By Lauren Delaney

It’s always hard to start a new workout routine. It never feels like the right time because there is always so much going on and you’re too busy or maybe a gym seems very expensive and you’re worried if you’ll go enough. There are just so many excuses! Studies have shown that one of the best ways to show up for those workouts is if you make them dates. Dates? Yes, exactly….find a like-minded friend and make plans to workout together. You get to catch up and socialize and you have the pressure of not wanting to stand them up! Win-win.

Here are my ten best tips for working out with a friend and creating a buddy system. But don’t be limited. Think outside the box and get creative.

1. Dance. Who doesn’t love to dance? This is exactly why Zumba has become so popular. You don’t feel like you are working on fitness goals. You’re simply dancing around to your favorite tunes. Invite a friend over, cue up your Ipod and go for it.
2. Running. Running is great exercise that you can really do anywhere. Grab your sneakers, plan to meet your girlfriend on the corner and go a little further each time.
3. Join a sports team. One friend is great, but find even more by joining a local sports team. From softball to soccer, you can easily find these groups online and give it a shot.
4. Jump rope. An old fashioned favorite. Jump ropes are also cheap and can be done anywhere. Take turns on the jump rope for one minute while your friend does push up, sit ups, jumping jacks, etc. Then switch and alternate.
5. Walking. There is nothing better than a nice walk after a long day. Unwind, chat and share stories from the day. Sometimes the best thing to do for yourself is simply engage in activites and not worry whether they are “workouts”.
6. Online workouts. You Tube is a great source for routines and best of all it’s free. Tone It Up http://www.youtube.com/user/ToneItUpcom and the Sarah Fit Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/SarahsFabChannel are great resources.
7. TV Break. Next time you have a friend over to watch TV don’t fast forward through the commercials. Instead, take those few minutes to add in some quick exercises. Squats, lunges, tricep chair dips and sit ups can all be done in your living room. If you watch an hour or so of TV every day – this could really add up!
8. Online deals. Living Social, Group, Amazon Local are just a few ways to save money and try out some new exercise classes. No one likes going alone so have a friend purchase one right along with you! Try out Barre, TRX classes or Yoga. These are usually pretty well priced and not too expensive.
9. Checking In. Ok, so sometimes it can be hard to coordinate a schedule with a friend. You want to workout that evening, but they have plans or are busy. It’s ok to go it alone this time. However, you and your friends can check in with each other to let someone know that you did a workout. For example, send your friend a text that you ran 3 miles or biked into town and have them do the same.
10. Joining a gym. Always a good choice. You and a friend can join a gym that fits in both of your budgets and is close enough to home. If you can afford it, it’s a great way to have lots of equipment at your disposal and new classes to try out.