If you’ve made a commitment to be more physically active, congratulations! One excellent way to keep the momentum going long after your initial motivation gets you started is to find a friend who shares your interest in living a healthier lifestyle. Having a workout buddy offers more benefits than you may think and can be the difference between a short-lived gym membership and a long-term commitment to fitness.

Here are 4 ways a workout buddy can help you stay on track:

1. You’ll show up. Knowing someone is counting on you makes it more likely you won’t give into excuses when you don’t feel like working out. This may be all the motivation you need to stick with your exercise commitment. After all, do you want to have to explain to your friend why you’re leaving him or her hanging because you’d rather veg on the couch?
2. You’ll work harder. Research has shown that people tend to work harder when they have someone else working out alongside them. To reap the most benefits, find a workout partner that is a bit fitter than you to give you something to work towards.
3. You might try something new. Another benefit of a gym buddy is that you can share fitness routines with each other to breathe some new life into your tried-and-true exercise habits. Or if you’ve been thinking of trying something but have been a bit intimidated to take the plunge, you’ll have someone alongside you when you check out a new class or activity.
4. It’ll feel easier. Spending time with someone you like can make the time fly by. This means your hour-long walk on the treadmill won’t feel monotonous but will rather give you a chance to catch up, laugh and destress. You may even want to keep going when the hour is up!

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