•  Getting Started •  Staying Motivated •  Working Out

The answer depends on your needs and whether you enjoy exercising on your own. For most people, the hardest part about getting fit is staying motivated. We all know exercise is crucial to good health, but that knowledge isn't always enough to get us through the gym door more than once or twice. If you've had trouble sticking to a fitness program -- or never managed to start one -- the time is ripe for finding a new source of inspiration. Instead of trying to talk yourself into exercising, why not talk someone into joining you?

Like misery, exercise loves company. A partner can make the difference between a satisfying, vigorous workout and an hour of channel surfing. When you have a plan to meet up with someone regularly, you're less likely to blow off a workout because you'd be letting your buddy down. In addition, most of us are fairly sociable by nature, and working out with another person is an opportunity to chat -- something often made scarce by a busy lifestyle. Finally, doing 50 sit-ups or another tedious drill is simply less of a drag when someone else is doing them with you.

But before you ask your spouse or closest friend to hit the track with you, think about whether that person is the best choice for this arrangement. Make sure your prospective partner is eager to make the commitment and will stay upbeat, even if you don't both promptly meet all of your fitness goals. There are many types of partners out there, and each one wields a different brand of influence. You might even find that the best solution for you is to have a few partners -- say, your spouse for morning walks, a friend for evening yoga classes, and your niece for a game of catch on Saturdays. Here's a look at some of the people who might help you get into an exercise groove.

•Your spouse. Finding the will to exercise is much easier when you have your sweetie by your side. Not only can a spouse or life partner offer boundless encouragement, he or she knows you well enough to see through any lame excuse. A study at Indiana University shows just how valuable a supportive spouse can be. The researchers followed 64 people who started a new exercise program, including 16 married couples and 30 married people who joined the program on their own. One year later, 43 percent of those flying solo had quit the program, compared with only 6 percent of those who worked out with their husband or wife. When asked why they quit, half of the people who joined by themselves cited family responsibilities and a lack of support from their spouse.

•Your personal trainer. There's nothing like hiring a pro to make you serious about any plan. Marshall Caswell, an 83-year-old piano player from Billings, Montana, says his trainer helped turn his health -- and life -- around. Although he had known for a long time that he needed more exercise (a fact that became hard to ignore when he started lagging behind his wife in the grocery store), he always managed to put it off. But since hiring a trainer two years ago, Caswell has turned into an octogenarian gym junkie who lifts weights and walks a treadmill three times a week. Not only does his trainer monitor his pulse and breathing ("making sure I don't keel over," as Caswell puts it), he inspires Caswell to keep coming back. "It's like having a date with a pretty girl," Caswell says. "I'd never want to stand him up."

Personal trainers can motivate you, but are they worth the expense? William Sukala, a health and fitness consultant in San Diego, says that anyone lifting weights for the first time would benefit from some professional guidance. "A trainer can put you on a well-designed program and ensure that your form is in order," he says. "Otherwise, you might be left to learn from the vast majority of gym rats who lift incorrectly."

•A friend. Here's your chance to finally put peer pressure to good use. If you start working out with a friend, you won't want to be the one who wimps out first. Besides, a morning jog might actually be fun if you throw in a little banter and friendly competition.

•A child. Children love to run and romp, kick balls, and climb trees, plus their enthusiasm reminds you that physical activity can be joyous. If there's a special kid in your life -- maybe your son, daughter, nephew, goddaughter, or a friend's child -- see if he or she wants to shoot baskets or ride bikes with you a few times each week. Let your active little pal be your coach, teaching you how to skip rope or throw a Frisbee. This setup not only gives the two of you more time together, it nurtures the child's self-confidence.

•Your dog. They may not be much help when you're lifting weights, but dogs can be excellent companions for walking, running, slow bicycling, and in-line skating. Your pup will quickly come to count on you for that tramp through the dewy grass at daybreak. If those big mournful eyes won't get you out of the house, nothing will.

•Virtual buddies. Internet bulletin boards and chat rooms are excellent places to find fitness tips, motivation, and encouragement. You can learn how other people squeeze exercise into their schedules, get advice on choosing a gym, or discuss ways to train for an event such as a 5K run or a triathlon. You can even set up "exercise dates" with people across the country -- you won't skip that morning jog when you know that your chums in Oregon and Oklahoma are waiting to hear about it! Another option is to hitch up with one e-mail pen pal who favors similar activities and has similar goals: The two of you can exchange messages regularly, say three times a week, on how many laps you each swam or how many pounds you bench-pressed. Whether you want to cheer each other on or compete with each other depends on which vibe motivates you more.

-- Chris Woolston, M.S., is a health and medical writer with a master's degree in biology. He is a contributing editor at Consumer Health Interactive, and was the staff writer at Hippocrates, a magazine for physicians. He has also covered science issues for Time Inc. Health, WebMD, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. His reporting on occupational health earned him an award from the northern California Society of Professional Journalists.

References

First published November 24, 1999
Last updated October 28, 2008
Copyright © 1999 Consumer Health Interactive

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