{"id":5156,"date":"2023-11-27T18:31:23","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T22:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/a-simple-guide-to-the-benefits-of-group-fitness\/"},"modified":"2023-11-27T18:31:23","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T22:31:23","slug":"a-simple-guide-to-the-benefits-of-group-fitness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/a-simple-guide-to-the-benefits-of-group-fitness\/","title":{"rendered":"A Simple Guide To The Benefits Of Group Fitness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Profit<\/a>
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\"A<\/p>\n

Many studies have shown that focusing on fitness \u2013 regardless of how much you weigh \u2013 is necessary to lower your health risks. Yet, it\u2019s easier to focus on the weight loss rather than the fitness aspect of dieting.<\/p>\n

The reason is because losing weight is a personal journey. But there are a number of benefits when you engage in group fitness, on both a physical and mental level.<\/p>\n

Losing Weight Is Easier With Support<\/strong><\/p>\n

When it comes to losing weight and getting fit, it\u2019s always better to have support rather than to try to go it alone. You don\u2019t have to get involved in a large group if you\u2019re the kind of person who likes to keep things low key.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s important that you have someone in your life who is on the same journey to fitness that you are. Statistics have repeatedly shown that people who use the fitness buddy system end up not only losing weight and getting fit faster, but they tend to keep it off long term.<\/p>\n

Having someone who understands what you\u2019re experiencing helps with discouragement. Being able to share the journey keeps your motivation strong. It also keeps you on track because you\u2019ll quit on you before you\u2019ll quit on someone else.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s just human nature. We hate to disappoint other people much more than we hate disappointing ourselves. Losing weight and getting fit with the help of a buddy system is easier, too \u2013 because we tend to talk ourselves into things that aren\u2019t good for us if it\u2019s something we want.<\/p>\n

This includes things like deciding that we need to blow off eating healthy because we\u2019ve worked hard all week. A diet and fitness buddy will be there to help you through those times when you\u2019re rationalizing taking steps that can potentially derail your success.<\/p>\n

Having someone in your corner can make exercising more fun. You\u2019ll look forward to the social connection. Support means that you have someone who can help keep you in check when you\u2019re exercising to make sure you\u2019re not overdoing it or that your body is properly aligned when you\u2019re working out on the machines at the gym.<\/p>\n

When you have someone to help support your weight loss and fitness efforts, you\u2019ll discover that you\u2019re challenging yourself to work out harder and longer than you would if you were trying to do it on your own.<\/p>\n

Having someone else along on the same journey not only helps give you support but opens up a bit of a competitive drive within you. It\u2019s part of human nature to want to compete to be the best at what you\u2019re doing when you\u2019re engaging in the same physical activity with someone else.<\/p>\n

When you share a weight loss and fitness journey with an accountability partner, you\u2019ll see that losing weight and getting in shape can become something to look forward to that\u2019s much easier than it has been in the past.<\/p>\n

What to Look For in an Accountability Partner<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re looking for an accountability partner, the first thing you need to check is that the other person is truly committed to getting into shape. A lot of people talk about making changes but don\u2019t actually perform any action that will lead to weight loss or getting fit.<\/p>\n

You should be up front with whoever you decide to walk the fitness journey with. The level of commitment needs to be the same for both of you. Whoever you have as a partner needs to be someone that you can trust.<\/p>\n

Having a fitness partner requires honesty and if there\u2019s no trust, you won\u2019t ever feel truly comfortable with that person. It\u2019s a good idea to discuss what you can and can\u2019t do with the person and you need to set boundaries so that each of you knows what to expect.<\/p>\n

You might want to go ahead and plan out how often you\u2019ll meet to talk and for exercise. Deciding whether or not you want to set up time for phone encouragement sessions or email discussions is also important.<\/p>\n

When you coordinate your time right from the beginning, then the relationship gets off to a positive start. You should also set up what types of challenges you\u2019re looking for and what kind of feedback.<\/p>\n

Discuss what you need to hear when you do have fall off the wagon. When you do find someone who helps you with your fitness goals, there are certain things that can help make the relationship a successful one.<\/p>\n

That success is found in what you discuss with the other person. You do need to be as open and as up front as you feel comfortable being. You should discuss your weight loss goals.<\/p>\n

Mention how much you want to lose and your motivation behind it. You want to do this because then your accountability partner has the knowledge to be able to help keep you motivated.<\/p>\n

He or she can remind you of your goal to lose weight for health reasons or for bikini season. Whatever the reason, the other person can act as someone who can nudge you closer to your long term goal.<\/p>\n

Another thing you\u2019ll want to discuss are the roadblocks that have always been in your way before when you\u2019ve tried to lose weight and get fit. If your accountability partner knows up front that you find it harder to work out after you have a stressful day at work, then he or she will be able to help push you through that block.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, all it takes is for someone else to tell you that you can do it and that you\u2019ll feel better for your mindset to change. Instead of going home and sitting in front of the television to destress, you\u2019ll find that your accountability partner has motivated you to head to the gym instead.<\/p>\n

Discussing what things in your lifestyle try to hinder you from reaching your goals can help your accountability partner be able to openly discuss ways that you can work around those hindrances.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re working with an accountability partner, you also want to discuss challenges. Find out how you can challenge each other to push harder to reach levels you never have before.<\/p>\n

You should talk about what fitness levels you\u2019re hoping to reach so that the other person knows when to spur you forward in a workout. An accountability partner doesn\u2019t have to be in real life.<\/p>\n

You can find one online and there are pros and cons to both. For an accountability partner that\u2019s in real life, it can be more social. You can meet up for face-to-face time.<\/p>\n

You have the benefit of socializing and getting encouragement in real time. This doesn\u2019t always happen when the other person is an online accountability partner because if they\u2019re not online, then you won\u2019t have that support available.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re feeling like you\u2019re about to fall off the fitness wagon, you can call a real life accountability partner and ask to meet up for a workout. But having support online can be equally beneficial to some people.<\/p>\n

This is especially true if you\u2019re an introvert and you find it difficult to be open when you\u2019re faced with someone in real life. Online accountability partnerships offer a degree of separation that some people prefer.<\/p>\n

Plus, you might find it easier to talk to someone who isn\u2019t in your immediate social circle. The upside to having a real life accountability partner is that you\u2019re less likely to want to let them down than you would someone online.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also easier to be more competitive and challenge yourself in real life than online. An online accountability partner can make it easier for your goals to become more concrete and for you to get a visual for tracking your progress.<\/p>\n

As you type out your messages back and forth, you\u2019ll have a record of how well you\u2019re doing and you\u2019ll be able to see how you sound \u2013 whether you sound upbeat or discouraged.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, seeing something written out makes it easier for you to recognize what needs to change so that you can stay motivated. The connection to an accountability partner who is online can sometimes actually be stronger than one in real life because people tend to put aside their masks when they\u2019re online.<\/p>\n

There can be a lowering of the guard with someone else when there\u2019s a screen between the two of you. It can be easier to vent your weight loss or fitness frustrations to an online accountability partner when you might hold back with someone who\u2019s in real life.<\/p>\n

The Person to Avoid Choosing for Your Accountability Partner<\/strong><\/p>\n

It can be tempting to ask a close friend or a family member to be your accountability partner. But although that person might love you and want the best for you, sometimes they just don\u2019t make the best accountability partner.<\/p>\n

The reason is because they\u2019re often too easy on you, too willing to help to de-motivate you by telling you that everything is fine, that you look fine, that skipping your healthy eating plan or fitness routine is no big deal because they love you just as you are.<\/p>\n

While that\u2019s sweet, it\u2019s not the kind of thing that you need. Your friends and family won\u2019t often give you the butt kicking that you need to stay on track. They won\u2019t actually hold you accountable and tell you that you can do better, that you made certain goals and need to stick to them.<\/p>\n

In other words, they let you off easy. When that happens, it\u2019s easy to chill out than to work out. It\u2019s not always best to make your spouse your accountability partner because it can be too easy to either let one another slide with goals or to get upset with each other.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t want your fitness journey to cause tension at home when someone gets upset or frustrated with the other person. You also want to avoid people who tell you the truth but aren\u2019t compassionate about it.<\/p>\n

You do need to be held accountable but you don\u2019t need to be sliced and diced either. If someone rips you to shreds and makes you feel like scum, that\u2019s not helpful.<\/p>\n

You should avoid choosing the person who uses put downs or makes fun of other people when they make a mistake. They\u2019ll do the same to you when you have a setback.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s always helpful to find an accountability partner who also wants to lose weight, you don\u2019t want to partner with someone who\u2019s a downer. Hearing someone say, \u201cI\u2019ll never lose this weight\u201d or, \u201cworking out is just too hard\u201d will eventually wear on you.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re with someone who is a downer, you rarely pull them up emotionally. Instead, they end up making you feel worse. Skip partnering with a rationalizer. This is the type of partner who can always find a way to get out of eating healthy and working out.<\/p>\n

They say they need to skip eating healthy because they had a hard day. Or they can\u2019t work out because they don\u2019t feel like it and they say they want to get fit, but they spend more time talking about it than actually doing anything about it.<\/p>\n

Your accountability partner must be motivated and determined to get fit. Otherwise, it won\u2019t be a beneficial relationship for you. You also want to avoid the sabotager.<\/p>\n

This is the accountability partner who encourages you to blow your diet or skip the workout to go do something \u201cfun.\u201d You\u2019ll find that they undermine you. They\u2019re always pointing out what else you could be doing or tempting you to make bad choices.<\/p>\n

Get Involved in a Big Group Fitness Program<\/strong><\/p>\n

While having an accountability partner has been shown to be a successful way to stick to your fitness goals, you shouldn\u2019t overlook big group fitness programs either.<\/p>\n

These work because you gain the team mentality when you work out with a group. Plus, people who work out in a group fitness program are more likely to exercise more often each week than people who aren\u2019t involved in group fitness.<\/p>\n

There is power and plenty of challenges to be found when you\u2019re working out with a group of people. That\u2019s one of the reasons why things like Zumba have become so popular.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re surrounded by large groups of people who are doing the same thing, it\u2019s easier to stay motivated not only during the workout \u2013 but it keeps your motivation level high during the week.<\/p>\n

You look forward to meeting up with the class or program again. There are groups that are decided to fitness such as hiking groups. You get to work on your fitness while exploring new areas with people who all have the same goal.<\/p>\n

Dance exercise classes are an extremely popular fitness program because they\u2019re social, fun and give you a great workout. When people interact with others in a positive way, the brain releases endorphins.<\/p>\n

Social interaction like this that causes the endorphin levels to rise makes you feel happier and associate working out as something pleasurable. Working out with a group of people helps you see that you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

Regardless of how you feel when you arrive, you leave feeling motivated and full of energy. Bonding over a common goal takes place in a group setting and that can raise the accountability level.<\/p>\n

More people will notice if you\u2019re not there. The instructor gets used to seeing your face and people will question your absence when you return. You gain friends through group fitness programs and many of these people end up doing activities together beyond the fitness class.<\/p>\n

This builds your social circle of like minded people who help you stay on target even when you\u2019re not working out. The bond that carries over from being in a group together makes it easier to make smart choices when you go out to eat with people who want what you want.<\/p>\n

Originally posted 2019-08-25 02:58:50. <\/small><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Profit<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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