How do you keep yourself accountable?

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just_Jennie1
just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
in Motivation and Support
Besides logging your food and exercise what else do you do to keep yourself accountable and on target with your goals?

I started a blogger blog January 2 and it keeps me pretty darn accountable. I have my "before" pictures with measurements, I take pictures of my meals and post them with what it was and the calorie amount of each meal and I end it with the total calories for the day. I call myself out when I had a bad eating night or when I drank alcohol when I wasn't supposed to (like tonight). I also post my workouts that I do and I post updates on how I feel, how I'm doing etc. Like this past weekend it wasn't the best food and drink-wise nor was last week the best workout wise. I updated my blog on how I did, how I felt etc. and all weekend long I was thinking to myself "Well this weekend I blew it. And I'm going to have to explain myself in my blog. Oh boy."

It's helpful for me because it makes me be honest and truthful with myself because I'm pretty much putting it all out there for the world to see and read. I kind of look at it as an open journal of my progress.

I plan on doing monthly (give or take) of my progress with weight, measurements and pictures until I'm down to my goal. I plan on keeping up with the blog after my goal because again, it's keeping me accountable for what I eat, what I do, how I feel etc.

So what do you do to keep yourself accountable?

(and before anyone says it I don't think this is an "unhealthy" thing to do. It is working for me and getting me in the mindset that I need to be in. I need to hold myself accountable and being able to look back and see what I did or didn't do and how I felt is helpful).

Replies

  • Bettyanne77
    Bettyanne77 Posts: 42
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    As of yet just being on here. I plan to take pictures and measurements tomorrow. I have also told my close family and partner that I am losing weight. A blog sounds like a good idea.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Losing money on my Pact keeps me honest.
  • texasgal22
    texasgal22 Posts: 407 Member
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    The scale keeps me accountable. It doesn't matter what I put on here and whether I exercise or not. It's what shows up on the scale. I'm either doing it or I am not. Changing a lifestyle of eating takes time.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Having my diary open to my friends. It makes me think twice before I do something dumb and mess up my macros. But even if I do occasionally over indulge, they always forgive me. :heart:
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    I tend to publicly announce my big goals. My FB and MFP friends know I am planning a half and full marathon this year. I feel like if I tell someone I'm going to it, I HAVE to do it.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    Link to your blog?
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    Link to your blog?

    http://seejennielift.blogspot.com
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    I tend to publicly announce my big goals. My FB and MFP friends know I am planning a half and full marathon this year. I feel like if I tell someone I'm going to it, I HAVE to do it.

    This is true. I'm planning on doing a half in October. I haven't done one since 2009. I have other events that I'm doing throughout the year which will help with my goals too. A duathlon in May, a 7.2 mile race in June that I do every year, there's a bike ride August 3 that I've always wanted to do, the half in October and I found a few 5 and 10k's and a 1/4 marathon that are going on in the spring.

    For me just signing up for events makes me have to do it.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    For me just signing up for events makes me have to do it.

    This also for me. Again I am too cheap to waste money on events I don't show up for :laugh:
    If it is for a charity event I would just feel plain bad for not showing up.
  • zillah73
    zillah73 Posts: 505 Member
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    I have some friends who are working hard at getting healthier, too. We check in with each other, vent and celebrate, etc. Having that support system makes a big, big difference for me.
  • GrindingSalt
    GrindingSalt Posts: 68 Member
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    My biggest "goal" over the past months has been completing my first ever 5K. I'm doing the C25K program with my sister and we check in constantly, reminding each other about the race, processing how our runs went, checking if the other person ran when they were supposed to. We call each other after almost every run. Having a buddy is a great motivation for me -- I don't want to let myself down but I also really don't want to let my sister down, because I know I'm a motivator for her as well.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    I remind myself how much better I feel and how much more that I can do than I could just 5 months ago.

    It is the small goals that I set and reach that keep me striving for another. Yesterday for the first time in years...I could touch my toes. Maybe that doesn't seem like much to some...but for me...it was a goal that I set and that I have reached.

    For the first time in many years...I am succeeding...that keeps me motivated...I like how it feels.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
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    The scale keeps me accountable. It doesn't matter what I put on here and whether I exercise or not. It's what shows up on the scale. I'm either doing it or I am not. Changing a lifestyle of eating takes time.

    I also think the scale keeps me accountable. I weigh myself every morning (very controversial as u have to be able to handle a 2-3 lb gain even when sticking to plan). This keeps me from shoving things into my mouth as I have to face the scale in the morning. I lost the weight and maintained for almost a year and then stopped this discipline and put back on 12 lbs!!! I am back on track but I know what I have to do.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    My vanity. And my pants. There is no buying bigger sizes for me.
  • keithnphx
    keithnphx Posts: 14 Member
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    I have my food diary open for all to see. I added a few friends and my RD too. That way my RD can see everything I eat. now, that's accountability for me.
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
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    Besides logging your food and exercise what else do you do to keep yourself accountable and on target with your goals?

    I started a blogger blog January 2 and it keeps me pretty darn accountable. I have my "before" pictures with measurements, I take pictures of my meals and post them with what it was and the calorie amount of each meal and I end it with the total calories for the day. I call myself out when I had a bad eating night or when I drank alcohol when I wasn't supposed to (like tonight). I also post my workouts that I do and I post updates on how I feel, how I'm doing etc. Like this past weekend it wasn't the best food and drink-wise nor was last week the best workout wise. I updated my blog on how I did, how I felt etc. and all weekend long I was thinking to myself "Well this weekend I blew it. And I'm going to have to explain myself in my blog. Oh boy."

    It's helpful for me because it makes me be honest and truthful with myself because I'm pretty much putting it all out there for the world to see and read. I kind of look at it as an open journal of my progress.

    I plan on doing monthly (give or take) of my progress with weight, measurements and pictures until I'm down to my goal. I plan on keeping up with the blog after my goal because again, it's keeping me accountable for what I eat, what I do, how I feel etc.

    So what do you do to keep yourself accountable?

    (and before anyone says it I don't think this is an "unhealthy" thing to do. It is working for me and getting me in the mindset that I need to be in. I need to hold myself accountable and being able to look back and see what I did or didn't do and how I felt is helpful).

    I don't think it sounds unhealthy. It just sounds like more time than I want to put into my own accountability, but it seems to be working well for you and that is excellent! I know you said beside logging, but that really is the #1 thing that holds me to it. Well, I guess keeping my diary open is the thing that truly keeps me accountable. Sunday I went over my goal by 1300 calories. That's HUGE and I really didn't want to put it in my log, but I did it anyway. There have been many times I've wanted to eat something when I'm already close to my goal and I choose not to do it because I don't want the red in my food log or my MFP friends to see that I went over.

    I've changed a few things to keep myself in check such as brushing my teeth once I hit my goal each day (it sends a message to my brain that my mouth is done for the night) and not accepting food from people at work. We all share candy, cookies, donuts, etc. constantly. It's so much easier for me to say, "No thanks," than it is for me to fit a donut into my macros for the day. I have to plan the rest of my food around that.

    And the scale. I know people say not to weigh yourself daily, but I absolutely do. I see gains and losses and patterns and once I lose over a pound since my last weigh in, I record it. Even though the gains throughout the week are largely water weight or food in my stomach, seeing the number go up at all makes me more determined to stick to my calorie goal in the face of temptation.
  • TXEXrunner
    TXEXrunner Posts: 178 Member
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    Three cheers for you having a system that works for you and keeps you motivated! As for me, besides the decreasing waist line, I just feel better for working out more and eating less junk. Pretty basic - I like me more now than when I was not working out! Keep up the good work!
  • desireecl
    desireecl Posts: 73 Member
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    Logging every bite I eat is the only way I've ever been able to lose weight and keep it off so this site is a huge help. I make a game of it. My calorie goal for the day is 1250 and I try my best to plan my day's meals in advance so I am as close to that number as possible. I give myself 250 calories leeway, but if I go over 1500 calories, I have to put a penny in a savings jar for every calorie I go over. If I eat 1600 calories, that is a full dollar so it is good motivation for me to rethink if I really want a snack or if I'm just bored...or am I sure I want a high calorie snack or should I eat a piece of fruit. Most times I'll just have a big glass of water and go do something else to distract myself from the desire to eat in the first place.

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