Winning with ACCOUNTABILITY

Follow Ashley on INSTAGRAM/TWITTER: @ashleysornsin FACEBOOK: ashleysornsinhealthfitnessscoach

When it comes to making healthy changes to our lifestyle, accountability and consistency are key. You’ve heard this, you know this, yet accountability seems to be the one piece missing from most people’s health and fitness repertoire. You know the drill. Eat well, workout, drink more water, limit stress and get adequate sleep. So what’s the big deal with this whole idea of accountability anyway?

Accountability means taking responsibility. It’s up to you to take responsibility and follow through on the changes you desire to make and reach the goals you set. Accountability is the cornerstone of any well-planned fitness and nutrition program. Consistently staying accountable will help you stay on track with your program, allowing you to reach the goals you’ve set. Being accountable to someone other than yourself will prove to give you the most success in reaching these goals.

Accountability should be at the top of your list, so let’s start the process with these three steps:

1. Buddy System

Don’t go it alone. There’s proof that most people do best when they are accountable to another person. It’s easy to hit the snooze button, but when you know your friend will be waiting for you, it’s much harder to let them down.

I’d suggest finding a fitness buddy or attending a group fitness class at the same times each week. The buddy-system approach will hold you accountable, making sure you are consistently showing up. Keep in mind these buddies should be positive people that will encourage and motivate you to reach your goals.

2. Find your Tribe

Strength in numbers! The buddy system is great, but finding your tribe makes an even greater impact. Whatever your goals and wherever you’re at in your wellness journey, there are many other women at the exact same place as you right now. We all need each other and when we have a community of health conscious women coming together, such as through an online accountability group, this gives us more encouragement and empowerment to keep going.

Each month I lead a wellness accountability group on Facebook (The FIT Life) which is a place where we all have similar healthy lifestyle goals, but are at different places in our wellness journey. We are a tribe and keep each other accountable by checking in daily. Consistently we all show up. We celebrate our ups and work through our downs, and share new recipes, fun fitness programs and other wellness tips. There’s always room to add more women to The FIT Life Tribe — email me or find me on Facebook to connect with us. Connect and follow me on Facebook @ashleysornsinhealthfitnesscoach.

3. You are #1

You’re on the plane and the oxygen mask comes down. As instructed, you put yours on first before helping the person next to you. The same holds true with accountability. You may need to dig deep, but it’s all up to you. Yes, you now have a fitness buddy and your tribe, but it still comes down to you following through. Focus on getting your mind right by having realistic (smaller) goals and make time for you to reach these goals. That may include scheduling your workouts as non-negotiable “appointments” that can’t be rescheduled, and taking time to do some grocery shopping to prepare healthy meals that will support your goals. This way when your accountability and support team come along, you have already made the commitment to taking care of you and now they can encourage you to keep showing up and choosing you, so you can achieve all you’ve set out to accomplish.

Accountability with a positive support system is the missing piece in many otherwise successful nutrition and fitness programs. Enlist your support system to keep you and them accountable. Remember, we all need each other, meaning they need you just as much as you need them. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. That’s usually the biggest and scariest step, but will quickly prove to be the most rewarding. Surrounding yourself with others who will encourage, inspire, motivate and empower you to consistently show up for a healthy lifestyle will lead to the healthiest and happiest you.

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