Happy September!
I don’t know about you, but everything gets a lot busier for me come September, which is great and not so great.
On the one side, I’m so enthusiastic at this time of year! I’m excited to start or re-start all kinds of classes, coaching opportunities, and various online projects.
But on the other side, my time becomes more limited, and it’s easy to fall into the “I’m too busy” excuse.
So, to keep on track this fall, I’m going to get accountable… in a big way. And here’s how…
I was just listening to a podcast that was featuring Carey Bentley who, with her husband, has an online program called Lifehack Bootcamp.
She was talking about the power of ACCOUNTABILITY in realizing your goals, and I subscribe to that 100%.
More specifically, she mentioned four layers of accountability that, when you apply them, especially all together, are HUGE in getting you to fulfill anything you want to do.
So I wanted to share with you these four layers of accountability and show you how you can apply them for achieving your goals of weight loss, better nutrition, quitting bad habits… Or anything SPECIFIC you want to get done for your health and fitness
In this case I’m going to use the example of weight loss.
So, let’s say you want to lose 15 pounds by the holidays.
According to Carey, here are the four levels of accountability that can keep you honest and bring you weight loss success:
1. Get a Coach
To lose those 15 pounds in the next 15 weeks or so, you’re going to need someone who won’t just set the bar and hold it there for you, but also give you concrete tools to reach it.
A coach.
The most important thing to look for in a coach is compatibility.
Make sure you feel comfortable talking to and interacting with the coach you choose; ensure that you feel you can trust this person and that they have your best interest at heart.
Now, here are some other things to look for in a great coach:
Your coach should see you as a multifaceted human being, with unique needs and wants.
Your coach should consider your fitness in terms of your interests and the time you have available. And they should evaluate your progress not only by weight lost, but also by strength/endurance/flexibility gained.
Your coach should look at your nutrition considering your family situation, your work, your daily routine, as well as considering your food aversions or allergies.
Your coach should consider your stress, both personal and professional. And they should give you tools for managing or reducing your stress.
Your coach should listen to you, but also give you a boost in the direction you want to go. They should challenge you to surpass what you thought you could do.
A great coach will set the bar on the high level of achievable and be open to your input.
And hiring a coach, means you’re putting SKIN IN THE GAME, not only in terms of money, but in terms of your integrity too.
2. Challenge yourself
Competition is a great way to stay accountable to losing those 15 pounds.
Put your money where your mouth is and consider using an app like DietBet, Pact, or HealthyWage to pledge money for specific fitness and weight loss challenges. Or, even better, use the Charity Miles app to raise money for charity every time you walk the dog or run for the bus.
If you have a FitBit or other fitness device, you can also compete with others you know, or don’t know, for daily steps completed or specific rewards.
As human beings, most of us enjoy a challenge, so this is an effective way to keep us motivated to get this thing done.
3. Buddy Up
A buddy should be someone you pair up with, who has a similar weight loss goal, and who isn’t a close friend or family member (they’ll likely be too soft on you).
So, ideally, each week you would talk with your buddy, and then set a single goal for the week ahead. That might be walking so many miles, or reducing the number of sugary drinks you consume, or taking 5 minutes a day to sit and meditate.
Having to check in with your buddy will keep you accountable and on track to the weight.
And, as a bonus, you will feel accountable for getting them to their goal too.
It’s a win-win!
4. Go Public
Nothing is quite as heart-pumpingly challenging – or as potent – as making a public declaration.
Telling the world around you that you’re going to lose 15 pounds in 15 weeks… Well, just typing that made my heart race and my palms sweat! And I don’t even want to lose 15 pounds!
Whether is through actually telling people about your goal, or announcing it in the form of a post on social media, going public to your real and/or online friends is putting yourself all in.
All these people will now help keep you accountable.
There is definite power in numbers here.
And you, having put that kind of social skin in the game, and then publicly succeeding… Well, you’ll be inspiring others to do it too.
I hope your September is off to a great start and that you’ve got plans to move forward with your health and fitness this fall.
As a coach, I would love to help you get there… Keeping you accountable to realizing your big goal.
Either through one-on-one coaching or through group coaching (coming this fall!), I can help you lose the weight, gain the strength, or lower the stress.
And my goal my online coaching group this fall is to build in more accountability.
So on top of providing accountability as a coach, I also want to pair everyone up with a buddy, and create a great space for you to be successful.
To find out more about what I do, and about getting fit as a woman over 40, you can sign up for my free webinar coming this Tuesday, September 5th at 9pm (it will be recorded if you can’t make the time… so sign up to get the recording!)
I can’t wait to share all this great material with you!
Keep moving forward this September,
Debbie