Exercise with a group for extra motivation

One of the best ways to get yourself motivated to exercise is to do it on a regular basis with friends. Not only does it make working out more enjoyable, but it also adds an element of commitment that’s easier to keep when you know someone is expecting you to show up.

Group exercise can be a great thing. It can even bring a community together to make it healthier. For example, one of my clients is a physician, and he is involved in a weekly event called “Walk with a Doc”. It’s an opportunity for people to get together and get some exercise, and also an informal way to share your medical concerns and get some basic advice on a healthy lifestyle.

I read about another great example just recently. Researchers did a study where they gave pedometers to 70 women in a community and asked them to walk at least 150 minutes per week for 10 weeks. In the middle of the study, at week 5, the researchers offered a raffle challenge to increase the women’s steps by 10% for the remainder of the 10 weeks. The women ended up walking significantly more during the second half of the study. An element of competition certainly doesn’t hurt a group exercise program.

So get together, stay motivated, and enjoy your exercise! You will live better and longer if you do.

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