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Exercising alone can be boring and intimidating, especially if your fitness knowledge is basic. Exercising with other people can be fun and uplifting, however, getting people to join you in doing exercises can be tricky. The most that one can do is to encourage another person to exercise and even then, that could be difficult to pull off.Â
Still, there are ways that you can encourage people around you to exercise without having to throw facts, figures, or scientific terms at them. Here are some things that you can do to motivate and encourage someone to exercise with you.
Testing Strategies to Encourage Workouts
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania did a study that tested dozens of ways to boost exercise among individuals. Around 60,000 members of a national fitness chain and had an average age of about 40 were the participants in the study and were required to check in electronically before using the gym. This check-in allowed the researchers to track how often people exercised before, during, and after the study.
The researchers created 53 different 4-week programs designed to boost exercise, including planning when workouts would occur, text message reminders, micro-rewards, and more. Additional incentives were also stacked on top of those elements. Each intervention was compared by the scientists against the baseline program for their ability to boost the number of gym visits during four weeks of intervention and for ten weeks afterward. There was also an additional control group that received no intervention aside from a shopping credit when enrolled in the study.
Results of the research showed that 45% of the interventions boosted the number of weekly gym visits during the four-week study period compared with the control group. The research results also showed the increased interest in working out went from 9% to 27%.
How To Increase Physical Activity in the Office
Research shows that working out with another person increases the amount of exercise that you do. According to the American Council on Exercise, encouraging other people to work out can also help foster a healthy and positive environment. If you feel like the people around you need a little extra encouragement to start working out, here’s how you can do it.
Encourage by Example
The first and biggest thing that you can do to encourage someone else to work out is to be a role model for them. By presenting yourself as a person who is active on a regular basis, you can inspire others to exercise as well. If you don’t exercise regularly, how else will you convince your co-worker or friend to exercise? You should set a good example and people will become interested.
Invite Them to Workout Together or Attend an Exercise Class Together
One way to boost your own motivation and another person’s motivation to exercise is to work out together. You can invite them to take a walk around the block or play sports together. If you’re a gym-goer and you have a friend who’s wary about going to the gym, you can offer to go with them together and help them become accustomed to how the gym works.
You can also invite your friends or co-workers to attend an exercise class. Doing something together, whether it’s a new sport or a series of workouts, will always be more enjoyable than doing it alone.
Talk About How Exercising Feels Good
We’re all well aware of the health benefits of exercising — it can help you lose weight, reduce pain, reduce the risk of disease, make you feel happier, make you stronger, and so much more. If you feel and see any of those exercise benefits, you should talk about it. Talking about the positive effects of your workouts may help inspire others to start exercising.Â
The key here is to talk about you and your life. If your friend asks you how your walk was, tell them that it was great and you felt happy. If people hear how working out made you feel better, they can draw their own conclusions and try it out and see it for themselves.
Respond Positively to Exercise-Related Interests
Is your co-worker excited about joining a sports class? Do you have a friend who’s contemplating buying some home gym equipment? Instead of shooting them down or teasing them about it, it’s best to show your support for their interests.
You don’t need to become a cheering squad for them or anything; it’s enough to let them know that you think it’s great and that if they need any help, you’ll be happy to lend them a hand.
Any Amount of Physical Activity Counts
Whether it’s walking the dog, a short run on the treadmill, 7-minute stretches, and the like, anything that gets you moving counts as exercise and this may be something that your friends aren’t aware of.
To them, working out may mean long hours at the gym; you can help dispel this misconception by showing them that it’s possible to be active and productive by doing activities that let you spend some energy. Let them know that walking to the office or school, mowing the lawn, using the stairs, and the like are all activities that encourage them to move more and help improve their fitness.
Final Note
Exercise is always a great idea. It can be done alone and with friends, family, and co-workers. By encouraging others to exercise, whether together or alone, you can help them achieve their fitness goals as you would yourself.
If you feel any kind of discomfort during your workout, it’s best to stop and seek a personal trainer who can help guide you and correct your form.
