Who wants to be more fit? Is it one of your goals this year to get healthier and more fit?
Do you know that that will reduce your risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s?
Many studies have shown that, regardless of your weight, you need to focus on fitness if you want to lower your health risks. Yes, it’s easier to focus on the weight loss. That’s because losing weight is a personal journey. But there are a number of benefits when you engage in group fitness, mentally as well as physically.
Losing Weight Is Easier With Support
When it comes to losing weight and getting fit, it’s always better to have support, as opposed to going it alone. You don’t have to get involved in a large group if you’re a low key type of person.
But it’s important that you have someone in your life who is on the same journey to fitness that you are. Statistics have repeatedly shown that people who use the fitness buddy system end up not only losing weight and getting fit faster. They also tend to keep that weight off long term.
Having someone who understands what you’re experiencing helps when you’re discouraged. Being able to share the journey keeps your motivation strong. It also keeps you on track because you’ll quit on yourself before you’ll quit on someone else.
That’s just human nature. We hate to disappoint other people much more than we hate disappointing ourselves. Losing weight and getting fit with the help of a buddy system is easier, too. One reason is because we tend to talk ourselves into things that aren’t good for us.
That includes things like deciding that it’s okay to blow off eating healthy because you’ve worked hard all week. A diet and fitness buddy will be there to help you through those times when you’re rationalizing behaviors that can potentially derail your success. (“Put down those chips…and the chocolate ice cream!)
Having someone in your corner will make exercising more fun. You’ll look forward to the social connection. (And it will benefit your brain, so you’ll be saying NO to stroke in more ways than one.) Support means that you have someone who can help keep you in check when you’re exercising to make sure you’re not overdoing it. Someone to walk with, someone to double check that your body’s properly aligned when you’re working out on the machines at the gym.
When you have someone to help support your weight loss and fitness efforts, you’ll find that you’re challenging yourself to work out harder and longer than you would if you were trying to do it on your own.
Having someone else along on the same journey may also open up a bit of a competitive drive within you. It’s part of human nature to compete when you’re engaged in the same physical activity as someone else.
Share a weight loss and fitness journey with an accountability partner and you’ll see that losing weight and getting in shape can become something to look forward, and much easier than it has been in the past.
What to Look For in an Accountability Partner
What to Look For in an Accountability Partner
When you’re looking for that partner, the first thing you need to make sure of is that the other person is truly committed to getting in shape. A lot of people talk about making changes but don’t actually do anything that will lead to weight loss or getting fit.
Be up front with whoever you decide to partner. The level of commitment needs to be the same for both of you. That person needs to be someone you can trust.
Having and being a fitness partner requires honesty. If there’s no trust, neither of you will feel truly comfortable. It’s a good idea to discuss what you can and can’t do. Set boundaries so that each of you knows what to expect.
Plan how often you’ll meet to talk, as well as for exercise. Decide whether or not you want to set up time for phone encouragement sessions or email discussions.
When you coordinate your time from the beginning, the relationship gets off to a positive start. Set up the types of challenges you’re looking for, and the feedback you appreciate most.
Discuss what you need to hear when you fall off the wagon. (I don’t want to say “inevitably” fall off the wagon, but it’s inevitable, folks! Just get ready to get back on.)
When you do find someone who helps you with your fitness goals, there are certain things that can help make the relationship a successful one. (Sounds like a marriage, doesn’t it?)
That success is found in what you discuss with the other person. You need to be as open and as up front as you feel comfortable being. You have to discuss your weight loss goals. Mention how much you want to lose and your motivation behind it. That way your accountability partner has the knowledge to keep you motivated. He or she can remind you of your goal to lose weight. It could be for health reasons, or for bikini season. Whatever the reason, the other person will be able to nudge you closer to your long term goal.
You also need to discuss the roadblocks that have been in your way in the past when you’ve tried to lose weight and get fit. If your accountability partner knows up front that you find it harder to work out after a stressful day at work, then he or she will be able to help push you through that block.
Sometimes, all it takes is for someone to tell you that you can do it, and that you’ll feel better, and your mindset will change. Instead of going home and sitting in front of the television to destress, you’ll find that your accountability partner has motivated you to head to the gym. Which do you think is healthier? Which will get you to your fitness goal?
Discuss the things in your lifestyle that hinder you from reaching your goals. Your accountability partner will be able to openly discuss ways that you can work around those obstacles.
Make sure to discuss challenges. Find out how you can challenge each other to push harder to reach levels.
Talk about the fitness levels you’re hoping to reach so that the other person knows when to spur you forward in a workout.
And keep this in mind…an accountability partner doesn’t have to be there in person. You can find one online. There are pros and cons to both. For an accountability partner who’s there in person, it will be more social. You can meet up for face-to-face time. You have the benefit of socializing and getting encouragement in real time. This doesn’t always happen when the other person is an online accountability partner. If they’re not online, then you won’t have that immediate support available.
When you’re feeling like you’re about to fall off the fitness wagon, you can call an in person accountability partner and ask to meet up for a workout.
But having support online can be equally beneficial to some people. This is especially true if you’re an introvert and you find it difficult to be open when you’re face to face with someone. Online accountability partnerships offer a degree of separation that some people prefer. Plus, you might find it easier to talk to someone who isn’t in your immediate social circle.
The upside to having a real life accountability partner is that you’re less likely to want to let them down than you would someone online. It’s also easier to be more competitive and challenge yourself in real life than online.
However, an online accountability partner can make it easier for your goals to become more concrete, and for you to get a visual for tracking your progress. As you type out your messages back and forth, you’ll have a record of how well you’re doing and you’ll be able to see how you sound — upbeat or discouraged.
Sometimes, seeing something written out makes it easier for you to recognize what needs to change in order to stay motivated. The connection to an accountability partner who is online can sometimes be stronger than one in real life because people tend to put aside their masks when they’re online.
There can be a lowering of the guard with someone else when there’s a screen between you. It can be easier to vent your weight loss or fitness frustrations to an online accountability partner where you might hold back with someone in real life.
Who to Avoid When Choosing an Accountability Partner
The Person to Avoid Choosing for Your Accountability Partner
Here’s a warning. It might be tempting to ask a close friend or a family member to be your accountability partner. But, although that person might love you and want the best for you, they sometimes just don’t make the best accountability partner.
They’re often too easy on you, too willing to help de-motivate you by telling you that everything is fine, that you look fine, that skipping your healthy eating plan or fitness routine is no big deal because they love you just the way you are. (That might be okay for Billy Joel, but that’s not what you want. Am I dating myself?)
It may be sweet, but it’s not the kind of thing that you need. Your friends and family won’t usually give you the serious butt kicking that you need to stay on track. They won’t actually hold you accountable, tell you that you can do better, and make you stick to those goals you made.
They let you slide. When that happens, it’s easy to chill out, rather than work out. And definitely think twice, thrice even, before even considering making your spouse your accountability partner. You’ll either let one another off the hook with goals or be constantly upset with each other. You don’t want your fitness journey to cause tension at home when one of you gets ticked off or frustrated with the other.
You also need to avoid people who tell you the truth but aren’t compassionate. Yes, you need to be held accountable. But, you don’t need to be sliced and diced. If someone rips you to shreds and makes you feel awful, that’s not helpful.
Avoid choosing someone who uses put downs or makes fun of other people when they make a mistake. They’ll do the same to you when you have a setback.
And, while it’s helpful to find an accountability partner who also wants to lose weight, you don’t want to partner with a downer type person. Hearing someone say, “I’ll never lose this weight” or, “working out is just too hard” will eventually wear on you. When you’re with someone who’s a downer, you rarely pull them up emotionally. Instead, they end up making you feel worse.
Another person to skip — the rationalizer. This is the partner who can always find a way to get out of eating healthy and working out. They say they need to skip eating healthy because they had a hard day. Or they can’t work out because they don’t feel like it. They say they want to get fit, but they spend more time talking about it than actually doing anything about it.
Your accountability partner must be motivated and determined to get fit. Otherwise, it won’t be a beneficial relationship for you.
And stay clear of the sabotager. This is the accountability partner who encourages you to blow your diet or skip the workout to go do something “fun.” You’ll find that they undermine you. They’re always pointing out what you could be doing instead, or tempting you to make bad choices.
Get Involved in a Big Group Fitness Program
While having an accountability partner is a successful way to stick to your fitness goals, don’t overlook big group fitness programs. These work because you gain the team mentality when you work out with a group. Plus, people who work out in a group fitness program are more likely to exercise more often each week than people who aren’t involved in group fitness.
There is power and plenty of challenges can be found when you’re working out with a group of people. That’s one of the reasons why things like Zumba have become so popular. (I LOVE Zumba!)
When you’re surrounded by large groups of people doing the same thing, it’s easier to stay motivated, and not only during the workout. It keeps your motivation level high during the week. You look forward to meeting up with the class or program again. There are groups that are dedicated to fitness, like hiking groups. You get to work on your fitness while exploring new areas with others who all have the same goal.
Dance exercise classes are extremely popular fitness programs because they’re social, fun and give you a great workout. When people interact with others in a positive way, the brain releases endorphins. Social interaction like this which cause endorphin levels to rise make you feel happier. Working out becomes associated with something pleasurable. It also helps that working out with a group of people helps you see that you’re not alone.
Regardless of how you feel when you arrive, you leave feeling motivated and full of energy. Bonding over a common goal takes place in a group setting which can raise the accountability level. People notice if you’re not there. The instructor gets used to seeing your face and people question your absence when you return. You gain friends through group fitness programs, and many of these people end up doing activities together beyond the fitness class.
This builds your social circle of like minded people who help you stay on target even when you’re not working out. There’s a bond that carries over from being in a group together. It makes it easier to make those smart food choices when you go out with people who want what you want.
Here’s a warning. It might be tempting to ask a close friend or a family member to be your accountability partner. But, although that person might love you and want the best for you, they sometimes just don’t make the best accountability partner.
They’re often too easy on you, too willing to help de-motivate you by telling you that everything is fine, that you look fine, that skipping your healthy eating plan or fitness routine is no big deal because they love you just the way you are. (That might be okay for Billy Joel, but that’s not what you want! Am I dating myself?)
While that’s sweet, it’s not the kind of thing that you need. Your friends and family won’t often give you the serious butt kicking that you need to stay on track. They won’t actually hold you accountable and tell you that you can do better, that you need to stick to those goals you made.
They let you off easy. When that happens, it’s easy to chill out rather than work out. And definitely think twice, or thrice, before even considering making your spouse your accountability partner. You’ll either let one another slide with goals or be constantly upset with each other. You don’t want your fitness journey to cause tension at home when someone gets ticked off or frustrated with the other person.
You also need to avoid people who tell you the truth but aren’t compassionate.
While you do need to be held accountable, you don’t need to be sliced and diced. If someone rips you to shreds and makes you feel awful, that’s not helpful.
Avoid choosing someone who uses put downs or makes fun of other people when they make a mistake. They’ll do the same to you when you have a setback.
And, while it’s helpful to find an accountability partner who also wants to lose weight, you don’t want to partner with a downer type person. Hearing someone say, “I’ll never lose this weight” or, “working out is just too hard” will eventually wear on you. When you’re with someone who’s a downer, you rarely pull them up emotionally. Instead, they end up making you feel worse.
More people to skip — a rationalizer. This is the partner who can always find a way to get out of eating healthy and working out. They say they need to skip eating healthy because they had a hard day. Or they can’t work out because they don’t feel like it. They say they want to get fit, but they spend more time talking about it than actually doing anything about it.
Your accountability partner must be motivated and determined to get fit. Otherwise, it won’t be a beneficial relationship for you.
Avoid the sabotager. This is the accountability partner who encourages you to blow your diet or skip the workout to go do something “fun.” You’ll find that they undermine you. They’re always pointing out what you could be doing instead, or tempting you to make bad choices.
Get Involved in a Big Group Fitness Program
While having an accountability partner is a successful way to stick to your fitness goals, don’t overlook big group fitness programs either.
These work because you gain the team mentality when you work out with a group. Plus, people who work out in a group fitness program are more likely to exercise more often each week than people who aren’t involved in group fitness.
There is power and plenty of challenges to be found when you’re working out with a group of people. That’s one of the reasons why things like Zumba have become so popular. (I LOVE Zumba!)
When you’re surrounded by large groups of people who are doing the same thing, it’s easier to stay motivated, and not only during the workout. It keeps your motivation level high during the week.
You look forward to meeting up with the class or program again. There are groups that are dedicated to fitness, like hiking groups. You get to work on your fitness while exploring new areas with others who all have the same goal.
Dance exercise classes are extremely popular fitness programs because they’re social, fun and give you a great workout. When people interact with others in a positive way, the brain releases endorphins.
Social interaction like this that causes the endorphin levels to rise makes you feel happier. Working out becomes associated with something pleasurable. Working out with a group of people helps you see that you’re not alone.
Regardless of how you feel when you arrive, you leave feeling motivated and full of energy. Bonding over a common goal takes place in a group setting and that can raise the accountability level.
More people will notice if you’re not there. The instructor gets used to seeing your face and people will question your absence when you return. You gain friends through group fitness programs and many of these people end up doing activities together beyond the fitness class.
This builds your social circle of like minded people who help you stay on target even when you’re not working out. There’s a bond that carries over from being in a group together. It makes it easier to make smart choices when you go out to eat with people who want what you want.
Sometimes, all it takes is for someone to tell you that you can do it, and that you’ll feel better, and your mindset will change. Instead of going home and sitting in front of the television to destress, you’ll find that your accountability partner has motivated you to head to the gym. Which do you think is healthier? Which will get you to your fitness goal?
Discuss the things in your lifestyle that hinder you from reaching your goals. Your accountability partner will be able to openly discuss ways that you can work around those obstacles.
Make sure to discuss challenges. Find out how you can challenge each other to push harder to reach levels.
Talk about the fitness levels you’re hoping to reach so that the other person knows when to spur you forward in a workout.
And keep this in mind…an accountability partner doesn’t have to be in real life. You can find one online. There are pros and cons to both. For an accountability partner that’s in real life, it can be more social. You can meet up for face-to-face time. You have the benefit of socializing and getting encouragement in real time. This doesn’t always happen when the other person is an online accountability partner. If they’re not online, then you won’t have that immediate support available.
When you’re feeling like you’re about to fall off the fitness wagon, you can call a real life accountability partner and ask to meet up for a workout.
But having support online can be equally beneficial to some people. This is especially true if you’re an introvert and you find it difficult to be open when you’re face to face with someone. Online accountability partnerships offer a degree of separation that some people prefer. Plus, you might find it easier to talk to someone who isn’t in your immediate social circle.
The upside to having a real life accountability partner is that you’re less likely to want to let them down than you would someone online. It’s also easier to be more competitive and challenge yourself in real life than online.
Share a weight loss and fitness journey with an accountability partner and you’ll see that losing weight and getting in shape can become something to look forward, and much easier than it has been in the past.
Who wants to be more fit?
Many studies have shown that, regardless of your weight, you need to focus on fitness if you want to lower your health risks. Yes, it’s easier to focus on the weight loss. That’s because losing weight is a personal journey. But there are a number of benefits when you engage in group fitness, mentally as well as physically.
