Accountability is the secret ingredient to getting where you want to go.
As adults, this is something we often forget we need just as much as children and teenagers do.
The older we get, the less we have people holding us accountable for our own actions.
That might just be your missing piece. (Like YOUR secret ingredient.)
In health and fitness, most people need someone to hold them accountable along the way because it’s easy to make excuses, blame our busy schedules and have no one to check on us.
Here are a three different ways to stay accountable in order to reach your health and fitness goals.
Set Specific Goals
Sit down and write out what specific goals you want to accomplish.
We’re talking pen to paper on this one…an app just won’t cut it. There’s something magical about the wiring to our brains when we manually write these out.
When you set your goals, make sure they are measurable and realistic.
Track your progress at pre-determined times such as the end of each week.
Want to workout 5 times a week but can’t even get to the gym consistently 3 times a week?
You’re already setting yourself up to fail.
Want to run a half marathon at the end of the month but haven’t been running in months?
Need I say more?
Oftentimes people assume if they dive in headfirst that’s the only way they are going to succeed.
We recommend making sure there’s water in the pool first.
It’s like when a smoker tries to quit smoking cold turkey.
It’s too much, too soon. It just doesn’t work.
Set a plan and take the steps necessary to achieve it.
You can’t skip steps and expect the reward.
Seek Support
Tell someone about your goal and find a little public accountability.
Support from friends, roommates, family or even co-workers can help keep you on track.
This subtle pressure to perform is more effective than most people can apply to themselves.
If you live with others, their lifestyle is likely to affect yours.
Having the support of people within your household will only make your journey easier.
If you need to change your nutrition habits, living with people who buy junk food at the grocery store is going to make things a lot more challenging for you.
Having support and partnering up with a co-worker or friend could be a good way to stay accountable.
Accountability partners work together on similar goals; sometimes people just need that buddy with them for an extra push.
However, this can go downhill quickly when one drops off.
If your friend has been having just as much trouble as you have been, partnering up likely won’t be the deciding factor.
Remember we want to set ourselves up for success, so find someone who’s already motivated and doing it themselves.
You are the average of the people you spend your time with.
Surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you.
Hire A Coach
If you’ve tried the points mentioned above and failed, it may be time to work with a personal trainer.
And be sure to research before you go picking one.
There’s plenty of fish in the sea. But that doesn’t make them all great for you.
Hiring a coach is arguably the best way to stay accountable when you are serious about your fitness goals.
A good coach will call you if you don’t show up for a session.
A good coach will check to see if you did your “homework” whether that be filling out your nutrition log or doing the at home workouts you said you would do.
A good coach will do everything in their power to keep you in check…
And that makes all the difference.
Nobody wants to disappoint others.
Many people just like to know that they have someone else who cares about them and their goals.
The accountability and push a coach can give you is sure to set you on the best track to achieving those milestones.
If you want to see if the personal trainers at No Limits Fitness would be a good fit for you, contact us today to set up a free 30 minute consultation.
