The benefits of working out with friends in North Dallas after sleeve gastrectomy, duodenal switch or gastric bypass
The challenges of weight loss surgery will not be easy to face alone. Though procedures like sleeve gastrectomy will give you the tools you need to lose weight successfully, it’s best to face your weight loss journey with some supportive allies by your side.
After sleeve gastrectomy, this support can come from many places. Family members, friends, the staff at your weight loss center, the members of your support group—anyone who routinely influences your diet and exercise habits or helps boost your motivation levels can be extremely valuable as you continue to lose weight.
Yet there’s one ally you may find particularly useful in your pursuit of a healthier lifestyle: a workout partner. By helping you stay accountable for your goals and motivated to improve your fitness, a workout partner can make a huge difference in your exercise habits.
Here are two reasons that having a gym buddy can help make the most of every workout:
The Fun Factor
Many people struggle to keep up a workout routine because they find exercise unenjoyable. This is an understandable complaint—how much fun are you ever really going to have when mindlessly jogging on a treadmill alone?
When you have someone along for the ride, however, everything changes. Suddenly, a boring, solo sweat session has become a social event, full of laughter and conversation with your buddy. Though you may have once felt like your workouts drag on forever, having a good friend along can make you appreciate every moment that much more.
A workout buddy will be most beneficial if it’s someone you truly enjoy spending time with, as things will feel easiest when you’re having the most fun. Some research has even indicated that working out in a group causes your brain to release more feel-good endorphins during exercise, which will improve your tolerance to pain.
Athletic Accountability
When you work out alone, it’s easy to blow off your commitment to fitness—the only person you’ll be disappointing is yourself. Tiredness causes your motivation to wane, excuses threaten your resolve and suddenly your plan to hit the gym by yourself has become a plan to hit the couch by yourself.
Your workout partner can put the skids on this process. If you make plans to exercise with someone else, you’ll be far more likely to follow through or risk disappointing your buddy. If you find a partner whose enthusiasm for fitness is even greater than your own, it will make it even harder to skip a session—your excuses won’t seem so significant under your buddy’s scrutiny.
When it comes to the benefits of working out with friends, these are only the tip of the iceberg. Because everyone needs exercise to stay healthy, finding a gym buddy should be easy—the workouts you’ll need to do after sleeve gastrectomy can be just as beneficial to anyone else hoping to improve his or her fitness. When you work out together, everyone benefits, so find a likeminded buddy (or buddies) to team up with!
How has working out with others helped you after sleeve gastrectomy? Share your experiences in the comments below.
