Curves is Contagious: Encouraging your Friends to Work Out
For those of us who have discovered the rewards of regular gym workouts, it’s natural to want to share that discovery with our friends and family. However, doing so isn’t always easy and may require a certain amount of thoughtfulness and tact. Here are some suggestions on how to share the health benefits of exercise1 with those closest to you.
Tips for talking to friends and family about joining your workout routine:
Suggesting exercise to a friend or family member can be touchy; you don’t want them to think you’re criticizing their current lifestyle or body weight. Instead of focusing on the negative, talk about how good you feel since you’ve been working out, and weave it into casual conversation. For instance, if your friend mentions she’s been feeling tired or having body aches, tell her about how much better you feel since you’ve started going to Curves.
Also, try to spin the conversation in a way that encourages the person to ask you questions about your gym workouts or Curves. You might tell your friend or family member that Curves gym is different from other fitness programs for women you’ve tried, so they can ask you how it differs.
Also ask questions that you know will get a positive answer. Once you get the person to say “yes,” you’re halfway there! For instance, instead of asking, “Will you start doing the Curves fully body workouts with me?” ask, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have more energy?” or “Wouldn’t it be great to get back some of the strength you had 15 years ago?”
Anticipate barriers and be prepared to help the person overcome them. For instance, she might say she can’t exercise because she has a weak back or joint pain. Then you can tell her about how the Curves workout is designed to allow women to do what they can do comfortably, and how it’s easy to modify the exercise routine if it causes pain or stresses an area of concern. You can also mention that a Curves Coach will be there to provide health tips and advice on how to tailor the gym program to their individual needs.
Once you have their interest, be sure to follow through.
Once you have your friends or family members engaged in a conversation about Curves ladies only gym, be sure to invite them to join you to give the whole body workout a try. Give them an either/or option rather than one that must be answered with a “yes” or “no.” For instance, don’t ask, “Would you like to go to Curves with me to try it out?” Instead, ask, “I’m going to Curves to do my exercise routine on Monday at 4 p.m. and Wednesday at 3 p.m. Which day is better for you to come with me?”
Don’t forget the men in your life.
Because we don’t do our full body workouts at Curves every day, we still have plenty of time to include our husband, sons or brothers in our regular workout plan. On your days off from Curves, encourage the guys in your life to join you for a fun activity like snowshoeing or hiking. Don’t call it exercise. Instead, present it as an opportunity for sport. You can say something like, “I’ve heard that the county park has an excellent snowshoeing trail. How about we check that out on Saturday?”
The important thing in talking to your friends and loved ones about exercise is to make the conversation breezy and comfortable. Stay upbeat and let them see for themselves all the ways your whole body workout at Curves has positively impacted your life. And here’s another reason to stick with your exercise routine: living by example is one of the best strategies to convince people to go your way.
Not yet a Curves member? Visit ‘Why Curves‘ to learn more about Curves women’s only gyms, or start your journey to better health and wellbeing by signing up at your local Curves today!
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