Wherever you are on your surgical weight loss journey, exercise plays a key role in reaching your destination. However, getting started may seem next to impossible, especially if you are suffering from morbid obesity and related health conditions. In honor of Exercise with Your Child Week, we thought we’d share the benefits of exercising with a buddy, whether it’s your child, partner, friend or neighbor.
Buddy Up
Finding the right exercise partner doesn’t have to be hard. Proximity is key so it’s easy for you to get together. Your child or someone else in your home is a great choice, and in this current age of social distancing, makes the most sense for several reasons.
Other benefits of buddying up include:
- Having fun. It’s much more fun to exercise with someone you enjoy being with. Then, the activity is more of a social experience and less of a chore.
- Keeping you honest. It can be tempting to blow off a workout on your own, but having someone else relying on you helps keep you honest and accountable.
- You and your buddy can encourage each other, which provides immediate positive feedback.
Play Time
Whether you’re exercising with your child or another adult, if you think of it as playtime instead of exercise, you’ll enjoy it more.
Here are a few ideas:
- What could be more fun? You can move at your own speed, and there’s no right or wrong way to dance. Don’t think about how you look, just enjoy the music and the company and get moving. Start with a slower beat, and rev up the tempo and the number of songs over time.
- Go to the park. Push your child on the swings, or get on a swing yourself and pump those legs. Walk around, shoot some hoops or kick a soccer ball.
- Take a walk. Walking is a great activity for all fitness levels. Start slow with a short walk and then build up your distance and speed. Having someone with you makes it more enjoyable and you can distract and entertain each other.
Summertime also affords you more enjoyable exercise opportunities to enjoy with a partner, either large or small. Strap on helmets and hit your local bike trail, which can be fun for the whole family. Head to the local pool for some swimming and water games. Play games in your own backyard, like badminton or tag, chase bubbles or make up your own challenges.
Get Moving
Exercise increases your long-term success for weight loss. It’s important to recognize that surgery is not a one-off solution and requires healthy habits to really reap the benefits. It also makes it easier to maintain your weight once you’ve reached your target, and helps your overall cardiovascular health, strength and endurance. Your partner benefits as well—and if your buddy is your child, you’re not only improving their fitness and setting a healthy example, but spending quality time together as well. There are countless benefits to exercising with a buddy; so get together and have fun!
