O1xygenAustralianJulyAugust2015_

current friends, family

members or strangers. They

can be people who share your

weight-loss goals or fitness

interests. You can have one or

many. Remember – workout

buddies should “always” be

positive, friendly and honest,

which means it is okay to

be picky when choosing a

someone.

Clearly, it's important to

choose the right buddy for

rticular exercise

level and regimen. Keep the

following attributes in mind,

when choosing your workout

buddy:

• Exercise type. The most
  common cause of injuries
  is bad form, which can
  be hard to determine for
  yourself, so it's good to
  have someone else who is
  familiar with the exercise
  and can check your
  position.
  
  
  • Fitness level. Look for
    a buddy whose fitness
    level is similar to yours,
    otherwise you could end
    up either doing too much
    or too little.
  
  
  • Relationship. If a workout
    buddy is going to work
    for you longterm, it’s
    important that you and
    your workout buddy are
    compatible in a few key
    areas.
  
  
  
  

Start by finding like-minded

workout buddies. Through a

congenial atmosphere, rather

than a competitive one, this

will help you stay motivated

by providing a source of

encouragement. Members of

a group can also push each

other to reach goals and cheer

each other on. And when

someone has a bad day, the

group is there to lift their

spirits and sympathise.

Overall, the most obvious
places to find a workout buddy
is your fitness centre, at home
or in your local and online
community. Some additional
suggestions are provided
below to assist you with
finding a workout buddy:

• Family memberscan make
  good workout partners,
  but make sure they’re
  serious about their fitness
  commitments.
  •Co-workersare another
  workout buddy resource.
  You can create standing
  pre- or post-work workout
  datesatagymnearyour
  office.


• Approach someone at the
  gym.Maybe you’ve made
  afriendortwoatthegym,
  and noticed that you’re on
  thesameschedule.

Use the internet or other
online applications. The rise of
social-networking sites such as
FacebookandTwittermeans
you can go to cyberspace for
diet and fitness support. There
are also apps such ashttp://
fitnessbuddyapp.com/

Also, you may like to consider an Online Coaching Buddy

Program that I provide. My approach is this:

• I assist you with setting up your goals – this information comes from a questionnaire I
  share with you. Also, initial actions are set to progress the goals.


• I would send out a coaching lesson every two weeks as I have found that this is a good
  time to connect.


• Lessons would cover your vision, emotional intelligence, focus, mindset, motivation,
  health and fitness, work-life balance, the real you, confidence and your success formula.


• With these lessons I also check on progress on your goals and actions.


• From all of this, a personal success formula is developed for you that you can continue to
  use for a lifetime.
  Contact me on [email protected] for details of the programme.

When reg ular exercise is an important part

of your health and wellness programme,

getting a workout buddy is something you

should seriously consider. An exercise buddy

can be a great help in ensuring you exercise

on a regular basis and, in doing, achieve

your fitness and weight loss goals, no matter

whether you’re exercising at home, in the

park, or in the local gym.

Overall, if you would like to share any

successes that you are excited about, please

feel free to do so via the email address shown

below. I welcome any feedback on my articles,

Tips for a successful or suggestions for future topics.

WORKOUT

BUDDY

RELATIONSHIP:

… Consider personality

… Make joint decisions

… When possible, match skill levels

… Make your exercise sessions a

priority

… Have a back-up plan ready for

when your buddy can't participate

… Make adjustments when needed

… Have fun together.

Workout buddies can be your pa

FINDING A WORKOUT BUDDY

If you would like to accelerate your journey to

success, contact the author on

[email protected].

Geoff Edwards is an internationally accredited

Life Coach with more than 25 years of coaching

experience. He can support you on your journey

to success with results that last. He can be

contacted [email protected]

through his websitewww.geoffedwards.net

PHOTO CREDIT:SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

86 | JULY/AUG 2015 | oxygenmag.com.au

FITNESS

SISTERS