What's so important about accountability?
5 WAYS TO STAY ON TRACK WITH THESE ACCOUNTABILITY TIPS
There’s an old saying - it takes teamwork to make the dream work. Training and nutrition play a huge role in transforming the body, but having someone or a team to keep you accountable makes all the difference.
The market is saturated with quick fixes and health remedies, but none of these will work unless you stick to it. This is where accountability is key, not just for health and fitness, but for your everyday life too. There are many ways to stay on track when you stay accountable and we’ve put together these tips to help you reach your goals:
Set clear goals
When you set clear goals about what you want to achieve with your health and fitness journey, you’re more likely to reach those goals. First, it’s important to set both short-term and long-term goals. For example, you might want to fit back into your favourite piece of clothing in 2 months. Your long-term goal might be to lose five kilos of body fat and increase your muscle mass percentage in a 6 month time period.
During the TNT challenges, we get all of our participants to create their vision boards. These are another great way to see your goals in front of you every day. This helps you stay motivated during those days you don’t feel like exercising.
Team up with a training partner
There’s no better way to stay accountable than to find an accountability partner. Whether you team up and work out together, or you support each other by keeping each other accountable each day, you’re more likely to stick with it. When someone else is pushing you, you’re more likely to stay motivated because you do not want to let the other person down.
Take progress pictures
During all of the TNT challenge programs, we get our challengers to take weekly progress photos. In most instances, we are the last person to notice our changes. Photos don’t lie. By taking photos, you can visibly see the changes you make every week.
Another benefit to taking progress pictures is that sometimes our weight doesn’t change on the scales, even though our body shape has changed. This is because working out regularly builds muscle. Muscle can weigh more than fat because it’s denser, says Joel Seedman, PhD, neuromuscular physiologist and owner of Advanced Human Performance in Suwanee, Georgia. So, while you may weigh the same on the scales, it’s likely because you have increased your muscle mass.
Find a training program and team to keep you accountable
A training program and support team who cheer you on along the way is essential to your success. It’s normal for life to happen. We can experience setbacks when we least expect them. It’s important when you run into these roadblocks, you have a support system to keep you on track.
Reward yourself when you achieve individual goals
Having something to look forward to when you reach specific goals is more likely to increase your motivation and make it easier to follow your workout and nutrition plan. Self-rewards can be something simple like treating yourself to your favourite meal or pampering yourself to a spa day for those bigger goals. Whatever your idea of a reward, set yourself a timeline to reach individual milestones.
Being accountable for your health and fitness goals
When you’re accountable for the goals you set, you’re more likely to create long-term healthy habits. Following tips such as setting clear goals, teaming up with a training partner, taking progress pictures, and rewarding yourself can be vital to this process. Health and fitness isn’t a quick fix. It should be incorporated into your lifestyle to improve your overall well-being.
