Accountability seems like it could be a four letter word, right?
We've all been there.
The alarm goes off in the morning and you smack it silent, wanting those few extra minutes of sleep and have zero desire to get up; put your workout gear on and head to the gym.
Or, you get home from work after a long day of meetings after meetings, and again, zero desire to go get any kind of workout done. Of course, right now, all those meetings were probably being done from the home office anyway.
This is where some accountability helps.
What do I mean?
It's easy to let your workouts slide when there's no one looking over your shoulder or waiting for you to join them. And, it can take some time for that kind of accountabilty with yourself to kick into gear.
That's not weakness. It just another training experience: Training your body and mind to be accountable to yourself.
What to do about it?
- Join a Group - there are a ton of groups out there, online and in person. Sometimes just finding and chatting with like minded people can help.
- Try a Training App - there's apps like Couch to 5K, MyFitnessPal and so many more. Maybe tracking your movement/workouts will help you stay on target.
- Join a Challenge - local gyms, church groups and gyms always seem to have some sort of challenge going, perhaps that will get you moving. If you're part of the S&G Family, we started a July Apple Watch Challenge. It's definitely movitating me to get moving and close those rings. (If you want to join the next one, or even this one, send us an email!)
- Find a Training Partner - I'd forgotten how much I missed having someone to meet up with at the gym until we were recently allowed back IN the gyms. Knowing that someone is there waiting on me to figure out our workout plan for the day is a definite motivator.
- Hire a Trainer/Coach - look for a trainer or coach, either one in person or virtual. This will depend on your preferences of how to work out, when, where, and likely cost. Ask around, check out the local gyms and make sure they listen! Want to talk to us, check out our Assessment Form and schedule time to chat.
I am a coach. So I should be perfectly motivated about getting to the gym and training myself. And, for the majority of the time, I am.
But, there are those times where you hit a lull or need a change. Changing up my training location and finding a training partner who wanted to test out new workouts was apparently the 'change' I needed to shock my mind and my system.
Will it change again? Most likely. Just remember, keep your goal in mind. It's YOUR goal. No one else gets to choose it for you.
Where are you going to find your accountability? In yourself, a group, a partner or a coach? We'd love to know what's worked for you!
PS - Don't forget to reward yourself for all your hardwork! Just don't do it with food.
