PARTNER SESSION BENEFITS | personal-training

5 reasons to work out with a Partner

Here's why hitting the gym with a workout buddy is a good idea.

1. You'll be more motivated

No one wants to be Debbie Downer by bailing and letting down a friend. You're much more likely to meet your friend for a planned workout session at 6 p.m. Don't feel like working out after work? It's one thing to cancel plans with yourself—it's another to cancel on a friend who's counting on you.

2. Your workouts can be more fun

News flash: The treadmill and the bench press aren't the most exciting ways to pass the time. With a partner, though, you can get your heart racing with some one

3. You'll work out harder

Whenever you're working out with someone else, the intensity is always going to be greater than when you're alone.

4. You'll finally be able to afford a personal trainer

Sharing a cheeseburger is cheaper than buying one yourself (and fewer calories).

5. Your friends will be thinner

Not being totally shallow here—having thin friends is for your own good. Researchers at Harvard University found that you can "catch" obesity (along with smoking habits and happiness) because it spreads like an infectious disease. The experts found that a person's risk of becoming obese rises by 2% for every five obese social contacts they have.

Fortunately, the reverse is true, too. Overweight people tend to lose more weight if they spend time with their fit friends—and the more time they spend together, the more weight they lose, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Obesity. "If you're surrounded by people who are active and eat well, there's a good chance you're going to do the same,"