Working Out…It’s Contagious.

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Working out and being healthy is contagious….and I can prove it!

group runners

Example 1: I see it on twitter all the time. This morning for instance, @jrh3 wanted to go rock climbing and tweeted it.  @theferf thought it sounded fun and said I’ll go with you.  Then they decided to invite other people and make it a group event.  1 person wanting to climb turned into a fun exercise event for several people.

Example 2: My friend, Joe, sent me an email the other day telling me that he went to a friend’s lake house for a weekend and got up every morning and went jogging. (I said, “yey!”) On the first day it was just 2 of them, by the end of the long weekend, the group was up to 6 people!  Now, these people were not pestered to go with him.  He was running because he had an event the next weekend and couldn’t afford to take the time off.  But this just shows that sometimes people just lack the self-motivation to get going.  If they have a leader, they are more likely to jump in and join.

Example 3:  Joe, from example 2, came to visit us in August and brought his bike.  He knew we enjoyed to exercise and his preference is biking.  I haven’t really biked since I was a kid.  Joe goes out for 20 mile rides.  I was concerned, but determined not to be left behind.  The few days he was here, we rode over 50 miles!  I loved it and just needed someone to be my leader so I could get started.

I’ve seen all of these happen so many times!  It makes me think that exercising is just as contagious as being lazy.  (Which makes me really happy!) If so, then we need to make sure we find those leaders in our life to give us the push we need.  And if we are the leader, then we should probably make it easier for people to follow us.  I’ve done group challenges, corporate fitness programs and coaching for other groups that want to team up to reach their goal and know they need the others to help push them.

I’ll tell you a little secret.  I’m an exercise leader, duh.  BUT, I’m only super-motivated when I know that people are following me.  Sometimes I struggle to have the willpower to get myself into Go Mode, but if I know that someone is relying on it – I’m at 100% the whole time.

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