After 20+ years in the fitness industry, one of the most common questions I get is how to stay accountable to fitness goals. Let’s break it down into a few simple steps.
Set definable goals. You must be able to measure progress against your goals to know if you are moving in the right direction or the wrong direction. Don’t determine your progress by how you feel or how many high fives you get during your workout. Set your goals based on performance or body fat percentage (BMI and weight are not the best metrics).
Ask your trainer for direct and honest feedback. Reality check: if you spend more time talking to your trainer about what you did over the weekend than how you can improve your form or performance, your trainer should be fired. What you need to hear isn’t always what you want to hear. You are paying your trainer for their expertise and guidance, not their friendship. Don’t waste your time with ass kissers.
Communicate your goals to your inner circle. Make sure people know what your goals are and ask them to support your decisions and behavior around that goal. Do your “friends” continuously sabotage your progress or ridicule you for your healthy efforts? Cut them out. Is your workout buddy enabling bad behavior and excuses to skip training? Find a new workout buddy.
Make four hours of training per week a priority. Whether your goal is increased strength, better endurance, weight loss or weight gain, four hours of legitimate training per week gets you there. Create your schedule around your training. Don’t treat training like a hobby or a time filler and don’t let others guilt you about taking time out of your day to train. If you miss an hour, make it up another time – no excuses.