Friendship Friday

Do you have friends who inspire you? Do these friends have a regular exercise routine?  Is exercise a part of your life?

For years, I was an avid walker. Walking was my favorite exercise.  Then, I developed some challenges and was unable to walk long distances. I was forced to look for other options.Today, group classes are an important part of my weekly routine.

In addition to discovering new strengths in my life, I grateful for my exercise buddies. There is so much research that supports the fact of how relationships can strengthen the motivation to exercise.

According to Dian Griesel, Ph.D., co-author of TurboCharged, "Working out with a crowd carries a plethora of intertwined benefits that included consistency, duration, motivation, conversation, and inspiration.  She also states that "Workout with others improve consistency because they involvement a commitment.

Each month, one of my exercise classes gather to celebrate birthdays. This week, we celebrated November birthdays. The social connection makes a difference in our class.

"Most often, it is not the workout that get us out of bed in the morning.
It is the friendships and unspoken bonds of those counting on us to show up."
Fellow Flowers