The Power of Accountability for Weight Loss and Fitness Goals: one key missing ingredient

After 13 years of working with clients on their personal journeys to a better health, weight loss, as well as fitness in the last few years, one thing is for sure – it can be a bumpy ride for majority and hardly ever a straight line.

Many times, despite having the best mechanics for weight loss, it is the psychology that fails us, which makes me believe that 80% is the psychology and having the right mindset to reach our goals. This is probably true for everything in life, not just our health efforts.

Once we have a great plan and a strategy, it is our mindset that needs the most support.

20% of Your Success – Having A Great Plan

And I have a GREAT plan for you!

It has been created by the best of the best doctors and nutritional experts around the World. It is simple and easy to follow and, key point, it will not compromise on the nutrition our body needs, especially for those who need to be on a low-calorie plan if weight loss is their goal.

Instead, the plan focuses on optimum nutrition, and is personalised for each of our client’s body requirements, especially protein requirements, which all together help us feel more energetic and improves many aspects of health while we are tackling and improving our body composition.

Our plan can fit every lifestyle and even fits a family life, without focusing only on weight loss, but overall health of each individual.

The nutrition in our meal replacement shakes is balanced and supported by the latest in science. The plan offers ongoing coaching and support and offers education for long-term success that truly supports individuals in making a lifestyle change…

80% of Your Success – Support & Accountability: The Missing Ingredient

So, despite the above aspects of a rather comprehensive plan, why is it that some find it difficult to stick to it?

Why is it that regardless of the plan one is following – many are struggling for years to lose weight or keep the weight off?

Off course it needs to be a lifestyle change, not just a crash diet, as we all know by now how dangerous losing and gaining weight can be.

If you are on the wrong plan (and, let’s face it, no one wants to be on the wrong plan – lack of knowledge usually gets the better of us and following a fad diet that our friend or relative followed or that celebrity promoted is not a great plan) – than your chances are just slim to start with. So, even the missing ingredient I wish to talk about here will not help…

But, when all the conditions are right, why are we faced with many challenges along the way?

Research suggests that many people put too much effort in finding the right plan, THE One Plan, that they completely forget to build their support network that will be the crucial factor in keeping them on the right path.

We all know that it is our habits that determine the rate of our success.

So, building a new healthy, active lifestyle is all about building the right habits into your daily routine and that requires effort and a constant daily reminder what you need to do to achieve that lifestyle.

That is why, when we are left to our own devices, we stick to it for a while, than old habits start creeping in and we never get to that breakthrough point.

This breakthrough is when new habits become part of our lifestyle, fully cemented into our consciousness as well as our sub-consciousness. Once we achieve that, we unconsciously choose the right option that contributes to our health, the ultimate goal for any long-term weight loss success.

That, my friend, is the hardest part of your journey and research suggests that, for best results, it needs to involve other people, your support group or a buddy that can make the difference between failure and success for any weight loss plan.

This group needs to be chosen carefully, and if you are still not making progress, than, despite the fact that perhaps that partnership works well in other areas of our life, it might not be the right one for your health & fitness efforts.

What I have seen from the experience working with various accountability groups that I oversee and support, different approaches work for different people as we all have a different need to keep us motivated and accountable.

Instead of just joining a new participant to one of the existing groups, having learnt that lack of bond with existing participants would not encourage the commitment required, I now dig deeper to understand the type of support they would need.

I have found that the right Challenge Partners will:

• Confront You and take you to task if you are not on track; sometimes it is difficult if this is your actual partner or husband or wife, but it can work if you both chose to work together and understand that this is a necessary step to changing health habits;
• Cheer You On and give you additional motivation when you are doing really well, smashing your goals, and be really happy for you;
• Comfort You and give you encouragement when you stumble and need the support the most. They will help you keep going by reminding you why you are doing this and that they believe in you;
• Challenge You when you need to be challenged and when your certain choices are questionable, reminding you of the goals that you set when you started!

This only works if the people in the group are honest with themselves and the group.

Ideally, having people who are friends and family in the group works the best, although I have seen complete strangers doing really well together, but only because they all wanted to be part of it and getting ahead of their goals, therefore, strong will is a magic ingredient.

What I have also seen is that some of these relationships grow into a life long friendships with a long-term mutual support.

So, accountability is truly a very important, if not magic, key ingredient.

Once you have the right plan and strategy, accountability, together with an ongoing support, indeed is key.

Research suggests that you are THREE TIMES more likely to reach your goals if part of a support group or if you have a coach.

I run several support groups at any given time, and the best results are achieved by those who throw themselves into the challenge and actively participate and even better if they brought a Challenge Partner, someone they know who will be an additional support and who will help them in a loving manner but with the firmness when needed even outside of the group.

These support groups are also a fantastic way to learn the fundamentals to achieving and sustaining a healthy, active lifestyle for life.

So, if you are reading this and thinking you need to get in the action, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Working together, joined together in the same mission is the best way to getting yourself in the best shape of your life!

Here is to your success whatever you choose to do, but now you know how you can triple your odds of success!