Accountability

Accountability is a very important factor in the daily choices we make. If we know we must justify tomorrow, what we ate today, we will less likely pick up the fritter or eat an entire bag of Oreo cookies. (Yes, I am talking to you).

Who to be accountable to: It should be someone, or a group of someone’s, who you can trust. They should never rain on your parade or bring you down with negativity. They should be able to say “good job” on the positive and “you can do better, I believe in you” on the negative. And most importantly, they should be sharing the same thoughts and values as you when it comes to healthier life choices. They should also be treating you with “tough love” and telling you how it is. If you shouldn’t eat it, they have to tell you.

Where to find accountability: Choose wisely. If you have good relationships at home, you can find accountability in a parent, sibling, or partner. Even your children, if they are adult enough to know how important this roll can be. Sit down with your accountability partners and explain what your goals are and what they should be looking for in regards to your weaknesses. If you are trying to give up pop, then they should help you make other choices. Maybe they will even give it up with you.

Another good place is in your work/office. After talking about health and fitness for so long in the office, others asked me and one other coworker, to start up a group. We meet every Wed. during lunch. We talk about what we missed or failed to accomplish the previous week and what we want to achieve for the next week. We share our weight loss and workout achievements and have incorporated a gold star system. Sharing recipes, different workouts, and encouraging magazine articles, are some of the things discussed. Pointing out excuses is another great aspect. When you are on the outside it’s easy to spot an excuse. When it’s your excuse, it doesn’t appear to be one. Believe me you, will come up with a lot of them.

Goals for accountability: Set up a timeline for your goals. Figure out what your group, or you alone, would like to lose in a set amount of time or whatever your personal goal may be. Have your goals all figured out prior to your “meetings” and ready to share. Tell them to hold you to it. Thus the accountability.

Working out together: Try to set up a time which you and your partners can workout together. Then you can see each other in the gym, on the street running/walking and know for sure what the intensity levels are at. You can then encourage each other to step it up and burn more. Walking with a partner will make the time go by so much faster as you won’t be so focused on just walking.

Start today by finding your accountability partner. Interview people, if you have to, and find someone like minded. It will help you take your fitness and health journey into a place of success.

And is none of that sank in, take a look at this funny video!