We are social creatures. I believe that in order to do anything great, you have to do it with others. The pyramids, Rome, the International Space Station – all great achievements that required lot’s of hard work by many people. Great things are only accomplished when people work together. Ever tried building a skyscraper by yourself? I didn’t think so.
But when it comes to transforming our bodies, we often try to go it alone. Every single time I’ve tried to build or transform my body on my own, It’s always ended in failure. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made the attempt with lots of people AROUND me and still failed. The key isn’t in having lots of people – it’s in having the RIGHT people around you who will help you succeed. People who will keep you accountable to your goals!
This accountability person (or people) will have 3 basic characteristics. (Yes of course there’s more, but for today we’ll stick with three!)
First, they’ll accept you as you are right now! What I mean by this, is that these people will care about you for you…not your size, not your shape, not even your health…they’ll simply care about you!
Second, they’ll be honest with you! There’s nothing worse than someone claiming to be your friend and lying to you about what you already know to be true. The right person will tell you the truth BECAUSE they care about you as you are!
And third, the right person will push you in a way that you need to be pushed. Not everyone can take military style discipline! Some people don’t respond to being shamed, humiliated and berated to get a result. Amazingly, some do respond to that – but I think those people are the exception and not the rule.
So where can you find the right person to help with your transformation?
Friends and Co-workers
These are the people you’re probably around the most. I’ve found that finding people from this category can be easy because they’re the most constant in your life. Be warned though – these bridges can be burnt. I’m at the point where I don’t tell too many people I work with anymore simply because I haven’t followed through in the past. But for most people – this is a great place to look for someone to keep you accountable.
Family
I think most people would look to family first because, hey, they HAVE to love you right!? Sadly enough not everyone has the best support from home. To add to it, your spouse or significant other many not want to be the ‘bad cop’ when it comes to your eating and exercising behaviours. Support from family is CRUCIAL – but I’m not convinced it’s the best place to get a dedicated accountability person for your transformation. Maybe I’m wrong – if I am, leave a comment!
Online Resources
Online help is quickly becoming the fastest form of accountability for many people simply because, even if those closest to you don’t believe you can transform your body, there are seven billion other people on the planet! SOMEONE is willing to keep you accountable, and may even find themselves facing similar situations that you do! Years ago I joined the Biggest Loser Club online and met two people (Deb and Mike) who to this day still offer support. They each live thousands of miles away from me, but I know I can count on their encouragement! It’s amazing how small the world has become.
Here are some online resources to help you get started. I’d love to hear of any others that you have tried. You can post them in the comments below!
Facebook – Posting an update on your progress is getting more simple to do all the time! I’ve started doing this and just by ‘putting myself out there’ I find a greater push to be responsible with what I’m eating and how I’m living.
Youtube – I’ve just started posting update videos and getting into the Youtube community. It looks promising but I’ll have to let you know how it goes. I’ve only been serious about commenting and posting videos for the past couple of weeks!
Blogging – Like you’re reading here, blogging is a great way to share with people your struggles and your victories. Your own online magazine for people to browse and comment on. Just don’t be upset when the negative comments come…they WILL come. You’ll have to use them as an opportunity to grow!
MyFitnessPal – Probably the BEST website for tracking food and exercise! Plus there are a TON of people you can connect with and share your journey with. It only works if you’re honest about what you’re eating – but if you are, it’ll help keep your diet on point! Add me if you like, and you can see what I’m eating! (mattrob991)
ShapeFit – Another great website for motivation. The success stories are unreal – but mostly the same. These are people who decided to eat less, move more and work hard!
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