This month our topic of discussion is accountability. I think we touched on that quite a bit last month with our Feeding the Fire theme. But I want to take it a step further. The reason being is, what do you do when you are not motivated? In other words, it is easy to go to the gym when you are fired up and focused on your goals. When you are talking to yourself in a positive way and got your juices flowing with images of where you are going. But it is not so easy when you don't feel like it. The difference between getting and not getting your goals is simple. champions train, eat clean and get proper sleep, even when they don't feel like it. They have a system in place that keeps them accountable. So what does that mean really?
Accountability is the willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions. So how do we do that? Here are a few suggestions to help keep you on track with your goals when your motivation alone is not carrying you along.
1. Tell a friend or loved one about your goals- I can't even recall the number of times I told someone of a potential plan and then within seconds it really sealed the deal and I was in full swing moving forward.
2. Write out your goals and post it on your fridge- Well if you live with a friend or loved one, this really takes care of two in one now doesn't it?
3. Get your bodyfat tested on a regular basis- If you have a goal how are you going to know if you are moving in the right direction if you don't have numbers? I recommend either hydrostatic weighing or bod pod. I am not a huge fan of calipers. Unless you have a really reliable source.
4. Join a support group- Being part of a group brings great accountability. Just be careful in the selection process of your group. Make sure you don't have a group of "Poor Me's" on your hands who don't take responsibility and only want to whine and complain about how hard it all is.
5. Journal- This is the easiest way to track over a course of a certain period of time how accountable you are to your program.
6. Have specifics to be accountable to- Don't just say, I am going to eat healthier, or workout more, or release some weight, be very specific about all of these details. Make yourself accountable to numbers. It is ok if the numbers aren't reached, the plan is to move in the direction. Once you see your momentum you will know since you are tracking and journaling how long it will realistically take you to get where you want to go.
You probably thought of at least one more to add to the list. So go ahead and add it. Do whatever works for you. Whatever keeps you moving in the direction you want to be and enjoying the process.
