Accountability – 7Core Wellness

3 Non-Negotiables for Reaching (Im)Possible Goals

Jen Gerasimas — Tue, 18 May 2021 13:11:08 +0000

Bottomline

Creating the changes you need to improve your health and reach your wellness goals can feel super challenging and unattainable. The good news is that it is not impossible! Victory can be yours when you implement a system with these three non-negotiables: the Right Mindset, the Right Plan, and the Right Accountability. If you have been struggling to create sustainable healthy habits, consider which of these three are missing, make the changes, and start seeing the progress you are looking for.

3 Non-Negotiables for Reaching (Im)Possible Goals

Reaching goals requires change. But change is hard. Making changes that stick can be even harder. If you aren’t happy with your current wellness and have a strong desire for things to improve so you can serve yourself and your loved ones better, you need to make changes that stick. In my experience helping clients create a healthy lifestyle, I have discovered three non-negotiable keys to make lasting change a reality.

Here they are:

The Right Mindset
The Right Plan
The Right Accountability

These non-negotiables are requirements for success. And these non-negotiables are the foundation of our Master Healthy Habits Method.

As you read, consider which of these areas may need your attention or implementation. Let’s take a little time to discuss each one in order. Because the order is important. If you don’t have the Right Mindset, nothing else will fall into place.

1. THE RIGHT MINDSET

No change will happen if your mind isn’t set on the right things. You must banish self-defeating thoughts. How you think about your situation dramatically affects your outcome. People can have the same goals and use the same tools, but the right mindset brings success. For example, you could say, “I am trying to lose weight, so I can’t eat that,” or, “Eating that doesn’t go with my healthy self.” See the difference in perception? One statement focuses on external drivers while the other declares who you are.

Here is a list of mindset shift categories commonly found among people who need and want to make healthy changes in their lifestyle.

Victim to Victor. Declare your victory over your struggles from the beginning. No more “I wish”, “I’m trying”, or “If only” statements.
Self-defeating to Life-Giving. Make a shift from those self-defeating and self-destructive untruths to more life-giving and truthful statements.
Challenges to Opportunities. Challenges that arise when working on healthy habits aren’t roadblocks, but opportunities to get stronger.
Perfection to Progress. Small changes over time lead to better success than trying to make all the changes at once. Give yourself grace for mess-ups.
Selfish Care to Act of Love. Self-care and taking care of your wellbeing isn’t selfish. It is actually a form of love because it enables you to serve others better.

To help you make the mindset shift, consider writing down your current mindset regarding your wellness goals. Then, write down the new mindset you need to have. Cross out the negative thoughts. They are no more. Circle the new. They replace the negative. You may have to work on your mindset everyday. Get out of bed with thoughts of victory every single day! You could even put affirming sticky notes on your mirror to read while you brush your teeth.

For more on each of the categories above with examples, see the article How to Shift Your Mindset for Healthy Habit Success, and download the accompanying infographic.

Once you make a mindset change, the next non-negotiable is establishing habits. But we’re not going to focus on the big goal first, instead, we’ll tackle small habits as part of the Right Plan.

2. THE RIGHT PLAN

If you have struggled with success, it may be that you haven’t been using the best system to set yourself up for victory. The Right Plan focuses on habits rather than goals and considers the challenges to prevent success so you create a plan and prepare anything you need. You have to get out pen and paper and write down your game plan. There is power in making a written plan. Let’s focus on winning one week at a time.

Here are the steps in brief. For more see, the article 5 Simple Steps to Create Sustainable Habits.

Note goal & pick habits. For the goal you want to achieve, pick 1 to 2 habits to focus on for about 4 weeks. Work to create consistency one habit at a time. Pick habits you are confident about achieving. Break the habits down to smaller ones, if necessary.
Define why. Note the reason, the driver, your why for wanting and needing to work on these habits and reach your health goals. It is important to keep this in the forefront of your mind.
Identify challenges. Identify challenges that would keep you from achieving your habits for the week and think of ways to overcome them.
Plan and prep. Write up a plan to be successful at your habits for the week and do any prep that is needed.
Take action. Do the thing. And trust the process.

For our free tool to help you create a plan to focus on healthy habits, get our Healthy Habits Starter Guide.

Now, that you have refocused your mindset, picked your habits, and planned and prepared for a week of success, let’s not let all that effort go to waste. The cherry on top to ensure success is an accountability system.

3. THE RIGHT ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability can be tricky. Coming up with an accountability plan means you are committed, you REALLY want the change. Without a system of accountability, you could fall off the horse and not get back on because you don’t have a driver to push you back or keep you where you need to be.

Accountability can come in different forms. You have to pick what will work best for you and you might need more than one. Some suggestions are:

Simplest: Create a calendar or check sheet to mark your success.
Technical: Use technology such as apps on your phone, smartwatch, or digital program.
Social: Post your goal on social media along with your progress.
Group: Get a group of friends and work out together or join a group.
Friend: Share your goals with a family member or friend who will support you.
Hire: Get yourself a coach and increase your chance of success by 95%.

Setting up an accountability system may sound a little nerve wracking. It makes me nervous because I can’t back out of the habits I am trying to create. Although it may seem like you are restricting yourself, you may just find it can be freeing to openly share your challenges and have accountability support.

For more on each of these accountability methods, see the article How Accountability Makes Healthy Habits Happen and download the companion infographic.

Paper trackers can be one of the best methods. Our Healthy Habits Starter Guide includes an accountability calendar for all your gold stars.

So there they are - the system for victory - the three non-negotiables for reaching your health goals so you can feel good and overcome your previous health struggles. This is the foundation of our Master Healthy Habits Method.

If you have tried in the past to create change, which one of these three non-negotiables was missing? Which one do you need to implement now to achieve your goals for your future self? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

We would love to help you reach your (im)possible goals.

To your best health and wellness,

Coach Jen

Watch the Webinar: 3 Non-Negotiables for Reaching (Im)possible Goals.

6 Simple Ways to Have Victory Over Unhealthy Habits

Jen Gerasimas — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 15:46:48 +0000

Bottomline

You can break those hard-to-change unhealthy habits that might be impeding your progress toward your health and wellness goals. It will take time and tenacity to overcome. But you can do it! Your wellbeing is too important. To help you create consistency and develop that resistance muscle, you may need to fix your:

*mindset,

*triggers,

*environment,

*boss,

*focus, and

*plan.

6 Simple Ways to Have Victory Over Unhealthy Habits

Pick Your Nemesis

“I am not going to have ice cream after dinner every night.”

A few days later… I get a small bowl and plan to not eat as much.

A few more days later… back to the same amount every night.

“I am not going to sleep in again, so I can work out.”

A few days later...I am so tired. I need a rest day.

A few more days later...who am I kidding, I am not a morning person.

“I am not going to eat any Girl Scout cookies.”

A few days later...I’ll just have a couple. They are only out once a year.

A few more days later...ate a whole box...in one day.

“I am not going to stay up late scrolling social media.”

A few days later...this is the only time I have to catch up on what I missed. I’ll give myself a 30-minute time limit.

A few more days later...how is it 1 am, already?

“I am not going to overeat this weekend.”

Friday night… “What a week! Just give me some comfort food and a good drink.”

Saturday night…The weekend is already a wash. I might as well enjoy!

Sunday night...Ugh, I overdid it, again. I’ll do better next weekend.

“I am not going to _____________ (fill in your unhealthy habit).”

A few days later… A little won’t hurt. It is all about balance, right? I can’t be completely good all the time.

A few more days later...“Crap! I gave in (or up)...again. Ugh!”

The examples could go on.

Darn Those Unhealthy Habits

Unhealthy habits. Those undesirable, can’t-seem-to-overcome behaviors you know you should avoid but struggle to overcome.

They steal your progress. They leave you frustrated. They cause you stress. They result in regret. They make you feel like a failure.

They have you asking, “Why can’t I flippin’ get it together?”

“If I could just overcome these struggles--the sweet tooth, being lazy on the couch, hitting the drive-thru--I would be in a much better place physically, mentally, and emotionally.”

Then you may start to remind yourself of all that gets in the way of your progress and you tell yourself you will work on it later. Later--when things in your life aren’t as busy and you have less stress and pressure, more control and time.

Then, a few years go by...things have changed in your life but new stuff keeps you busy and gets in the way of your progress. So those undesirable habits remain or get worse. You feel more unhealthy and further from where you want to be.

So how do you get over these controlling habits? Is it even possible?

Hope in the Hard Fight

There is hope. But I would be lying if I didn’t tell you it requires some work to sacrifice temporary satisfaction in favor of long-term gain.

You know it isn’t easy. Otherwise, you would have gotten rid of them a long time ago.

But they are not impossible to change. And you are very able to do it!

Over a decade ago, I thought I could never live without my favorite lunch:

*a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwiches on wheat bread,

*with Cheetos Simply White Cheddar Cheese Puffs,

*and a cold glass of skim milk.

Every now and then, I topped it off with a couple of low-fat Snackwells Vanilla Sandwich cookies. After all, I was raising a toddler while my husband was frequently deployed. I deserved a treat. Or I had worked out really hard that morning so I could afford the extra calories.

Then, there was also my daily bowl (or two) of cereal I knew I couldn’t live without. Oh, Honey Bunches of Oats! I still crave you. It is only cereal. It can’t be that bad, right? If I only had known then what I know now.

Two completely unhealthy, strong craving habits that I couldn’t imagine my life without and both were keeping me from better health.

Good news...I overcame them! It took some time, but I no longer let those habits control me. And so can you!

Retraining Yourself

To start, envision what it would feel and look like to have control over these habits. How would it improve your life? Also, and maybe more importantly, envision what it would feel or look like if you DON’T change these habits. What does your future self look like?

Consistency over time will make the change. You must retrain yourself. It will take work. It will not be automatic for awhile.

How long will it take to have victory over unhealthy habits? I dunno. For each person and each habit, it is different.

You have to trust the process. And very importantly, declare victory from the start.

If you feel these habits are your roadblock, your nemesis, your enemy to success in your health and wellness goals, it is time to prepare for battle. Your wellbeing is worth fighting for.

I discuss this fight for your health and wellness in my book, The Warrior Approach Guidebook. Warrior is in the title for a reason. A warrior doesn’t go into battle without a clear understanding of what they are fighting, why they are fighting, and a strategy to overcome the enemy. We have identified your enemy as these unhealthy habits that keep you from reaching your health and wellness goals.

Now, let’s look at your strategy with these 6 simple ways to declare victory over unhealthy habits.

1. Fix Your Mindset

If you doubt yourself or question the possibility, then how can you expect to be successful?

I use this Joan of Arc quote often: “All battles are first won or lost in the mind.” It reminds me to declare victory in my mind, first.

You have to think victoriously. You can change. You can overcome your unhealthy habits. You can create a healthy lifestyle for yourself.

You are able and capable. Acknowledge that there is hard work ahead, but staying the same is no longer an option. You don’t like how your future self looks or feels if you don’t change.

For more help with these shifts in your mindset, download our free Mindset Shift Guide.

But to win the fight, it is going to take more than shifting your mindset. You need to identify the cause of this unhealthy habit.

2. Fix Your Trigger

Many habits are caused by a trigger of some sort. Something happens which causes you to react a certain way.

For example:

You get stressed out, so you grab a favorite comfort food.
You went to bed too late, so you’re too tired when the alarm goes off. Then, you reset it for later and miss working out.
After the second alcoholic drink, all intentions of eating well go out the window.
You hit the snooze too many times and only have time to grab something unhealthy for breakfast.

It is only when you realize what leads to the issue that you can change what causes it to happen.

For the examples above:

Find another way to deal with your stress besides eating or find a way to get rid of what is causing you stress.
Work on ways (habits) to go to bed earlier.
Order your food before your cocktail. This way healthy food is on the way and you can skip the empty calories in at least one of those fancy drinks.
Move your alarm to another part of the room so you have to get up to turn it off.

The unhealthy habit trigger can change over time. What caused the habits to begin with trained your body to desire it. Stress at work may have triggered having a diet soda at 3:00 every afternoon. But after doing it for so long, your body clock knows it is 3 p.m. and wonders where its diet coke is, even when you’re not under stress.

This is when you have to do something about your environment.

3. Fix Your Environment

You have to set up your environment to support success. Especially if your unhealthy habit is uncontrollable.

Make the environment harder for you to give in to that habit.

As mentioned above, move your alarm to the bathroom so you can’t hit snooze or reset the time without getting up.
Take the social media apps off your phone or set app time limits.
Have your workout stuff ready to go to save time.
Prep healthy breakfasts you can grab on the go for the week.
Get rid of something or don’t buy the darn thing next time you are in the store. This one is probably the biggest.

In the case of cheese puffs and Honey Bunches of Oats, I simply couldn’t buy them. They couldn’t be in the house. Even to this day, I don’t buy them. I know my daughter would like my favorite cereal. But there are others she likes that don’t tempt me. So that is what I get. If it is in the house, I will be tempted to eat it.

There are situations where you can’t fix the environment. This is when you may have to do something about your boss.

4. Fix Your Boss

When something has control of you, it is your boss. Think about that for a moment.

We typically don’t want to be controlled by anyone or anything. But if you can’t overcome an unhealthy habit, that habit is in charge of you. It is like that irresistible, unhealthy habit says, “You don’t have what it takes to be healthy. You can’t do it.”

I don’t know about you, but that makes me mad. Who do they think they are telling me I can’t?!?

I am the boss here. I am the boss of my health and wellbeing. Not cheese puffs, not cereal, not my lack of motivation to work out, not social media, not my job, not my relationships.

There will be times you will intentionally have to fight against the desire for that unhealthy habit. Fight not to eat your child’s leftover food. Fight not to hit the snooze button. Fight not to buy your favorite ice cream at the store. Fight not to go to the couch after work instead of for a walk. Fight not to overindulge at a party with all the goodies. Fight and not let “it” win.

You will need to stand up for YOU and say “No, [insert bad habit]. You WILL NOT BE THE BOSS OF ME.” Like literally, you may have to scream it.

As you do this, you will build those muscles to resist the unhealthy thing and strengthen your desire for the healthier thing.

You begin to train your taste buds to want something different. You begin to train your body to crave working out more. You begin to train your body to want better sleep and therefore go to bed earlier.

That is how consistency pays off. Your body starts to feel better, you feel better, you see yourself changing and moving more toward the person you want to be...the boss of your health and wellness.

To help take charge and be your own boss, you may need to shift your focus.

5. Fix Your Focus

Rather than focusing on the habit you need to remove, try focusing on a good thing to replace it.

Work on those healthy habits you need to incorporate in your busy day.

For example:

You have an irresistible sweet tooth and could do with more fruit during the day. Instead of focusing on no dessert, focus on having more fruit in your day by adding your favorite fruit when your sweet tooth starts to act up.
You have an addiction to fries and could do with more vegetables in your day. Instead of focusing on no fries, focus on how to get more veggies such as substituting those fries for a salad or other vegetable.
You have the habit of spending too much time on social media before going to bed and would like to read or write more. Instead of focusing on no social media, work on the habit of reading or writing before going to bed.

What healthy habit could you implement to lessen your desire for the unhealthy habit?

Now, will it satisfy the cravings? No. Will it satisfy the FOMO (fear of missing out) itch? No. At least not in the short term. But again it is strengthening that resistance muscle, developing that consistency for change, and over time changing your desires and your habits.

Now it is time to create a plan. You may already have considered some of the first five “fixes”, but did you create a written plan for success?

6. Fix Your Plan

First, if you don’t have a plan for overcoming your unhealthy habits, you must make a plan.

If you have a plan or have previously tried a plan for overcoming your unhealthy habits, it is obviously not working, so it is time to change it.

Take some pen and paper or download our Health Habit Starter Guide. Writing down a plan matters greatly. It makes changing more “official”, increases commitment, lets you think of things you haven’t before, and creates more ownership for the change.

As you come up with your plan, consider all five “fixes” above.

What thoughts do you need to shift in your mindset?
What triggers your unhealthy habits?
What in your environment is keeping you from success?
What or who do you need to tell, “You’re NOT my boss!”?
How you could refocus unhealthy habits for healthy habits?

You may need to consider including an accountability method, such as a calendar, as a way to mark your progress as you develop your resistance muscles. A trusted friend, family member, or health coach is another form of accountability. We, of course, would love to help you on this journey!

Having an accountability method is that extra stamp of commitment in your success plan.

To learn more about how we can support you to have victory over unhealthy habits and develop healthy habits in your busy life, schedule a 20-minute call with us.

You have what it takes to do this. You are a wellness warrior.

To your best health and wellness,

Jen

5 Reasons Healthy Habits Crash and How to Avoid Them

Jen Gerasimas — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 18:59:40 +0000

Bottomline

Unfortunately, many people who try to make healthy lifestyle changes fail to achieve long-term success. Common causes are giving into immediate desires, confusion about what health practices to follow, not having the right mindset, trying to achieve perfection, and not having a crash plan. The good news is there is a simple method to avoid and overcome crashing with healthy habits so you can create sustainable change.

5 Reasons Healthy Habits Crash and How to Avoid Them

2021 is here!

Though a new year can bring a lot of hope and excitement, this year comes with more hesitation and reservation due to how 2020 went.

One thing 2020 showed us for sure is that life can be very unpredictable and the unimaginable is possible. Also, the plans we made, dreams we hoped to achieve, and securities we had can be flipped upside down in big ways.

Despite all that felt out of our control in 2020, one thing you can control is how you choose to take care of your health. Don’t let uncontrollable circumstances control your wellbeing. It is too vital to not take steps, even if small, to make improvements in your wellness. It will help you not only physically, but even more importantly, it will help you emotionally and mentally.

As we move into 2021, what areas of your health and wellness do you need to take back control of? How are you preparing? Are you planning for potential healthy habit crashes? Will you set yourself up for sustainable success?

Looking At Things Differently

Yes, this article is sorta another “let’s start the new year off right and make this the best year ever” success note. Hey! I am in this industry after all. I’m a natural good health encourager, so you should have expected this.

Wholeheartedly, I want you to be successful.

But this isn’t the typical “Hoorah! You got this and here is the perfect way to eat and workout.” My focus is the sustainability of healthy habits.

I encourage you to consider making your change a little different this year. Take a different approach than before. Especially if you haven’t been successful in achieving the wellness you wanted in the past. It probably isn’t because you weren’t doing the right things. More likely, the method or approach you used wasn’t quite right. Maybe it was too much of a change or not compatible with your schedule for the long term.

Rather than attempting a huge overhaul or getting overwhelmed by all the changes you need to make, take the Warrior Approach. Focus on a couple of healthy habits until you make those sustainable. Then add more. Think about mastering your wellness as a continual process. Just focus on one week at a time. Consider how you could implement a system to eliminate or overcome potential program crashes and enjoy complete success this year.

When it comes to health and wellness practices, the program crashes when we can’t keep up with our habits or reach our goals. And it happens quite often. We struggle to maintain proper nutrition, effective exercise, and other forms of self-care, such as good sleep and stress reduction. Just because we know we should do these things, doesn’t make doing them easy. The best way to overcome or avoid the crash is by knowing their common causes.

5 Causes of Crashes

Several things cause healthy habits to crash:

1. Immediate Desires

Our bodies tend to desire sugary, fatty foods and the conservation of energy more than healthy foods and extra movement. If the tastier, lazier route is available, the body is drawn to that. Now, one could say our bodies are trying to be more efficient, which I get and being more efficient is a good thing. But that kind of efficiency is only good in that moment. That efficiency is very harmful in the long term.

For more, see the article How To Train Your Tastes Buds.

2. Info Confusion

Confusion about what it really means to eat right, exercise properly, and ideal self-care practices can also cause a crash. We hear, read, and see so much information and advice, we aren’t certain what to follow… Don’t eat eggs. Bananas are full of sugar. Potatoes are bad. Carbs are the devil. HITT is the best workout. Don’t squat if your knees hurt.

For more, see the article Simplify the Chaos of Healthy and Wellness Information.

3. Our Mindset

Not having your head and heart in the right place can also contribute to a crash. You know you need to, but you don’t really want to. Or you have self-defeating thoughts. Maybe you have a victim rather than a victor attitude. Your own mindset could be getting in the way of what you want to happen.

For more, see our Mindset webpage, the article How to Shift Your Mindset for Healthy Habit Success, and download the Mindset Shift Guide & Worksheet.

4. Wanting Perfection

Doing too much at once, even if they are all the right things, can also bring on the crash. Exhausting yourself to make breakfast every morning. Prep salads for the week on Sunday. Cook a healthy dinner every night. Eat perfectly at every meal. Avoid late-night snacks. Workout six days a week for at least an hour. Sleep for at least eight hours. Go to bed early. Wake up early. Meditate every day for 15 minutes. And the list goes on and on. Then, when you can’t keep all those plates spinning simultaneously, even if one plate wobbles, you fall back into the old routine. The focus needs to be on progress, not perfection.

For more, see the article Your Wellness Journey: Progress Beats Perfection.

5. No Crash Plan

Not having a specific and detailed plan to prevent or mitigate the effects of a crash can actually cause a catastrophic crash. We have a tendency to implement a well-crafted plan without considering potential roadblocks or setting up an accountability system. Not planning for potential problems is like a pilot taking off without looking at the weather, knowing what to do if something goes wrong, or having a copilot to assist in turbulence.

For more, see the articles 3 Non-Negotiables for Reaching Impossible Goals and 5 Simple Steps For Creating Sustainable Healthy Habits.

The Best Way to Avoid and Overcome Crashes

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of why you may not have been successful with your health and wellness goals and habits in the past. Realizing why is the first step in the right direction toward avoiding or recovering from crashes.

Here is what you need to do for sustainable success:

Set your head and heart in the right spot.
Simplify and clarify what it means to eat right, move more, and practice other self-care such as reduce stress and improve sleep.
Focus on the progress of a couple of habits one week at a time rather than perfecting a long-term, complete overhaul.
Identify the challenges impeding your success--potential habit crashers--and think of ways to overcome them.
Create a plan and accountability system specific to you, your life, and your goals.

If you would like guidance to help you develop your 2021 crash proof plan, we have a few different sources for you.

One: What Healthy Habit Do I Start With? Quiz

You know you need to make changes but you are uncertain where to start, this quiz will help you find a doable habit to implement. In addition, you will receive a Healthy Habits Start Guide and tips for success specific to the goal you have picked.

Two: The Warrior Approach Guidebook

It covers all the above steps and more in a simple way as it walks you through how to get started and how to maintain them. This workbook is one of the best tools for creating sustainable healthy habits.

Three: Healthy Habits Coaching

Work with one of our coaches to help, guide, support, and hold you accountable for your health and wellness goals. Your confidence will soar as you create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle specific to your life schedule and situation. We provide single, partner, and family coaching.

Many people hope 2021 will be a much better year than 2020. It may seem like it couldn’t possibly be worse. One thing you can keep from crashing this year is improving your health and wellness. Don’t think about all you have to do or your past failures, focus on what you will do to keep the crash from happening.

I want this to be your year of no more regret. Use these five strategies for sustainable success so that when you reach the end of 2021, you aren’t looking back frustrated by your crashes or lack of progress, thinking, “I’ll do better in 2022.”

To your sustainable health and wellness,

Jen

How Accountability Makes Healthy Habits Happen

Jen Gerasimas — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 17:48:50 +0000

Bottomline

An accountability system is that extra stamp of commitment that will get you toward your goals. Accountability makes healthy habits happen by providing you the encouragement to keep going and creating consistent progress. Without it, your effort is likely to just slide away with nothing to push you back on track. You are much more likely to reach your goals if you use a system of accountability.

Accountability can come in several different forms. Choose one based on what you feel you need most and will keep you the most honest. You may need more than one accountability method. There are 6 categories of accountability: track on paper, get technical, make it public, find a group, recruit friends/family, and hire a coach.

How Accountability Makes Healthy Habits Happen

For the infographic associated with this article, go here.

Same Focus Habit, Different Outcomes

Allison decided this was the last time she was really going to make a change for her health. She was going to start and not stop because she was tired of how she felt and how she looked. She knew what she needed to do. Her first focus was to end after-dinner snacking. She had a strong why and specific plan. She even told her friends about it, like she had done before, but didn’t ask them to keep her accountable. Nor did she have a way to mark her progress.

If she had been marking her days of success on a calendar, she would have seen she was on point four out of seven days of the week for two weeks straight. She would have noticed how much better she was doing than she had previously done over the last several months, or years even. Unfortunately, Allison missed that progress. She began feeling defeated because she couldn’t resist the urge to snack after dinner every night since making this commitment to herself...again. So she gave up and quit because she thought she didn’t have the will power and would never find it.

Micah, on the other hand, made the same commitment of no more late-night snacking. And to help her stay on track, she started marking her days of progress on a calendar. As she continued to see the days with stars greatly outnumber the days without, she began to take more pride in her progress. Then it became a matter of not breaking the chain of stars. An occasional week here or there may have gone by with fewer stars, but she became determined to make next week even better.

Before Micah knew it, months had gone by and her new habit was formed. Now, she does it without thinking about it but still tracks her progress. It delights her to see a calendar full of stars, how far she has come, and how much she has accomplished doing something that had seemed impossible to tackle in the past. She is feeling better, looking better, and has even saved some money. Micah has also started implementing other healthy habits in her life.

Not Lack of Desire, Lack of Accountability

For Allison, it wasn’t a lack of desire that kept her from being successful at her late night snacking habit. It was her lack of an accountability system. She really wanted to change and she knew what she needed to do.

Micah made marking days of success on a calendar her accountability partner. It was a way she could visually see progress when maybe it didn’t show on the scale or in the mirror.

As simple as it is, giving yourself gold stars as a way of celebrating your mini-victories can play a huge role in the success of creating sustainable healthy habits. We may be adults, but we still like to get gold stars and recognize our achievements.

The Stamp of Commitment

Coming up with an accountability plan means you are REALLY committed, you REALLY want the change. It is like a stamping I AM COMMITTED in big red letters over your goals. Without a system of accountability, you could fall off the horse and not get back on because you don’t have a system or a coach to push you back up or keep you from falling.

Therefore an accountability system is a requirement if you want to make changes for your health, especially if you have struggled in the past. It is actually one of three non-negotiables for success in creating sustainable healthy habits. The Right Mindset and the Right Plan are the other two components.

Setting up an accountability system may sound a little nerve-wracking. It makes me nervous because I can’t back out of the habits I am trying to create. Although it may seem like you are restricting yourself, you may just find it can be freeing to openly share your challenges and have accountability support.

Forms of Accountability

Giving yourself gold stars with a habit tracker isn’t the only form of accountability. Though it is one of the best, there are several other methods. Here is a brief overview of each:

1. Track on paper.

As mentioned in the examples above, tracking your progress on paper is a great way to visually see your progress in a very tangible form. You start creating a chain that you don’t want to break. The tracker can focus on weekly goals, monthly goals, or something you want to accomplish over a whole year. This can be in many forms from a calendar, a check sheet with boxes, or a graph you color in. Get creative and keep it in a very visible spot.

2. Get Technical.

Use technology to your advantage. Set up reminders on your phone. Download apps for inputting data with graphs, such as food logs and weight. Purchase programs that send you reminders or tasks to do. Invest in a smartwatch or fitness equipment with a subscription. When you invest in something, you are more likely to use it than if it was free.

3. Make it public.

Post your goal on social media along with your progress. There is a difference between being boastful and being open about your health journey. I love seeing people share their health journey successes and struggles on social media. You never know who you might motivate and encourage. People can also cheer you on.

4. Find a group.

A group supporting one another in health and wellness is one of the BEST forms of accountability. Everyone struggling together and encouraging one another is a wonderful support system. You can either get a group of friends together on a regular basis for check-ins or find a group led by a wellness professional. This can be more economical than hiring a private professional. The groups could be local or virtual.

5. Recruit family/friends.

Ask someone close to you whom you trust and know will check on your progress as an accountability partner. Share with them what you want to achieve, how often you want them to check-in, and ways they could best support you. You want to pick someone you know will really follow through, provide you encouragement, challenge you, and most importantly, call you out when you don’t stick to your habit.

6. Hire a coach.

If you need very specific guidance and desire more one-on-one help, hiring a wellness professional will be your best form of accountability. You are 95% more likely to reach your goal working with one. It can be a pricey investment, but it may be well worth the cost if it keeps you on the path you so desperately want. Finding a nutrition, health, or wellness coach who is a good fit for you is very important. So take the time to shop around, ask for referrals, and when you talk with him or her, ask lots of questions so you get a feel for what it is like to work with them.

Base your selection on what you feel you need most and will keep you the most honest. You may need more than one accountability method. For example, use a simple calendar to visually see your progress and then also find a group to support and encourage you.

Evaluate If It Isn’t Working

If you have tried a system for accountability and it didn’t work, one of these things could be to blame:

Your mindset isn’t that of a victor and your heart isn’t fully in it.
You didn’t have a simple, clear, specific, written down plan.
Your accountability partner wasn’t reliable therefore not the *right* accountability.

For more on #1, go to our article Shifting the Focus from Losing Weight to Gaining Life.

For more on #2, see our article 5 Simple Steps to Create Sustainable Habits.

Before you change your accountability, you must clarify and improve #1 and #2.

But if you feel you have the right mindset and the right plan, then think about changing your accountability.

Maybe you don’t have a designated calendar just for trying your habit, so your stars get lost or you forget. Maybe the app you use to track what you eat is too time-consuming. Perhaps the friend you asked to keep you accountable isn’t very reliable. It could be the group you joined isn’t very committed. Or maybe the coach you hired isn’t a good fit.

Experiment, Just Don’t Give Up

You may have to experiment to find what will work best for you. You may need to try a completely different accountability method or the same method but a different type or a couple of different methods, if needed.

Whatever the case, just don’t give up on your health and wellness. This is a process you have to work at.

For the bare minimum, use a paper tracker. It is a great way to “see” your progress. It is cheap, and something you can be proud of. We actually have a free one you can use in the Healthy Habits Starter Guide. Download it, fill out the worksheet, and start marking your days of success. See how many gold stars you can give yourself over the next four weeks. The time will go by, and before you realize it, you will have one month of progress toward the wellness you need behind you.

One client stated that hiring a coach to help keep you accountable may be “the best personal investment” for your health you’ll ever make. If you want to learn more about how our Healthy Habits Coaches can support you, schedule a 20 minute consultation call.

The question is...as you work on your healthy habits, what are you using to keep you accountable? Share in the comments below.

To your sustainable health and wellness,

Coach Jen