Accountability Partners: The Power of Working Out with a Friend

 Embarking on a fitness journey can sometimes feel like a solitary endeavor. However, the path to health and wellness doesn’t have to be walked alone. One of the most effective strategies to stay motivated, committed, and consistent in your workouts is by having an accountability partner—a friend who shares your fitness goals and supports your efforts. In this blog, we’ll explore the profound impact of having an accountability partner, delving into the ways in which a workout buddy can enhance your fitness experience.

Shared Commitment, Shared Success

1. Mutual Encouragement

Having a workout partner provides an immediate support system. On days when motivation wanes, your partner can uplift you, offering encouragement and reminding you of your goals. Their presence alone can turn a potentially lackluster workout into a dynamic, motivating session.

2. Increased Accountability

When you know someone is counting on you, you’re less likely to skip a workout. The sense of accountability to your partner creates a strong commitment, making it harder to succumb to excuses. This accountability fosters consistency, a key factor in achieving long-term fitness goals.

Enhanced Motivation and Enjoyment

1. Friendly Competition

A healthy dose of competition can fuel your workouts. Friendly challenges with your partner, whether in the form of who can run faster or do more push-ups, add an element of fun and motivation. The drive to outperform each other in a supportive manner can lead to increased effort and enjoyment.

2. Shared Progress Celebrations

Having someone witness and celebrate your achievements magnifies their significance. When you reach a personal milestone, having a friend there to share in your joy enhances the experience. Likewise, celebrating your partner’s accomplishments strengthens your bond and reinforces your shared commitment to fitness 

Mental and Emotional Support

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1. Stress Reduction

Working out with a friend creates an opportunity to unwind and share experiences. Exercise is a natural stress reliever, and having a friend to talk to during and after workouts can further reduce stress levels. A workout session becomes not just physical activity but also a chance to de-stress and connect.

2. Boosted Confidence

A supportive workout buddy provides a safety net, enabling you to try new exercises or routines you might have hesitated to attempt alone. The confidence derived from this support often translates into improved performance and a willingness to challenge yourself, ultimately leading to better results.

Creating Lasting Bonds

1. Deepened Friendship

Sharing the challenges and victories of a fitness journey creates a unique bond. The mutual dedication to health and fitness strengthens your friendship, giving you a shared purpose beyond the workout itself. This deepened connection often extends to other areas of your lives, enhancing the overall quality of your friendship.

2. Accountability Beyond the Gym

The accountability and support don’t end when the workout does. An accountability partner can also help you make healthier choices outside the gym, from meal planning to weekend activities. Having a friend who shares your commitment to well-being positively influences various aspects of your lifestyle.

Accountability partners transform the solitary pursuit of fitness into a shared, enriching experience. The motivation, encouragement, and emotional support provided by a workout buddy can make the difference between inconsistency and steady progress. Together, you not only achieve your fitness goals but also create enduring memories and friendships. So, whether you’re aiming to lose weight, build strength, or simply lead a healthier life, consider teaming up with a friend. With an accountability partner by your side, your fitness journey becomes not just a destination but a rewarding and enjoyable voyage, celebrated with every step.

Build a Strong Foundation

The boring parts of the workout 🏋️‍♂️  are where you get better. 

True athletes know the power of foundational work.

Quality repetitions increase muscle 💪 memory.

Muscle memory actually changes the way your cells look under a microscope. It’s your body’s way of knowing what to do because you’ve done it before.

Think of your muscle 💪 memory like the foundation of a house 🏡.

The more solid the foundation, the less of a chance of the house crumbling when it gets tested.

For exercise, that’ll help things like efficiency of movement in your workout but it’ll also help you avoid injury.

The more correctly you can do the exercise, the more that will solidify the muscle memory. That means if you begin to do an exercise incorrectly, or lose your form because you’re tired, your body will automatically adjust and react, resetting itself back to neutral.

Embrace the mundane. That’s where the real change is made.

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Small Habits = Big Changes

The Mom Go To:

You’re either not in the picture at all or your kids are a human shield standing in front of you so you can hide from the camera 📷.

🙋‍♀️ if you’ve been there.

I had a client tell me once that she hadn’t been in a picture with her family in over 20 years. 20 YEARS. She always found a reason to be the one taking the picture.

That broke my heart 💔.

It also made me determined AF to give her everything I could to get past it.

How did we do it?

Consistency and intention.

Along with a BOAT 🚤 load of patience. Because things change, life throws you for loops, and you have to be able to adapt on the fly.

It didn’t happen over night. But it did happen for her. 

My advice to you: small steps forward are still forward progress. Put a habit into place daily, even if it’s a small one, that you can maintain over time.

Those small habits will accumulate into a lifestyle that works for you.

Expand Your Comfort Zone

Step outside of your comfort zone so your comfort zone can get bigger. 

Here’s the thing about working out:

It will NEVER get easier. It’s not supposed to because you’ll be continuing to get stronger.

But all of that effort is on YOU.

I can’t make you do this. I can’t make you grab heavier weights or go faster. 

I can (and will) encourage you all day long, but ultimately the degree to which you push yourself is totally up to you.

Like one of my mentors used to say “the good news is: you’re in control, the bad news is: you’re in control”…

It’s your choice what you do with it. 

Let the Goals Happen

When you love the journey, the goals just happen.

We focus SO much on the goals. Losing the 10 pounds, fitting into the dress 👗, or rocking the bikini 👙.

Here’s the problem:

✔️ when you focus TOO much on the goal, when you reach that goal, there’s no motivation to keep going.

✔️ that goal can also seem SO far away that reaching it feels impossible. 

Here’s what you do:

✔️ find out what you love about the journey itself. It can be ANYTHING. Even the stretch at the end of the workout 🏋️‍♂️.

➡️ Once you figure out what you love about the process of being healthy and getting stronger 💪, keep working towards your goals but focus on your journey and how good it feels.

📌 then celebrate the small steps you’re taking towards that goal. It’ll give you incremental steps to focus on that will eventually culminate into that larger victory.

My Fave Exercise

TGUs are my favorite exercise.

I know, my crazy just went up a notch for you.

But here’s why:

It’s a shit load of core stability, shoulder strength and stability, a ton of coordination and an amazing full body exercise. 

It also teaches a practical aspect of life we will ALWAYS need: how to get tf up off the ground. Since I’m all about the practical purposes of working out, I’m for SURE about that.

But I know it’s intimidating because it looks cool and it’s complex af.

I love complex exercises. They suck for sure but they’re super efficient, and when you don’t have a lot of time to workout, efficiency is really key.

Don’t forget: breaking down an exercise into its smaller components will make complex exercises more attainable over time.

Pro Tips: 

✔️ make sure your shoulders are warm before you get into any version of a TGU

✔️ use weighted roll ups and bridges to jump start your muscle memory 

✔️ incorporate lunges and single leg deadlifts into your activation to turn your balance on

My Favorite Thing:

My Favorite Thing About Training: Understanding Your Needs

One of the aspects I love most about training is getting to know you better:

✔️ Discovering what pushes you to go beyond your limits.

✔️ Understanding what motivates you to stay committed and focused.

✔️ Identifying the barriers that hold you back from reaching your full potential.

✔️ Recognizing the sources of stress in your life that may impact your fitness journey.

This insight allows me to tailor your training experience to create the lifestyle you desire. Through my years of experience, I've come to realize that your hesitation doesn't stem from a lack of willingness to try or invest in yourself.

You want assurance that your workouts will be efficient, not just for the mental boost they provide but also to ensure that your valuable time is well spent. You have numerous obligations and responsibilities, and you don't want to feel like your workouts are consuming all your available time.

You crave a balanced lifestyle where regular workouts seamlessly fit into your schedule, allowing you to enjoy life's pleasures, such as a glass of wine or a slice of pizza, without guilt or restriction.

I understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, nor is there a quick fix to achieving your goals. However, I assure you that it's easier than you might think.

By tailoring your training program to your unique needs, we can create a sustainable approach that integrates seamlessly into your life. It's about finding the right balance and optimizing your time to make the most of every workout.

Together, we can craft a lifestyle where fitness becomes a natural part of your routine, empowering you to achieve your goals while still enjoying the things you love.

So, let's embark on this journey together. The path to a healthier, more fulfilling life is within reach. With the right guidance, personalized approach, and a mindset focused on long-term success, you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Stress Talk

Unlocking the Power of Exercise: Managing Stress and Boosting Confidence

Stress is an undeniable presence in our lives. We all face various stressors that affect us daily, such as work, family responsibilities, adulting obligations, and the pressures of maintaining a fitness routine. Interestingly, our bodies cannot differentiate between the stress induced by a challenging workout 🏋️‍♀️ and the stress triggered by external factors outside of our exercise routines 🏋️‍♂️. It all gets absorbed in the same way.

How can we be so sure? Consider the exercise ring on your Apple Watch, which tracks your daily activity and closes, signaling completion even on days when you haven't engaged in a workout 🏋️‍♂️. This suggests that intentionally subjecting your body to stressful situations during exercise can enhance your ability to adapt to stressors encountered in your everyday life.

Let's explore some immediate benefits you can experience through this powerful connection:

❌ Breath Control: Not only do intense workouts test your physical limits, but they also challenge your breath control. Interestingly, situations like dealing with a difficult co-worker or responding to something your child says can evoke a similar breathless feeling. By learning to regain control of your breath more quickly, you can expedite the reduction of stress in such moments.

❌ Adaptability: A crucial skill that exercise fosters is the ability to adapt on the fly. Just as you modify and tailor exercises to fit your capabilities, this adaptability extends to other aspects of life, such as pivoting on a project or staying flexible when plans constantly fluctuate. The resilience developed through exercise translates to a more adaptable mindset.

❌ Confidence: There's an undeniable sense of triumph that comes with conquering a demanding workout 🏋️‍♂️. This surge of confidence is nothing short of addictive. Harnessing this boost can empower you to excel in various areas, whether it's delivering a knockout presentation at work, mustering the courage to ask for a well-deserved raise, or confidently expressing your needs to your partner.

By recognizing the intertwined relationship between exercise, stress management, and confidence, you can unlock the transformative potential of physical activity in your life. Incorporating these insights into your routine will not only enhance your overall well-being but also equip you with valuable tools to navigate the challenges that come your way.

Remember, self-care and self-improvement go hand in hand. Embrace the power of exercise, and let it become your ally in conquering stress and cultivating unwavering confidence.

How to Plan Your Workouts

The secret sauce of planning a workout 🏋️‍♂️ isn’t as hard as you think 💭.

I’ve been in the fitness industry for well over 10 years, and these are the two questions I get the most:

✔️ what do you eat?

✔️ how do you figure out what to do during a workout 🏋️‍♂️?

Here’s the simple answer for the latter:

🌟 Warm up and activation ALWAYS. Anything core related is my go to because the burn 🔥 sets in quick and gets your brain focused. Mobility work ALWAYS. It increases range of motion and helps prevent injury.

🌟 I focus on foundational exercises that are components to the harder aspects of my workout 🏋️‍♂️ so I know my body is ready to move and I know what I need to adjust.

🌟 Then I push through the bulk of my work.

🌟 Wrap it all up with a cool down and stretching 🙆‍♀️.

I'm Over This

I’m going to stop focusing on how my body looks and start focusing on what it can do.

I grew up with the Cindy Crawford Pepsi commercial playing in the background of my childhood. IYKYK.

It went from that to the days of the gaunt models, pop stars, and movie stars. While we weren’t (I hope) blatantly told that’s what we needed to look like…well it was strongly implied.

I’ve watched how the diet and fitness industry have created standards that are unattainable for the majority of us. I’ve watched how social media has incorporated those standards into what we’re consuming online.

All that’s done, for ALL of us, is create unrealistic expectations for how we should look without taking things like genetics into account. When we can’t reach that standard, that is so beyond our control and out of our reach, we feel super shitty.

We compare ourselves to every single other woman around us, we feel insecure in our clothes, and we lose our confidence in ourselves.

Yet at the same time, we’re also in this era of embracing your body and your shape. Which I love, don’t get me wrong, but it’s also confusing af. Like do I need to be one of these super skinny models or embrace my curves?

I’m over it. 

How can we all be uniquely us while also fitting into that crazy standard?

I can’t bother with that any more because ultimately, I need to feel good about how I look when I see my reflection in the mirror.

Here’s my plan: I’m going into every workout focusing on how strong I am, how capable my body is, and being thankful that I can move today.

Starting with this workout:

AMRAP

10 minutes

8 seated overhead tricep presses

8 bridge hip taps

12 Russian twists

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