Accountable To You!

As many people know, I run an online nutrition/fitness company called Earn That Body! I coach people (online) all over the world. Probably one of the most fundamental aspects of my program that leads to the incredible results my clients get is the ACCOUNTABILITY! I read my clients food logs daily (Mon-Fri) and then check their weekend food logs on Mondays. That means I am having daily conversations with them about what they are eating and if they got their workout done! Can you imagine how that might hold you IN CHECK with what you eat to help you reach your weight loss goals? I have clients that tell me they 100% stay on track because they know I will be commenting each morning on their food log.

Accountability really does work!   Some people must go to a live fitness class with a set time because that holds them accountable to get that workout done.  Some people need a buddy to meet for a run at 5:45am or they won’t wake up.  We all need a little push sometimes so that we don’t slack off.

But why can’t we just hold ourselves accountable? Or can we? People ask me all the time, “how do you maintain your weight and never show body weight gains?” Well, I can tell you that I do not log food, I don’t have anyone check my nutrition and I am 100% accountable to ME.  But this did not happen overnight.

I spent many years when I was younger, 15-20 pounds heavier than I am today. And I felt like I battled the scale daily. I was in graduate school, busy with studying, waiting tables and wanted to look fabulous…but somehow kept reaching for candy, ice cream and my favorite frozen yogurt. So, what changed? I got tired of how I was feeling.  My body literally would hurt when I touched it after a bad eating (and or drinking) night. I was tired of feeling bloated and having gas. I could no longer bare it when my jeans were so tight around my waist that I never wanted to wear them. I got REALLY PRESENT with how that all felt.  And that’s when I started making changes in my nutrition that could last a lifetime.

Once I cleaned up my diet (the same way I teach in Earn That Body), I felt more energetic, the jeans fit, my bloating stopped and my body stopped hurting. THAT feeling is what made me accountable each and every day to continue this way of eating. I call it LIFESTYLE NUTRITION.  The better I felt and the more I got present with FEELING GOOD, the more I never wanted to go back to old ways.

Now, I can’t say I was perfect and never fell back. We all have good and bad days.  But I did follow these 4 steps that truly helped me get to where I am today.

 4 Ways to Stay Accountable to YOU:

(primarily for weight loss, but I think you can apply to many goals):

• Get very present in how you FEEL: So, for example, I felt TERRIBLE when I ate poorly and felt AMAZING when I ate great. When I really sat in that state and felt it, I was more likely to make the better food choices. I just did not want to go back to feeling bad. The next time you binge eat, have too many cocktails, eat an entire chocolate cake or whatever your weakness might be that you are trying to overcome….SIT in the feeling.  I would literally make a list of all the words you feel after those moments.  See the words, feel the words and remember the FEELING. On the flip side of that, when you are on track for several days, check in with that feeling and write those words down too! Compare the words and choose which you prefer!

• Write Down Your Goal: If you are trying to lose weight, WRITE that goal down on paper. If you are trying to PR (personal record) a running race, WRITE that time you want to hit on paper! If you are trying to get more active and fit, WRITE how many times/week you plan to exercise. Writing this on paper and seeing it DAILY makes a difference.  It keeps you accountable. I recommend you post this paper on your computer or somewhere you see it all day long!

• Set a REASONABLE Plan: You have to set yourself up for success. If you are trying to lose weight and choose a detox program that allows you only to drink juice for 2 weeks, I can promise you will fail. The body can’t handle that and you can’t live your life that way. You want a plan that you can take action on in a healthy, reasonable way. So, create a plan that helps you eat home 5 out of 7 days/week; or, give up sweets during the week and have one on the weekend! Or plan to eat 5 veggies every day! All things that can be done that will help your weight loss.  Sustainable plans that still might be tough on some days, but are reasonable. Set up the plan and write it out!

• Pick Your Friends: this is a tough one. But if you are trying to live a healthier lifestyle and your friends all go out every weekend and binge drink and eat pizza, you might have to take a break from that group. You need people who can support you in your goals and efforts. It’s hard enough to be accountable to YOU, the last thing you need is a group of people who are threatened by your choice to get healthy and therefore try and break you down so you drink/eat with them again.  Trust me, I know the people and have been there. I had to make choices that benefited my health and my life when it came to my friends once I committed to a healthy life.  The reality is this: if they don’t support you in a quest to get healthy, they are not good friends.

I truly think if you start taking action on these 4 steps it will set you up for success.

Pick up a journal and start writing down:

• How you FEEL when you eat bad? How you FEEL when you are on track with eating healthy?
• Your overall (weight loss) goal?
• The PLAN on how to get there that is reasonable! A plan that you can build on that can be sustained over time. Not the quick fix.
• List any friends you might need to take a break from in order to stay on track. You don’t have to unfriend them for life. Maybe just a period of separation to help you stay strong.

Then, if all else fails, get a coach who can hold you accountable. I do have some clients who sign up for many sessions with me (over and over) because they enjoy the accountability I provide. It’s no different than you paying to see your personal trainer every week! You could to those workouts on your own, but you will never work as hard if someone is not there to push you or watch over you right?

Most importantly, don’t be so hard on yourself on the days you fall off track.  Just get back on track as quickly as possible without guilt, depression or a feeling of failure.  It’s just a bad day.  Put it behind you and move on because you are AWESOME!

If you feel like you don’t know where to begin with eating healthy, check out my Eat By Example 1 Week Meal Plan!

This blog is also on the Earn That Body Podcast with even more details about getting Accountable to YOU! You can check that out at CLICK HERE! (all Earn That Body Podcast episodes can be found on iTunes or Soundcloud OR here!