fitness buddy is great is this key word, longevity. What I mean is after my bestie and I finish P90X round 1, we may want to quit working out for a month. Putting a stop or a pause on our routine will make it hard for us to get back on schedule for our fitness goals. I will be able to say, “Let’s rest for a week, regroup our minds, and then get back at it.” Or she could do the same for me. My fitness buddy will do her best to remind me of my main goal, my overall health, and I’ll do the same for her, which pushes us to continue working out in different ways. Longevity of exercise is important for long-term health maintenance.
This year, I encourage everyone to try some new workout plan and bring a friend. You could take a class at the school, through a community program (they’re quite cheap, I did Yoga last year and it was affordable and fun), try a class at the gym or do home videos. Your friend will thank you at the end of the year because secretly, their health is probably on the top of their resolution list. Our physical well-being is the stepping stone to great emotional and mental health. It opens the doors to happiness, capability, opportunities and cheaper doctor bills.