Huge thank you to my friend and Ultimate Coffee Date co host, Coco, who graciously offered to help me out this week with a guest post while I am away on vacation. Take it away Coco.
When I think of Deborah, I think of someone who supports and encourages those around her to enjoy being active. She’s involved with Girls on the Run, she’s a chapter leader for her Moms Run This Town Group, and she even took on The Husband Project and helped her husband train for a 5k! So, when Deborah invited me to write a guest post, I thought I would share my ideas for supporting your friend’s fitness goals.
This is the time of year when a lot of people are making healthy New Year’s Resolutions. I know I am recommitting to my healthy habits after a few weeks of indulging, but how do you support someone who is new to this whole fitness thing?
1. Encourage their efforts. This may sound obvious, but a few encouraging words can go a long way to support and motivate someone who is just starting a diet or exercise program. This can be especially important for friends who don’t have support at home, or aren’t comfortable sharing their new goals with others.
2. Don’t offer unsolicited advice. To make sure you don’t cross the line between encouraging and nagging, hold your tongue when you are tempted to offer unsolicited advice. Remember the diet that worked for you and the workout you love may not be right for your friend. Unless they are trying something that may put their health at risk, let them try their own thing.
3. Offer to join them. One of the hardest things about starting a fitness program is waking in the door of the gym or studio for the first time. I stress over everything from what to wear to how to check in to what to do once I’m there. Going with a friend who knows the ropes can make the experience much less intimidating, so offer to accompany your friend to help put her at ease.
4. Get out of your own comfort zone. The flip side of helping your friend feel comfortable is trying something new together that may make you both feel uncomfortable. Maybe you’ve never tried aerial yoga or gone to a November Project workout. Show your friend that you’re willing to get out of your own comfort zone and try something new that you both may come to love.
5. Be an example, not an enabler. We’ve all heard about the studies showing that we are more likely to indulge if we are out with friends who also are indulging. When you meet your friend for coffee, set a good example by ordering on the light side and skipping the jumbo pastries, or suggest a restaurant with healthy options for lunch or dinner. Better yet, include time for a walk in your plans and reminder her that every step towards her goal is a step in the right direction.
How do you support your friend’s fitness goals?
You can read more from Coco at Running With Perseverance, like her Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and of course stop by when she co-hosts the Ultimate Coffee Date with Lynda and me on Saturday! Hope you will join us.
Linking up with Ann Marie, Nicole, Michelle & Angelina Marie
This is great! I have been trying to support my friend’s goal to lose weight and start a workout program so I’ve been doing what I can to motivate her and send her resources since she asked for my help! Thanks so much for linking up and sharing!
Thanks for having me!
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts here! Can’t wait to catch up over coffee this weekend.
Thanks so much for helping out! I love your ideas on how to help a friend. Yes looking forward to the coffee date
Great post! And such a relevant post this time of year. I just don’t understand why someone WOULDN’T support their friend’s pursuit of health and fitness! I want my friends to live longer and be more healthy!
Yes me too! I love her ideas on how to help out a friends
I need to send this post to all my family and friends! Love it!
She did a great job with it!
Great tips!
I am guilty of the unsolicited advice 🙁 but getting better.
Ha so am I! Just ask my husband 🙂
Great tips! I struggle with offering encouragement without adding that advice. I’ve got a friend I’m trying to help now!
I do too just ask my hubs 🙂
Great tips! I really had to work on the one about not offering unsolicited advice when my husband was training for his 5k. But I agree that can be a turn off more often than not. Joining in and providing company really is a great motivator.
Ugh I think my husband would agree ????
This post makes me so happy 🙂 supporting our friends in a nurturing way is so important for success and lasting friendships 🙂
It is! She nailed it
Excellent advice, Coco! My sister has some fitness goals she’s working on in the new year and I want to make sure that I follow all of these steps to be supportive!
Good luck to her! She has a great role model
“Be an example, not an enabler” – such good advice!
Definitely!
So true! I think we all get it here…its nice to be part of a supportive group! Now if only our family would read this!
I know really!!
These are some excellent tips on support. I think it is so important to be there for people when they are trying to reach a goal, ups and downs will come in the process but having a friends support really helps.
It definitely does!
I support my friends’ fitness efforts by suggesting destination races….all the time. Haha!
Now that is a great idea!
That’s being another type of enabler! 😉
I wish more people would support than sabotage people’s goals. I love meeting up with friends for active dates or healthy lunches rather than indulgences.
I agree! The best way to support someone is to join them in a healthy activity
great post Coco! I agree with all of the above. Sometimes we get too excited about our friends pursuits we have to remember they are not our own.
How true!
Great advice! I admit I’m sometimes guilty of unsolicited advice. It’s so hard to be quiet when you want to help… 🙂
It sure is for me too!
Great advice, I love the idea of getting out of comforts zones with a buddy! Whats not to love about that!
Absolutely!
great post, I think sometimes we all get caught up in things and forget to support others, no matter how little or big their accomplishments. Great reminders to be a better friend to others and support them, thanks for sharing!
It is easy to get caught up in our goals
this is extremely helpful! I have to stop myself from offer unsolicited advice. If you need me to join you, I’m there, but it’s hard to hush and let them find their way! Thanks for sharing!
It sure can be!
Great post! Stepping out of my comfort zone is a big one! I am very active but a couple times now have had friends just get into fitness in an area I am new to or not a fan of and to encourage them I will join them. Not only does it mean a lot to them but it’s great for them to see that even “fit” people aren’t good at everything or have our struggles too.
That’s a great point!
All great points! I’m so so careful about not offering unsolicited advice even when I’m tempted.
Great post Coco!! I try to support my friends goals by being positive and encouraging and trying to get out there with them!!
That’s what MRTT is all about
This are such great pieces of advice, Coco! When I first started on my fitness journey, NONE of my friends supported me! But they didn’t stop at just that, they even made fun of me! 🙁
Oh that’s really too bad perhaps you need some new friends?! LOL