Losing weight for some people is easy, they’ll just eat fewer calories, walk a couple of miles, and poof – gone. But most of us have more trouble losing weight and getting fit. We all want to be fit, healthy, and hopefully around for a long time. Aside from getting your heart rate up, eating healthy will give your body a huge boost. It’s not only good for you internally, but will help you to shed some unwanted body fat, too. But there is another tool that can help you and could possibly be just as powerful – accountability. Holding yourself, or having someone hold you accountable can be a huge difference in your drive because now you have to be honest about what you eat.
Choosing a Partner
You might already have a shortlist of candidates to be your accountability partner. It could be someone you know who is fairly healthy and will hold you to your word. Or you could be thinking of someone who also needs to get healthy, and you two (or more) could make a contest of it all. Regardless of what method would suit you best, you must find someone that you know will see it through with you. Choosing the best partner for you is a big deal and will play a huge factor in whether or not you reach your goals.
If for some reason you’re not able to find a partner, you can download any number of apps that will help you track your calories. A lot of them, you can simply scan the barcode of something with your phone’s camera and it will tabulate the calories, fat, and even carbohydrates for you.
Setting Goals
It’s easy to say, “I’m going to lose weight.” But what’s a healthy weight for you? How long should you diet? Should you never cheat on your diet? These are all valid concerns and speaking to a health professional, personal trainer, or primary care physician is a good starting point for you. However, once you’ve set your goals, that’s when it’s time to start logging your food and exercise, daily. Creating that goal gives you something to strive for and also lets you check on your progress as you go. One more advantage a goal gives you is knowing when to stop. You don’t want to keep going if you’ve surpassed that finish line!
Why Keep Track?
Writing down everything you eat so that you can visualize your intake can be a big eye-opener. Many people don’t realize how many calories they eat or where they’re coming from. But knowing is half the battle. If you’re logging all your meals, drinks, and the like, you’ll quickly realize potential reasons for the current state of your body. Yes, it might be a hard truth, but in order to change, you must admit that there is something keeping you from that dream body. Keeping a record of your intake will force you to pay attention to what, exactly, you take in during the day.
For even more motivation, put your goals on social media and tell all of your friends. You’ll be amazed by the outpouring of love, support, advice, and people willing to help hold you accountable (maybe even a partner who needs the same!).
For more advice like this, give us a call or simply drop by. From tips on bodybuilding and cutting weight to burning body fat, getting your heart pumping, or just toning up,