Exercising With Friends vs. Exercising Alone

Many people find that they stick with an exercise program more often if they are working out with a friend or family member. The benefits of having someone to exercise with encompass your mood, energy level, weight loss and overall health. If you don't have a friend to hit the gym with, many cities offer clubs that pair you with someone who has similar goals and interests.

Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume. Any type of physical activity burns calories, including exercise. Combined with a low-calorie meal plan, exercise is likely to help you lose weight. This is possible whether you exercise alone or with a friend. A group session, however, might prove more beneficial than a solo one. People who work out with a partner lose up to 10 additional pounds than if they exercise alone, according to Motley Health. Working out with a partner might also increase your motivation, according to L.A. Fitness. Friends encourage you when you need it and help you focus on your weight-loss goals.

Exercising with a friend decreases feelings of fatigue and increases energy, according to a 2011 study published in the "American Journal of Health Behavior." When compared with exercising alone, working out with a friend increases the intensity of an exercise session and helps you keep going for longer periods of time. Exercising together might start a friendly competition, which allows you to push yourself harder than you would when working out alone.

When you work out alone, it doesn't disappoint anyone when you skip a session. But if you work out with a partner, you become accountable for showing up at the appointed time. Having a set time to exercise with a friend of family member helps ensure that you show up and that you arrive on time. If you don't have a workout partner, meeting with a trainer offers similar accountability benefits.

Exercise is good for elevating mood and reducing stress, effects that are enhanced when you work out with a friend, according to the "American Journal of Health Behavior." In addition, friends tend to enjoy exercise more when working out together, which increases motivation and reduces the chance that you'll skip your session. Having an exercise partner gives you a chance to catch up with each other's lives while fitting in a workout. Group exercise might also allow your brain to release more endorphins, according to L.A. Fitness. This helps you get through difficult types of exercise by reducing pain and enhancing good feelings.