When discussing accountability it’s important to recognize what we’re really talking about - adherence and consistency over time. Noticeable fitness adaptations don’t occur after one workout, they are the result of consistent workouts done over weeks, months, and years. That makes the accountability barrier very important to break through. Let’s discuss 3 quick ways to increase your accountability, adherence, and consistency.
Anchoring
It’s easy to talk yourself out of exercising. What’s not as easy is telling someone else you exercised when you really didn’t. One of the simplest ways to keep yourself accountable to exercise consistently is to anchor that habit to another person. This could be a family member, training partner, friend, coach, support group, or simply posting on your social media that you plan to exercise ‘x’ times per week and posting an update every time you complete a workout.
A huge benefit to having a coach or training partner is you have someone to check in with that you actually completed your workout. By having someone to anchor your exercise habit to you’ll be less likely to fall off track.
Enjoyment
If exercise is something you absolutely dread doing every single time, the chances you stick with it are almost zero. While some forms of exercise may be better than others for specific goals, no form of exercise will get you results if you can’t stick to it over time. If you hate the treadmill, try the bike or rower instead. Can’t stand doing traditional cardio? Try circuits with weights. Hate working out alone? Find a group class to attend.
Make sure your exercise habit is something you enjoy so you can realistically adhere to doing it consistently. You’ll get more out of being consistent with exercise over time rather than a specific type of exercise.
Have a Plan
We’ve all been in a situation where we show up to the gym, have no idea what to do and have to make up a workout on the spot. You get this feeling of “what the hell am I even doing here?” This is a recipe for falling off track because now it’s not only getting to the gym, but an extra barrier of having to figure out what to do.
Easy solution - have a pre-planned, progressive exercise routine to follow. This is important for several reasons:
Having a plan means you know exactly what to do as soon as you show up to workout.
A progressive plan aimed at reaching a goal you’ve set means you have a structure and purpose to your workout.
Results are extremely motivating, so when you’re progressing towards a goal it motivates you to keep going.
Whether it’s a group class, a free program you found online, or an individualized program from a coach, having a plan can provide the structure and purpose you need to stay motivated and accountable to exercising consistently.
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