Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD
When it comes to fitness and health, it's easy to make big plans—and even easier to let them go.
It's too hard, you're too tired, or you just can't find the time to incorporate fitness into your regular routine.
(Understood. Edit IS difficult, and if you're like many of our customers, you have legitimate reasons to be busy and pulled in multiple directions.)
Fitness accountability can help you stay on track—even in the midst of a full and challenging life—and reach your goals.
Here's how it works and how to use it.
What is accountability?
Accountability is fundamental to achieving your fitness aspirations.
It means taking ownership and responsibility over things like what you eat, how much you move, and your overall lifestyle.
Whether your goal is to lose weight, adopt a healthier diet, or train for an event, accountability will help you progress.
Some think of accountability as a rigid set of rules that must be followed whether you like it or not, but it's not.
Instead, accountability is a force that can help you make positive changes in your life that feel good and align with your overall values and goals.
Social responsibility– to a partner, a coach, or an online community – is one of the best “tastes” of accountability. When you have people to report to and who support you, you create a sense of being “in this together.” This can be incredibly motivating.
Accountability is non-judgmental and rather serves to recognize your efforts and efforts to improve.
Why is accountability an essential component of your fitness routine?
When you hold yourself accountable, whether to a group or an individual, you tap into the influence of social expectations.
Consider the role of a personal trainer or a health coach, for example. They help create systems and frameworks for setting goals, creating action plans and tracking and evaluating progress. Your trainer holds you accountable to keep you on track toward achieving your long-term fitness goals.
research supports the importance of accountability in achieving goals:
▶ Conceptualizing an idea (“I want to get in shape”) has a 10 percent probability of execution.
▶ Strategy on how to implement your idea (“I will go to the gym every day and eat healthier”) increases the odds to 50 percent.
▶ However, committing to your goals alongside someone else (“I'll hire a health coach to guide me”) increases your chances to an impressive 95 percent.
Tips for staying accountable to reach your fitness goals
Fitness accountability is great in theory, but it can still be challenging to use consistently.
Here are six ways to help yourself stay accountable:
Accountability Tip #1: Document your progress.
Documentation goes beyond just tracking your workouts; It may also include recording your meals, emotions, and a variety of subjective and objective progress indicators. This can not only reinforce accountability, but also motivation.
There are various effective ways to document progress:
- Journalist: Write down your daily activities, exercises and reflections. This provides a clear record of your progress and emotional state, allowing you to identify patterns and make necessary adjustments.
- Taking pictures: Visual documentation provides a tangible representation of your physical transformation. Regular photos can be a vivid reminder of how far you've come.
- Keeping a food diary: Recording your dietary choices provides insight into your eating habits. This can help you identify patterns and their effects on your progress.
- Measuring body composition: Tracking changes in girth, body fat percentage, muscle mass, and other metrics provides objective indicators of progress that are often more reliable than weight.
- Measuring how you feel: Tracking things like your energy levels or mood can help you see many of the ways that taking steps to be physically healthier can improve your overall well-being.
Accountability tip #2: Set the right goals.
Goal setting is a skill in itself and knowing how to set it FAIR goals can make success more likely.
One of the main things to keep in mind when setting goals is how the goals themselves are structured. Try implementing SMART goals, which are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. Here is a summary of the characteristics of SMART goals:
- Specific: Set a precise goal, focusing on the elements that are under your control. This clarity sharpens your focus.
- Measurable: You should be able to track your progress in some way. Plan how you will measure success and monitor your journey.
- Accessible: Set a goal that is challenging but still within your reach. Give yourself a fair and honest chance to succeed instead of setting unattainable ideals.
- Realistic: Make sure your goal matches your circumstances and lifestyle. Think about how you can integrate your target habits into your current routine. When a goal is really realistic and fits yours true life, you are more likely to keep it.
- Time limited: Set a specific time frame for achieving your goal, whether it's a week, a month, or several months. This deadline requires regular assessment of your progress and provides a clear end point.
of type of goals that you set – and the mindset you have around them – can also be a big factor in how realistic your goals are and how capable you feel of achieving them.
Some types of goals can feel overwhelming and unattainable because it's not exactly clear how you can get there, or part of them is out of your control. But by changing the way you frame your goals, you can increase your chances of achieving them.
Here are some tips:
- Focus on behavior you want to change, instead of outcome you want to achieve. Instead of “Lose 10 pounds,” focus on “I'm going to learn to eat until I'm full (rather than stuffed).
- Focus on behaviors for him ACCESSinstead of what you need AVOID. Instead of “Stop eating 'junk food'”, try 'Nutritious Snacks'.
- Focus on us SKILL tall pERFORMANCE. Instead of saying “I want to beat my personal record in this year's marathon,” try “I want to improve my running technique.”
Accountability Tip #3: Celebrate your accomplishments (big or small).
Celebrating your achievements, no matter how small, is a powerful motivator.
Enjoying the process and associating positive experiences with your progress significantly affects your mindset and commitment.
Personal rituals, like adding a dollar to a jar after each workout, serve as visual reminders of your dedication and hard work. After a while, you'll see how far you've come. (And maybe even reward yourself with something fun!)
Accountability Tip #4: Find a buddy.
A partner acts as a support system, providing motivation and encouragement.
Look for someone who genuinely shares your commitment to fitness. They should be someone you trust and who can be honest with you about your progress.
The dynamic with your accountability buddy is two-way. If you commit to a training session and don't show up, expect a call or text from your partner. Likewise, if they miss a session, approach them with the same spirit of encouragement and support.
Having an accountability buddy creates a positive social environment and ensures that you are not alone on this journey.
Accountability Tip #5: Change your perspective.
If you can, try changing your mindset from “I hate working out” to “Exercising makes me feel good.”
At the very least, notice how you talk to yourself about your habits. It can transform the way you approach your fitness routine.
When you focus on the benefit of a habit, it can turn the task from an obligation into an opportunity for self-improvement and enjoyment.
(The same goes for diet and nutrition. Instead of focusing on giving up certain foods, try to focus on the health benefits and flavors of the foods you choose to eat instead.)
Self-compassion also helps. When you truly take care of yourself, you more naturally make choices that prioritize your overall and long-term well-being.
Accountability Tip #6: Work with a coach.
When you hire a coach, you introduce perhaps one of the best sources of accountability.
This commitment means that you have an obligation to show up, knowing that your coach expects your presence.
During training, the presence of a coach reduces the temptation to cut corners or skip reps. With their guidance, you are held accountable for every action, pushing you to do your best.
The financial commitment of hiring a coach often also acts as a strong motivator for accountability. By hiring a trainer, you are making a tangible investment in your health and fitness. This instills a sense of responsibility, making you more likely to stay committed.
Your coach also plays a key role in helping you stay focused and goal-directed. They can help you track your progress and work with you to modify your action plan if you encounter obstacles or plateaus.
We are here to help you achieve your goals
Creating a new nutrition and fitness plan can be daunting, but you don't have to do it alone.
By building habits that improve your physical and mental health, boost immunity and help you manage stress, Precision Nutrition can help you achieve results you can sustain.
Learn more about how a Precision Nutrition coach can help you stay accountable to your fitness goals with our 1:1 training program. All of our trainers are experts in fitness, nutrition and behavior change. Don't wait to experience a healthier you.
