FRIENDSHIP & FITNESS
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It’s a new year and we all know that comes with New Year’s resolutions, with the #1 goal often being to get back in the gym. AND I’M HERE FOR IT!
Some people try to make those with new year’s fitness resolutions feel bad and assume that they won’t see them through to the end of the year.
The reality is that everyone WANTS to become a better version of themselves and get in shape, but sometimes it's just hard to go at it alone.
Thankfully, we are living in a world where we don’t have to, and with the help of a few good friends, or even 1 good friend, you can see your fitness goals come true!
This post will help you and your friends work together to come up with a plan of action to be consistent in the gym and find encouragement and motivation in one another.
How Your Friends Can Help You Achieve Your Fitness Goals
Some people actually pay others to be their accountability coaches, but if you’re looking for a cost-efficient way to meet your fitness goals, I recommend reaching out to a friend.
1| Ask a friend to be your accountability partner
First, you need to be honest enough to acknowledge you could use a little assistance with accomplishing this goal. If you have been trying by yourself unsuccessfully for the past few years, it may be time to ask for some help.
Then you need to go through the Rolodex in your brain (or your phone contacts) and start thinking about who you believe would be the best fit for the job.
Below are a few qualities that your friend should have to make a great accountability partner:
They are disciplined
They are reliable
They can speak the truth to you in love
They maintain some healthy habits for themselves
They genuinely want the best for you
These are great qualities in a friend anyways, but when they are your accountability partner it takes on a different meaning.
They can hold you responsible to the vision you have for yourself, despite yourself.
They won’t be moved by your attitudes or irritability when you don’t feel like going to the gym.
But they also understand the complexities of life, and how to pivot and adjust when needed to help you accomplish your goal.
Once you ask a friend to be your accountability partner and they agree, you need to ask to what capacity are they able to take on this role.
Can they physically go to the gym with you? Can they do virtual workouts with you? Are they only able to do daily check-in texts? Or some type of hybrid of all of these options?
Also, is this a reciprocal partnership where you will be accountability partners for one another?
Once you have that figured out, you can then come up with your accountability plan.
2| Create an accountability plan
Your accountability plan is the approach you all will set in place to achieve your goals.
First, get specific on exactly what your fitness goal is that you want your accountability partner to help you with.
For example, “I’d like to go to the gym 3x a week, with one day focusing on my upper body, one day focusing on my lower body, and one day focusing on cardio.”
Make sure the goal is realistic and not too complicated, keep it simple to make it attainable.
Then determine how you all will track your goal, here are a few options:
Send a text message/calling your friend each time you have gone to the gym
Send a picture or video of you completing the workout via text/social media
Create a shared album to place your picture/video of you completing the workout
Use a goal-tracking app like Strides and send a screenshot of your progress at the end of each week
Create a habit tracker in a shared note or a shared document on Google Drive document that can be reviewed by your friend frequently
3| Select a Reward or Consequence System
These are two popular systems that can be used to help stay accountable to your fitness goals, and that’s the reward or consequence system.
The Reward System allows you to treat yourself to something special at different checkpoints in your journey, or when accomplishing the goal overall.
Reward System Example:
If you plan to go to the gym 12x a month for the entire year, at the end of each month if you made it to the gym 12 times, you buy yourself a new workout outfit.
The Consequence System is the opposite, it takes something away from you for not meeting your checkpoints or goal overall.
Consequence System Example:
If you plan to go to the gym 12x a month for the entire year, and you only made it 8 times in November, then you have to give your friend/accountability partner $50 at the end of that month.
Either system can be successful, it just depends on the person. Some people are motivated by winning, and some people are motivated by not losing; it’s up to you to let your friend know what moves you.
Don’t Forget the Encouragement
As workout buddies or accountability partners, it’s so incredibly helpful to encourage one another.
Listen, doing anything consistently can be hard because you’re unlearning past behaviors, and trying to learn a completely new way of living.
The truth is that you guys will stumble along the way. Encouraging each other will help you through the ebbs and flows of the process.
Check out a few ways to encourage your friend with their fitness goals.
1| Offer words of affirmation
The Bible says that life and death lie in the power of the tongue, meaning how you speak to one another has the power to either uplift, or tear down.
The affirmations don’t have to be long and drawn out unless you want them to be. It can be something short and sweet like,
“Girl you got this, your body is strong, and your mind is disciplined.”
You can write them little notes of affirmations, or send them one a couple of times a week via text or social media.
2| Acknowledge progress
People pretend they don’t want or need praise for doing what they’re “supposed” to be doing, but that’s just not true.
Nothing feels better than a friend seeing you do the work, recognizing it, complimenting you, or simply stating how proud they are of you.
No, you’re not working out for the recognition, but you do appreciate it.
It just feels good.
3| Give fitness-related gifts
This doesn’t have to be expensive, it’s just a little something that shows your support for them and their goals.
Here are a few fitness gift ideas:
Healthy snacks
Friendship Fitness Plans
I created a few simple workout plans below to help you and your friends start the year off right.
Determine how many sets (a group of repetitions) of reps (the repetition or the number of times you want to do that exercise) you’d like to do, and if you’re unsure, try starting with a simple 3 sets of 10 reps.
Then get yourself some cute workout clothes and try these out!
Legs & Glutes Exercises
Sumo Squat with Kettlebell
Donkey Kicks (quadruped bent-knee hip extension)
Fire Hydrants (quadruped hip abductions)
Leg Extension Machine
Leg Curl Machine
Wall Sit
Back & Biceps Exercises
Back Extensions
Barbell Row
Lat Pull-Down Machine
Bicep Curls with Dumbbells
Hammer Curls with Dumbbells
Bicep Cable Curls
Chest & Triceps Exercises
Tricep Dips
Tricep Kickback with Dumbbells
Tricep Extension Machine
Pushups
Chest Press Machine
Inclined Dumbbell Fly
Shoulder Exercises
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Cable Upright Row
Dumbbell Front Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises
Military Press with Barbell
Machine Shoulder Press
Core/Abs Exercises
Bicycle Crunches
Lying Leg Raises
Exercise Ball Crunch
Reverse Crunch
Scissor Kicks
Plank
Cardio Exercises
Rolling Hills Treadmill Workout
Walking/Jogging/Running
Bike Riding
Burpees/Mountain Climbers
Jumping Rope
Stair Climber or Jacobs ladder
Workout Classes
Spin
Kickboxing
Yoga
Body Pump
Pole Dancing
Pilates
Always remember to follow the safety guidelines to use any exercise equipment, go at your own pace, and seek professional assistance when needed.
Whether you’re working out together or cheering one another on from the sideline, having a friend in your corner while you’re on your fitness journey can positively impact you.
When making those new year goals, friendship goals, and resolutions to be greater, consider asking a friend to be your wingman, and crush those fitness goals together!
What are some of your favorite workouts to do with a friend? Feel free to share below!
