Exercise is such an important component to include in your daily regimen for many reasons. It helps to keep your body strong and limber. It allows you to actively maintain a healthy weight. It also can help a lot in the area of mental health. So many people are able to release stress when they get a good workout in. Truthfully, if you were to choose between working up a sweat or enjoying a bowl of ice cream and a great movie, most people would choose the latter. It can be hard to remain consistent with gym efforts. However, if you consider the following ways you can keep yourself accountable, it’ll be a lot easier in the long run.
1. Ask a friend to join.
If you have a roommate, a spouse or a friend who lives nearby, consider asking them to be your workout partner. If you exercise at the gym in your place of employment, consider asking one of your fellow co-workers if they’d mind working out with you. When you’re able to work out with someone else, it’s helpful to know that you have a sense of support in the midst of the struggle. Plus, it’s harder to skip the gym when you know that someone is going to ask you if and why you’ve fallen off the wagon.
2. Post your workouts within an accountability group chat.
If you have a group of friends who are working to get in shape or stay in shape, consider the creation of a group chat. Within the group chat, you can start by posting pictures of your measurements or current status. Within the group chat, you all can share your goals and progress. There are many apps that you all can download in order to check in with each other. If you all own devices that keep track of steps and calories burned, you can share a screenshot of the calories burned at the end of the day. Even if only two people share their progress on a daily basis, it serves as a daily reminder to the others that they need to get moving.
3. Share the progress on social media.
If you don’t have any close friends with a similar fitness goal, you can use social media for accountability. There are tons of workout groups and fitness communities on various platforms. You can also choose to create a daily post for your Instagram Stories or Snapchat. That’s always a fun option because it expires after 24 hours. As you consistently post new workout sessions, you’ll get more encouragement from friends that follow you online. Who knows? You might even become an inspiration to them.
4. Purchase fun workout outfits.
New workout clothes can definitely get a person in the mood to remain consistent with a workout regimen. Half the battle involves getting ready for the gym. If you have lovely clothes that are prepared for the next day’s workout, all you’ll need to do is put them on. Plus, if you know that those exercise outfits are really fashionable and fun, you’ll want to show them off to others. Knowing this, you might want to set aside a few extra dollars to cover a few new exercise outfits and a fly pair of sneakers.
5. Find the workouts you enjoy.
If you hate getting on the treadmill to run five miles, it’s going to be very difficult to maintain a consistent workout routine. Instead, find exercise machines that you actually enjoy. If the elliptical machine allows you to work up a sweat, burn calories and feel good about the experience, start with the elliptical machine. Over a period of time, you’ll want to switch up your workouts to make things interesting. If you don’t, your regimen might end up becoming monotonous. As a result, you’ll hit the dreaded plateau. This is why it’s great to find multiple workouts you enjoy. If you love spinning workouts and classes, ask around for a recommended spin class. If you are interested in building muscle, pay attention to what the other weight-lifters do in the gym and follow their lead.
As you remain consistent in your efforts to become more active and intentional with your workouts, you’ll see results. Recognize that it also involves watching what you eat and drink. Be very mindful of your nutrition in order to lose weight. With these tips and consistency, it’ll be a lot easier to keep yourself accountable in the area of exercise.
