#SquadGoals

Friends make life -- and working out -- better. While I don't often have issues motivating myself to get up and work out, knowing that I get to work out with friends makes it that much easier. A few weeks ago, my friends Annie and Karen came to NYC for a long weekend, and we made a date to go to a Sunday morning 60-minute hot yoga sweat sesh at Y7 Sudio. And let me tell you: it was HOT. It was DARK AF, and it was INTENSE. You can see the aftermath in the photo above -- I was the only one who didn't bring a change of clothes for post-workout brunching (sorry to everyone who crossed my path).

I have been practicing yoga regularly for almost a year now, to deal with some crazy-tight muscles and to fill some time after I got laid off from my job (halleluyah!). Y7 Studio is a brand new addition to my yoga repertoire, and I like it. A lot. But I would not have liked it as much the first time had I not had friends to suffer through it with me. Friends don't let friends hot yoga alone...

One of the proven keys to sustaining any type of exercise routine over the long term is finding your workout tribe who can help motivate you. Even for those of us who have worked out for years at a high level, having friends accompany you can make it much more likely that you actually get up and get to your workout, and that you have fun while doing it. I'm grateful for Annie and Karen, who not only got me up and out of the house that Sunday morning, but also got me out of the house a week later when I was back in the Midwest to attend a 9:00am Saturday morning bootcamp. I'm still recovering, but I did manage to crack a smile or two through the 45 minutes of agony, and I've even decided to add bootcamps to my workout routine back in NYC!

I've also taken to having catch-up sessions with old friends and colleagues at the spin studio, tennis court, or walking path, which is a very time-efficient way to kill two birds with one stone. We're all about efficiency here in NYC.

So, gather your squad and get to the gym. Or the court. Or the pool. Or the path. Your friends can help provide you with motivation and inspiration, which will keep you going back for more.

If you need even more motivation and accountability, consider working with a health and wellness coach. Check out what a health and wellness coach can do for you, and the services I provide.