What keeps you accountable?

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edryer123
edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
in Motivation and Support
April seems to be getting a lot of people down today. I've seen a lot of posts about people wanting to give up and it bothers me. There is no magic fix. There is accountability for what you are doing. Don't lie to your diary and your scale won't bite back.

Okay rant portion done. What is holding you accountable for your weight/lifestyle change?

For me, I have to sometimes change it weekly. Ever since I was sick, my sleep schedule has been way off. As I don't have a job right now, no kids, and my fiance works 11pm to 7am it has been really hard to get out of bed at 9am and feel like I accomplish anything. so I have been working out at night. I put it in my exercise tracker so that I do it. my friends congratulate me on the burn and I feel like I have to do it so I'm not a liar to them or myself.

My fiance also keep me honest. When he notices me eating carbs that I'm not supposed to have a lot of, he asks me about it. He knows how hard I'm working and doesn't want me to slide backwards.

Hopefully thinking about what is holding you accountable will help someone else with their's. It's just a thought but I wanted to put out a positive thread!
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Replies

  • gameovergt
    gameovergt Posts: 502
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    my fiancee`
  • princessveggiecake
    princessveggiecake Posts: 49
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    Awesome post! Thanks for that! keep it up girl! :)
  • gburkhart2
    gburkhart2 Posts: 72 Member
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    I am currently doing P90X. There are tons of slogans/motivational messages throughout the workouts. Things like; push play everyday & bring it. I taught those sayings to my four year old daughter and told her to make sure she tells me that every night before she goes to bed. Now, she embellishes just a little and says to me, "I just have one thing to say: bring it." I can't let her down, right?
  • KristynStephens15
    KristynStephens15 Posts: 861 Member
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    My clothing, and this website. Then my work outs and food are right in front of me!
  • dmoses
    dmoses Posts: 786 Member
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    feeling great about myself - FINALLY!!!
  • jltodd99
    jltodd99 Posts: 89
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    Goals!
    I set a 90 day goal in January and reached it.
    I have now set a goal for April 24 and I will reach that one!
    Keep setting (achievable) goals for yourself and then remember to reward yourself when you meet them.
    Rewards don't have to be big - just important to you.
    I just keep telling myself: It took me 48 years to get here, it's gonna take some time to change.

    Best of luck!
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
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    feeling great about myself - FINALLY!!!

    LOVE it!
  • scheys76
    scheys76 Posts: 92 Member
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    Being the best man at a friend's wedding. I'll be in a kilt and he stands 8 or 9 inches taller than me. So, I don't want to look like the period next to an exclamation point standing next to him... lol
  • HealthierMamasita
    HealthierMamasita Posts: 1,126 Member
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    My kids. My health. My clothes.

    I love to goof around with my kids(10,5 &1) and that includes running around chasing them so I have no choice but to get in shape. And I'm trying to show them it's very important to be healthy and stay active.

    My joints ache & my asthma acts up when I don't workout.

    Getting a new wardrobe is NOT in my budget.
  • tigger2009
    tigger2009 Posts: 66
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    My Clothes and how I want to feel better for me and no one else! I can't lie on this either! Keep on trucking!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I'm a competitive person. If I can't do something well, I don't want to do it. So running for me was a big challenge, because it wasn't something that came easily to me. I had to work hard at it. But it was awesome because each week, I was able to increase my distance or my speed, so each week, I felt like a winner!

    Like I said, I'm competitive. But it's mostly against myself. I don't want Yesterday Me to do better than Today Me. :laugh:
  • kms1981
    kms1981 Posts: 207 Member
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    I have a registration form for a 5k printed off and hanging at my desk at work so I see it all day everyday...it reminds me why I am working so hard!
  • savlyon
    savlyon Posts: 474 Member
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    gburkhart2--Thanks! I have a four year old and I never thought about her keeping me accountable. I am a single mom--so much of it is for me to get my confidence--and figure--back so that she can have a dad some day and also so I can have more energy and be a better mom for her.
    I'm glad you reminded me that she can be my motivation.
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
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    Getting a new wardrobe is NOT in my budget.

    I'm right there with you! That was what started me to try and lose weight two years ago. I had no job, no money and my parents had an apartment complex gym and pool at their disposal. I got my butt in there to get back in my clothes because I needed to fit my dress clothes for interviews. Then I stalled for a year when I got a job. Then my fiance proposed and I went to buy my wedding dress. I fit the sample of the one I bought, but it was just a hair snug and they went up a size. Still took us moving back home in December before I said enough was enough and started going full tilt again.
  • chocolatnoir
    chocolatnoir Posts: 182 Member
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    I am accountable only to myself. When I screw up, I know exactly what I am doing and I either stop or make up for it. Ultimately I am the only one who can do the work to be healthy- no one else can do it for me so I don't rely on anyone/anything else to hold me accountable.

    I do, however, have a handful of friends who are accountable to me as to what they eat and how much they exercise....

    What I love about MFP is that although I don't feel accountable to anyone- my MFP friends totally motivate me! When I see them working hard it inspires me to do the same. If I log on here and feel lazy on a particular day and I see a friend who is a parent, has a full time job etc totally gave it their all in a kick butt workout- that instantly energizes me! Seeing other people being healthy is inspirational. Heck if President Obama can work out an hour a day what excuse do I have?

    But yes back to my original statement- I seek inspiration from others but am accountable only to me.
  • Rynatat
    Rynatat Posts: 807 Member
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    Great topic!

    The fact that I was overweight most of my life. Granted, when I was younger I had a lot more muscle mass & was relatively fit, but as I got older I got lazier and since I could drive I ate more & ate out more. If you see my profile & blogs you'll see the full story (I won't bore you with it now!), but after ballooning well over 200 & finally losing it & then gaining back almost 30 pounds, I realized it was now or never... plus I was getting married & didn't want to look back on pictures with regrets.
    Needless to say, a little over 1 year ago, I started my journey, 4-Life. I've worked hard, no matter whether I saw results or not, I had made a promise to keep going, in the least so I didn't gain any more weight.

    Of course, the biggest is my health: I want to live a long, happy life with my new Husband (we got married in March of this year) and when we have kids I need to keep up with them (I'm in my mid-30's now - I know it wont get easier!). This was our kids will grow up in a healthy household and hopefully will no be subjected to the overweight genetics predisposed in my family line.

    A bonus is that I love looking back on the pictures of our wedding & don't cringe at ANY of the pictures taken of me, no matter what angle - for the first time in my life! I don't plan on stopping since I get too much joy out of working out and I love being able to open my closet & decide what colours I feel like wearing & then pulling on whatever clothes fit that description, without having to try on 15 outfits and not liking any! (except last time we went out I tried on about 10 outfits & none of them were flattering enough since they're too big :wink: )

    My younger sister also keeps me accountable since I have problems from the neck down due to car accidents - any excess weight destroys me & since I refused pain pills, muscle relaxers or surgeries I can't afford to be the cause of my own downfall. I'm in better shape now that I was in my 20's and I want to be in even better shape in my 40's. That and the fact that my Husband is 4 years younger than me, I don't want his eyes to wander :tongue:
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
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    Future kids and a healthy future... such a good motivator too! Love it all! Weddings seem to get everyone!

    Congrats Rynatat on your marriage!
  • ericzintx
    ericzintx Posts: 32
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    Nothing keeps me accountable. I just want to be fit and by gosh, I'm gonna do it!

    For me it was a change in perspective. I don't need anything (yet) to keep me accountable.

    It ain't easy hitting that gym 6 days a week, but it's in my schedule, and I promised myself I'd get the body I want, so there's no choice.

    My trainer has a saying:

    1. It works out as planned
    -or-
    2. I die trying

    I've made the decision. There's NO turning back. It WILL happen.

    I look at it this way... In one year, I will either just be one year older -or- I'll be one year older and be in the best shape of my life.

    The year will pass either way.

    Now, I gotta go or I'll be late for my workout! Bye!
  • desirez131
    desirez131 Posts: 72 Member
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    Setting weekly goals for myself and support of all my buddies here helps me tons. I also give myself pep talks everyday :) Sounds crazy but it has been working. What a lot of people tend to not realize is losing weight can be done by anyone but keeping it off is a lifestyle change. If they are giving up it's because they are not ready for it yet.
  • dshalbert
    dshalbert Posts: 677 Member
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    1. My waistband on my clothes
    2. Mini-goals i.e. in April no less than 4 consecutive days of some form of excersize and don't let more than 2 consecutive days rest days. I have a calendar in my kitchen that I check off after each day.
    3. My husband who each morning pushes me out of bed and says, don't you have a meeting with Jillian (Michaels)?

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