Here’s a question for you. What do you think is the key to success? Is it confidence, persistence or resilience? Well, yes. But it also comes in the form of an amazing support system. 

Whether you’re currently on a path to better fitness or ready to start your journey, one thing’s for sure. If you want to be successful, achieve your goals and stay accountable you need someone in your corner. It’s far too easy to quit, give up or think you can’t if you’re going at it alone. 

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Support is essential for so many aspects of life. Take your job for instance. No matter if you’re an educator, lawyer, doctor, business owner, entrepreneur or whatever career path you’ve chosen, having someone that provides strength, encouragement and positive vibes is essential. Just feeling supported keeps our eye on the prize and believing you can do anything.

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And the same goes for fitness. Achieving optimal fitness is no joke. It’s something to strive for because when push comes to shove, if you don’t have your health everything else crumbles. Health. Fitness. Mental Well-Being. They’re all tied together. When one’s out of whack so is the other. So how do you ensure you’ll live a healthy, and plentiful lifestyle? You commit. You show desire. You support. Let’s check out the top 4 reasons why support systems rock and help keep you on track.

Motivation, motivation, motivation!

It doesn’t really matter what goals you have, in order to achieve them you have to be motivated. Without motivation goals are simply words written down, taking up space. You have to make them a reality. And the only way to do that is through motivation.

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Sure, your days are jammed packed and sometimes you feel like there’s too much going on. But there’s always room for your health. Family, your career, sports, errands. You name it. The list goes on and on. But you can’t let all that extra stuff get in the way of your health. Health is the number one gift you’ve been given- so own it, work it and make the best of what you’ve got!

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Is it really that simple? The answer is yes and no. Yes it is simple if you’re motivated but no it’s not if you try to do it alone. Motivation is only possible when you want it. And we mean want it badly. You have to want to reclaim your health, achieve your best, and adapt to a healthy lifestyle.

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Workout buddies or personal coaches are amazing resources. They motivate, encourage and support you through and through. Yes group classes are energizing and motivating in themselves but the ticket to better health lies in the personal and unique support you get from one-on-one coaching. This type of coaching works well for anyone with specific individual goals. Whether a buddy or coach, that person is always in your corne- cheering you on every step of the way. Other benefits of personal coaching include-

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• Increasing Your Level of Engagement- making you more apt to showing up
• Creating Accountability- staying focused on your goal to avoid procrastination
• Establishing Connections- creating a bond and partnership is essential when working towards a goal
• Developing a Deeper Sense Knowledge- coaches help you become more tune with your body, your goals and what it takes to be your best  

Sticking to Your Plan

Ok, this one probably trumps it all! Without the follow through, there’s no point in creating a health and fitness plan. Sticking to your plan, and giving it your all every step of the way is the only way to achieve your goals. And having someone right there with you, cheering you on and helping you make adjustments along the way is success in a nutshell.

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Let’s say you want to PR in a race or your next CrossFit event. Having a partner that’s keeping you accountable and pushing you along the way is key! When you feel the drag of the day to day, who’s going to push you into the gym- your partner! If you’ve had a bad day and all you want to do is crawl under the covers, who’s going to remind you to hit the gym? Your coach! That’s right. If you want to stick with a plan, knock out excuses and rise to the occasion you need someone to support you and remind you of your why. Otherwise you could lose sight of it all. 

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Accountability, guidance and encouragement. Those three ideals form a foundation for a strong support system and one that’ll keep you on track no matter what life throws your way. 

Pushing Through Your “I Can’t”

Ok this one’s another biggie. And one we can all relate to. Yes, there are times where we think we just can’t push it harder, or go any further. But the truth is- you can. That’s also why a support system is so important. 

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Just picture it. You’re in the gym trying to push that last rep or lift the heaviest weight. Your body feels like it’s faltering and you’re about to give up.  But then your partner, coach or workout friend cheers you on and encourages you with four simple words- you can do it. Sometimes just hearing someone else mutter those words is enough. Having that extra encouragement, the belief from someone else that you are amazing and can achieve greatness. That’s what support is about. True, you head to the gym for very personal reasons but it’s the little things, the things that get you through those hard moments that make it all worthwhile. 

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Having a support system is good like that. It lifts you up when you’re feeling down, instills the ideal that there’s no stopping you and guides you to the top. It can be a family member, gym friend, or coach. It doesn’t matter who, it just matters what. What they say, what they do to help you keep going and what they’ll do to make a lasting impact. Because the first step is always believing.

Knowing You’re In It Together

Another benefit of a strong support system is just knowing you’re in it together. Let’s say you want to jumpstart your nutrition journey. Going at it with someone else, with similar goals or experiences is extremely helpful. You have the opportunity to share meal ideas, slip-ups, successes and of course goals! Having someone right there with you every step of the journey makes things a little bit easier.

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Running a race? Awesome! Make sure you sign up with an accountability and training partner! Not only will you stay on track with your training plan but you’ll also have more fun doing it. There is power in numbers. 

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Having someone in your corner is also beneficial if you need a break. Whether mental, or physical, knowing someone is there to almost validate your reasoning is important. That way you don’t feel like you’re giving up. Last year for instance while training for a race, I pulled my quad. I was DEFEATED. I couldn’t believe it. After all those weeks of training, lifting, running and pushing myself to be my best, one split second changed it all. But you know what kept me going? My workout buddy. My support system. When you don’t have to face challenges alone, everything seems more feasible and much better. 

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As you're reading that story, did you make a connection?I bet a smile grew across your face too. Not because of the injury but because you’re envisioning your support system. The ones that never let you down and keep you going.  

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Put faith in that, believe in that and never stop moving forward!

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