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| Friends could be key to finding fitness motivation | Friends could be key to finding fitness motivation |
| (4 months later) | |
| Finding active friends could improve your health | Finding active friends could improve your health |
| Social interaction could be key to kick-starting a fitness regime, US research suggests. | Social interaction could be key to kick-starting a fitness regime, US research suggests. |
| After analysing data, including from the US Military Academy, scientists at Kean University recommended social activities that boosted interactions between less- and more-active people. | After analysing data, including from the US Military Academy, scientists at Kean University recommended social activities that boosted interactions between less- and more-active people. |
| When the less active interacted with those who exercised regularly, they felt encouraged, the researchers found. | When the less active interacted with those who exercised regularly, they felt encouraged, the researchers found. |
| But those who were less social ended up exercising less. | But those who were less social ended up exercising less. |
| Regular exercise has already been cited as something that improves mental health significantly, with many finding group activity helpful. | Regular exercise has already been cited as something that improves mental health significantly, with many finding group activity helpful. |
| There are many ways to combine socialising and exercising, such as: | There are many ways to combine socialising and exercising, such as: |
| walking with friends | walking with friends |
| playing five-a-side | playing five-a-side |
| taking a fitness class | taking a fitness class |
| 'It gives you accountability' | 'It gives you accountability' |
| Exercising with a friend requires commitment and accountability, Andre Bates, of Barry's Bootcamp, which holds group exercise classes across the UK, says. | Exercising with a friend requires commitment and accountability, Andre Bates, of Barry's Bootcamp, which holds group exercise classes across the UK, says. |
| "It's very easy not to go and exercise when you're relying on yourself - but with a friend, you can use each other for motivation to make sure you stick at what you set out to do," he says. | "It's very easy not to go and exercise when you're relying on yourself - but with a friend, you can use each other for motivation to make sure you stick at what you set out to do," he says. |
| Regular exercise 'best for mental health' | Regular exercise 'best for mental health' |
| 'How football changed our mental health and lives' | 'How football changed our mental health and lives' |
| "You can make friends in a group exercise environment - and then if you're not there for your usual 06:00 class on a Monday or Tuesday, they might ask, 'Where are you?' so there's that little bit of guilt that makes sure you're there next time." | "You can make friends in a group exercise environment - and then if you're not there for your usual 06:00 class on a Monday or Tuesday, they might ask, 'Where are you?' so there's that little bit of guilt that makes sure you're there next time." |
| Group fitness instructor Andre says working out with friends requires commitment | Group fitness instructor Andre says working out with friends requires commitment |
| And although some might be at a different level of fitness to others, everyone is trying to achieve the same thing. | And although some might be at a different level of fitness to others, everyone is trying to achieve the same thing. |
| "Everyone is on their own individual journey," Andre says. "Rather than looking at someone as competition, look at them as a benchmark of what you want to be and don't be afraid to ask them about it and see how they got there. | "Everyone is on their own individual journey," Andre says. "Rather than looking at someone as competition, look at them as a benchmark of what you want to be and don't be afraid to ask them about it and see how they got there. |
| "We're all pushing for the same purpose, whether it's mental improvement, physical improvement, fitness or performance - everyone is here to improve." | "We're all pushing for the same purpose, whether it's mental improvement, physical improvement, fitness or performance - everyone is here to improve." |
| 'Really changed my life' | 'Really changed my life' |
| Kai Hunter, 25, who lives in Cardiff, started exercising regularly six months ago - after finding motivation from his group of friends. | Kai Hunter, 25, who lives in Cardiff, started exercising regularly six months ago - after finding motivation from his group of friends. |
| "Because I work from home, I didn't really get out much - so I started to put on weight and wanted to do something about it as it was affecting my confidence quite a lot," he tells BBC News. | "Because I work from home, I didn't really get out much - so I started to put on weight and wanted to do something about it as it was affecting my confidence quite a lot," he tells BBC News. |
| "I asked a few people in my social circle who were into fitness already how they had got into it - and asked for workout routines." | "I asked a few people in my social circle who were into fitness already how they had got into it - and asked for workout routines." |
| Kai also gained a lot of motivation sharing progress with friends in a group chat. | Kai also gained a lot of motivation sharing progress with friends in a group chat. |
| Kai's friends keep him motivated | Kai's friends keep him motivated |
| "All the people around me were always supporting me," he says. "It was good to have that around me and to feel the results myself." | "All the people around me were always supporting me," he says. "It was good to have that around me and to feel the results myself." |
| Kai's friends have also helped him gain confidence going to the gym, which he used to "really struggle with doing". | Kai's friends have also helped him gain confidence going to the gym, which he used to "really struggle with doing". |
| "I've done a couple of leg-day workout routines with friends and have been shown how to use the different machines," he says. | "I've done a couple of leg-day workout routines with friends and have been shown how to use the different machines," he says. |
| "It's really changed my life and helped a lot with my self-confidence and anxiety. | "It's really changed my life and helped a lot with my self-confidence and anxiety. |
| "I wouldn't ever have thought about stepping into a gym - whether with someone or not - and now I'm almost looking forward to it." | "I wouldn't ever have thought about stepping into a gym - whether with someone or not - and now I'm almost looking forward to it." |
| Related Topics | |
| Gyms | |
| Fitness | |
| Mental health |
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