It Takes Two When It Comes to Fitness
When it comes to weight loss, is working out with a friend, spouse or family member more effective? Take a look at the pros and cons of hitting the gym together:
Advantages
Having a buddy to work out with means you’ll have someone to motivate you to get to the gym on days where you would rather skip. That gym buddy will also be by your side pushing you to do one more rep or run one more mile.
Making plans with a buddy to meet at the gym early one morning or late after work helps to hold you accountable, too. You’re much less likely to skip working out when you know your decision affects someone else, too.
Having someone who is on the path to a healthier lifestyle with you also makes it more fun and entertaining. Both of you can research and cook up healthy recipes, go grocery shopping together, and take long strolls after dinner. Use these moments to deepen the relationship you have with the other person.
Another positive? If both of you are on the same path to healthy living, you won’t argue about where to go to dinner. Often times, when one half of a couple is dieting and the other is not, there is a lot of arguing when it comes to picking a restaurant or a meal to make for dinner. But, when you do it together, you can avoid this situation completely.
Disadvantages
Despite all of these advantages, there are a few downsides when it comes to working out together as well. For one, some people may become codependent on the other person to the point where they can’t succeed at living healthy on their own. It’s important to make this a personal transformation and not rely on someone else’s success to define your own.
If one partner has more success than the other, it could lead to jealousy or unhealthy competition that could cause tension or frustration in the relationship. Be sure to start this journey with clear expectations and goals in mind, and try not to pay attention to how you’re doing compared to your buddy.
