25 Jun Motivation to Exercise
Increase Your Motivation to Exercise with Group Activities
Most people are aware that exercise is beneficial for health and wellness. In fact, studies have shown that regular physical activity improves sleep, reduces the risk of depression and anxiety, and helps the brain to function properly. Regular exercise also helps with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight, and it reduces the risk of chronic health problems like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Despite the numerous benefits of exercise, it can sometimes be difficult to find the motivation to get in a solid workout. When other responsibilities, such as working, caring for children, and managing a household, take most of your time and energy, you may be left with no desire to exercise. One way to overcome this lack of motivation is to engage in exercises with a group of people.
The Advantages of Group Activities
Taking the initiative to lace up your shoes and head out for a run on your own might be difficult, but you are likely to find that it is easier to become motivated to exercise when you are working out with a group. For example, running with a group of friends or attending a group circuit training class may be more enjoyable than struggling through a workout on your own. When you know you are meeting with a group of people to exercise, you might be less likely to back out, because you know that others are counting on you to join them. In addition, group activities give you the chance to socialize with others and cultivate relationships, so you will probably find that you look forward to exercising with a group of people, instead of dreading your workout.
Studies have supported the advantages of making fitness a group activity. For example, one study in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that when people completed a weight loss program with support from friends and family, they were more likely to finish the program and maintain their weight loss when compared to people who did not have support from people in their lives. What this tells us is that other people have a strong influence on whether we change our behaviors, such as by exercising more often or following a healthier diet.
Research shows that even virtual group exercise programs can motivate people to get more physical activity. A recent study found that when people completed a treadmill exercise while watching a video of a running group, which simulated the experience of actually running with the group, they exercised harder and for longer when compared to another group of people who watched images of flowers while exercising. Working out with others, whether virtually or in-person, can motivate you to push yourself harder, so you burn more calories and have an easier time meeting your health and fitness goals.
Increase Your Motivation to Exercise with FitnessBet
If you want to increase your motivation to exercise and burn extra calories, the FitnessBet app can help you to achieve your goals. This app connects with fitness tracker devices like Apple Health and FitBit to estimate your daily calorie burn, and it gives you a calorie burn goal. Users then enter into competitions with each other, and bet a specific amount of money, ranging from $10 to $30 for public groups. Users who “win” by meeting their daily calorie burn goal for the duration of the game, which lasts one week, get to split the pot of money that the group has bet. You can use this app as a tool to simulate the experience of working out in a group, which increases your motivation to work out, burn more calories, and lose extra weight. Download the app today to take advantage of this group exercise tool from wherever you are, and feel less alone while you set goals to improve your health and fitness.
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