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Partner Up for Weight Loss

By Joanne Sgro HERWriter September 29, 2009 - 11:44am
 
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So you’re finding yourself in a workout rut, stopped exercising or do not know where to even start. At this point in time it may be time to partner with a friend or co-worker to keep you focused on your goal.

A workout partner is good for many reasons, whether it be added motivation, someone to spot you during an exercise or merely the accountability to another person. Having a good workout partner means that there’s someone who makes you accountable, as well as someone to encourage you. If you have the same goals, you can plot and strategize how you’re going to get there.

Here is some advice that I’ve also given to the readers of Oxygen Magazine, a fitness magazine for women:

You should look at your own relationships in your life and see what is working. Who do you enjoy working with? Do you complete tasks together as a team? After losing nearly 100 pounds through walking and working out at home, it was time to hit the gym and tackle a more difficult routine. My friend Colleen, agreed to be my workout partner and we really pushed each other. Colleen achieved the goal of looking fabulous for her wedding, and I was on my way toward losing an additional 75 pounds. For me I needed someone to cheer me on, did not judge me and was able to offer advice.

Are you both morning workout people or do you prefer evenings? Colleen and I both worked evenings in television news at the time, so it was easy for us to meet for our morning workouts. You need to find someone that likes to workout and is available at the same time of day that you are.

Although, I still had a lot of weight to lose, I had built up my strength and endurance where we were both around the same fitness level. You should have similar goals and fitness levels as your workout partner. You want to also make sure that you’re in the right frame of mind yourself and can be encouraging to your workout partner even if they’re achieving faster results than you. Don’t get or act discouraged and let your partner down. You get what you put out there. Instead, see if they can be of some insight into how you can tweak your workout.

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We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Joanne Sgro HERWriter View Profile Send Message

Joanne Sgro-Killworth is a Certified Personal Trainer/Sports Nutritionist and has worked with numerous breast cancer ...

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