Fitness/Workout Buddy. Helpful or?

If you have someone you have to meet with everyday that can help make you feel obligated to go. That could be a good thing.

For me I don't find workout buddies helpful, its too distracting.

It has it's pluses and minuses - I am usually the motivating factor as opposed to being motivated.

I try and be as supportive as I can but for me it is just easier for me to just do it without much thought and working out with someone else sometimes requires schedule adjustments, etc. Also, you may have to hear their opinions about everything solicited or not. My workout partner and I part ways at the door with a time to meet back up - this works well for us!

I think if you are seeking a workout buddy you have to really have a plan in mind with 1 or 2 backup plans.

What I found is that it's good to join someone that already has their own gym routine. That way, you know they're less likely to flake out on you because they were doing it before you came along. Plus, if you're at the gym, pace isn't too much of an issue- hop on treadmills next to each other and let them run three miles while you walk. But if you keep doing it, you'll likely want to push yourself when you see their strides. At least I do. I get competitive and jealous haha

It's why I do classes. I like the accountability for showing up and being there, but I'm not held to being there if work gets busy. I know if I miss more than one or two classes, I'll be getting text messages and FB messages wondering where I am!

Social thing, so it depends who it is, but tbh im focused on me an I prefer to do what I want, so a buddy would slow me down as you have to wait/ share/ consider them. Not anti social, but its so much more efficient doing it on my own as well as meaning I have choice. My MP3 player is my buddy. For anyone who is at all nervous, then they cna be a great means of support, maybe doing classes is an alternative. If it works for you then go for it.

I prefer to exercise alone most of the time. Sometimes dd joins me and that is okay but no more motivating than exercising alone.
The issue I see with a workout buddy is if you rely on them for motivation and they stop showing up... Maybe their schedule changes or they just don't have the sustained interest. So I would say occasionally it can be helpful and nice but don't rely on someone else.

i like having a diet buddy a lot, or diet buddies plural. people i can talk about nutrition with and go to restaurants knowing we will both order light and maybe walk and such. fitness though... i like having people to talk to but when it comes to doing, unless it i fitness disguised as fun like biking hiking walking adventure tennis etc, i prefer solo. i personally work harder on my own, and tend to listen to my own body more. especially when it comes to running and gym stuff. if i am following a friend around i am listening to their body and vice versa.

but then in all my life i tend to be more comfortable alone, or with casual online friends. so it could be that. also when i have counted on one diet buddy in the past i became a bit reliant on that and as soon as she stopped so did i. so strength in numbers works for me. a nice mfp friends list.

For weights, I like having a partner/built in spotter/someone to be lifting while I rest between sets. For cardio, I like being the master of my own pace, and I like the quiet reflection time without the expectation that I will be social with the other person. So... It really depends on the activity. I schedule multiple types of activity with a variety of people which I increase or decrease in frequency as my body allows.

I have one friend who motivates me by always showing up and being super reliable. I have to hold my pace back a bit to accommodate her disability, but even held back, I'm getting more steps or laps in than I would be just sitting around if she didn't show up to walk or swim with me at lunch time. I am inspired by how consistently she pushes herself, despite her pain level and disadvantages. I have one friend who motivates me, because he lifts with me and can spot me, but wants me to plan our workouts, because he doesn't really understand how yet. I have to explain more exercises and work-out logic to him than my average lift partner, and that pushes me to increase my understanding of fitness. And after dealing with the two of them, I am motivated to spend time alone, pushing myself without holding back for anyone else.