If you have decided to get fit and healthy, then the next step is to find out how. While you can jump right in with a healthy eating plan, choosing the exercise option may take a little more time. Could group fitness or solo exercise be better for you? Here are the pros and cons of each.

Group Fitness

Group fitness is an excellent option for those looking to lose weight in a welcoming, encouraging, and energetic environment. There are so many benefits of exercising with others – many of which are scientifically proven in studies over the past decade.

PRO: Lose more weight – Joining a group fitness class such as boot camp, yoga, BODYATTACK, or BODYPUMP, can help you to lose more weight than if you were to take the journey by yourself. In a 2018 systematic review of group-based diet and physical activity weight loss interventions, the differences were staggering. On average, those involved in group fitness classes were able to lose 3.5kg more than those who tried to lose weight by themselves.

PRO: Get additional motivation – It can be hard to motivate yourself to go and exercise, especially if the couch and TV are luring you over to them. However, if you join a group fitness class, your group members expect you to participate. You have to be there at a particular time on a specific day, which makes you more inclined to turn up and exercise.

CON: Money – The only obvious pro is that you have to spend more money, typically, on group fitness than you would on trying to exercise on your own. However, it’s a small price to pay when you can get those results you desire.

Solo Fitness

If you don’t take part in group fitness classes such as BODYBALANCE, running, or even spin classes, then you need to have a fairly good reason. After all, science says you have a better chance of losing more weight if you join a group. There are, however, some pros of exercising alone.

PRO: Save money – Exercising alone can save you a small sum of money. You can set your own exercise routine and keep your money in your bank account.PRO: No hectic schedule – After a hard day of work, it’s often not that easy to be able to head straight over to an exercise class. If you’re a parent or you have other commitments, you usually don’t feel like you have that extra hour or more to commute. Solo exercise means you can get all your household tasks complete then carry out training at a time that suits you. In saying that, group fitness classes have flexible timetables to suit all people.

CON: Results – The major downside of exercising alone is that you don’t get the results you would if you joined a group. Group fitness can help you shed the kilos far quicker than if you were to try to pound the pavement by yourself. This is a significant negative and one that may have you deciding it far outweighs the positives to make a change.

There are pros and cons of both exercising on your own or in a group fitness class. However, what you’ll find is that the advantages of exercising in a group far outweigh the pros of exercising on your own. If the time has come to make a change in your life and your body, then consider your exercise options. You may find group fitness is what you need to shift that weight.