Do you find it difficult to stick to your fitness goals? Are you constantly searching for motivation to stay active?
Well, you're not alone. Many of us struggle with holding ourselves accountable to our fitness routines. But what if there was a simple and effective way to change that?
I’m titling this post, Holding Yourself Accountable, "Mastering the Walk: A Step Towards Self Accountability in Fitness.”
Walking is a fantastic form of exercise that can be easily incorporated into our daily lives. It requires no equipment, no expensive gym memberships, and can be done almost anywhere. But the key to making walking a powerful tool for self-accountability is consistency.
Setting a specific walking goal for yourself is the first step toward success. Whether it's starting with 10 minutes a day or challenging yourself to complete a certain number of steps, having a tangible target will hold you accountable.
But what really sets walking apart is the ability to track your progress. With the help of fitness trackers and smartphone apps, you can easily monitor your steps, distance, and calories burned. This visual feedback provides an instant reminder of your commitment and motivates you to keep going.
To enhance your walking experience, make it a social activity. Grab a friend, family member, or even your furry companion and enjoy a conversation or some quiet time together while getting fit. Accountability becomes easier when you have a partner to share your progress with.
And remember, it's okay to have occasional setbacks. Life can get in the way at times, but it's crucial to get back on track. Celebrate your small victories and be kind to yourself during the journey.
So, are you ready to take that first step towards self-accountability in fitness? Don't wait any longer. Lace up your shoes and start mastering the walk today.
“ Accountability breeds response-ability. ”
Self-Accountability: Your First Step
Through my walking experience and interviews I conducted for my Walking for Health and Fitness Complete walking program, I came away with the insights that what worked for me and will help others succeed in getting off the couch and out the door.
Here are four main points of my program to help you hold yourself accountable to walking your way to great health and fitness:
1. What’s your why? What compelling reason would get you out the door every day, even on cold rainy evenings? I covered What’s your Why in podcast episode #5
2. What are my goals? What goals do you have in life? What are your immediate physical fitness goals and larger personal goals? I covered the benefits of setting goals in podcast episode #6.
3. How do you develop a routine? I realized that I needed a routine each day to get out the door. In upcoming podcast #9, I’ll delve into the importance of you having a routine.
4. How are you going to hold yourself accountable? Especially on those days when you didn’t want to get off the couch and out the door or when you had a stressful day at work and you just wanted to veg out. This is where we are right now.
To get to Accountability, you need to know why.
As I asked in episode 5, What’s Your Why?
As Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why.”
When you know your life's purpose, it becomes easier to focus on where you are going, what matters the most in your life, and what decisions are aligned with your goals.
Knowing why is important for you when beginning this walking program. It makes you committed and passionate about reaching your goals.
Most people fail at their goals because they don’t have an emotionally powerful why. Let me repeat that, and most people fail at their goals because they don’t have an emotionally powerful why.
I had no idea that all my walking would lead me to write books about walking BUT, looking back, just having this “why was I walking today” question gave me so much time to think and flush out various options.
My first why was easy; I needed to remain pain-free after a severe back injury. It took many months of thinking about the larger “why I was walking” before writing my first book, Walking for Health and Fitness, which has reached number one on Amazon’s digital walking books list.
Having these 2 “Why’s” got me out the door nearly every day.
Your “why” is the purpose behind what you do. It’s the driving force.
A great way to get to your “why” is to ask and answer a series of self-discovery questions:
· If you were to do this every day for the next five years, would you still do it?
· If money were no object, what would you do?
· Where do you want to be in the next five years?
What are your goals?
Developing a fitness routine is a major undertaking, and having goals will keep you on track:
· Your new ideal body weight
· Number of times you walk each week,
· Number of steps you want to take each day.
These will keep you moving forward in getting to the health and fitness level you'd like to achieve.
I found that when I set my goals, such as:
· The goal of finally being able to walk up the steep hill on Ramapo River Trace after my back was finally pain-free (short-term goal).
· Writing my first book (long-term goal).
When I had these goals, I looked forward to walking more and more, and the slight depression during my seven months back pain ordeal I had lifted rather quickly. I was excited about life again.
Having a fitness goal is the first step!
But, for it to stick, you need a long-term overarching goal.
One of my interviewees said she had no goals beyond “getting down in weight to her magic number.”
I suggested she set larger personal goals beyond losing weight. These are what help you persevere through the tough times. In my case, My “why” of staying pain-free got me walking. But it was the larger “why” of starting an online business that kept me walking even more.
In 2015, Psychologist Gail Mathews studied the importance of writing down goals. She found that individuals were 33% more successful in reaching their goals than those who did not write them down.
The study also found that more than 70% of participants successfully met their goals when they sent weekly updates to friends. This study supports the importance of accountability and the benefits of writing down your goals.
Setting goals will lead to creating habits and routines to get you to “stick to the game plan.”
Habits & Routines
The definition of a Routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed, a fixed program.
To walk every day or at least several times per week takes developing mini habits or what I call “Small Steps” to make the process of getting out the door to walk nearly automatic.
The Added Benefits of Taking "Small Steps”:
You’ll Boost Self-Esteem: You can see how these "Small Step" wins boost your self-esteem by doing things you were never brave enough to do before.
You’ll Experience Success Every Day: "Small Steps" toward your goal give you the unique opportunity to experience success. Remember, 5 miles is daunting; putting your clothes out each night is an easy win for you! Just having your clothes ready each evening for your morning walk is a “small-stpe” success without even having to walk.
Small Steps Give You Control: These "Small Steps" also make you feel like you're in control. Humans hate being out of control or, worse, being controlled by others.
As I mentioned earlier, Episode #9 will be dedicated to developing Habits and Routines.
Holding Yourself Accountable:
In my research for my Walking for Health and Fitness Complete Walking program, the concept of holding themselves accountable was stressed by every person I interviewed.
This is where the “rubber meets the road” as to you getting out the door and walking to reach your goals.
Here is some of what I heard in my interviews:
“I need a program that keeps me accountable”
“I do well for a few days; then something comes up that prevents me from working out. Next thing I know, it’s seven days later, and I haven’t done a thing.”
“I give up too easily.”
“In the past, when I saw success at getting in shape, I stopped, and I don’t know why.”
Self-accountability means taking responsibility for your actions and behaviors without blaming others.
It means you’re fulfilling your obligations, tasks, and goals without excuses.
And, if an unexpected challenge comes your way, being accountable means you can focus on a solution without pointing fingers.
5 benefits of having greater self-accountability:
1. Greater self-awareness. You’ll have an easier time finding patience with yourself, feeling in control of your life, and deepening personal relationships when you can understand and accept your actions.
2. Better goal-setting. Self-accountability also helps you prioritize when working toward your goals. Acknowledging that you choose how you spend your time allows greater productivity. Accountability reminds you to focus on your goals and use your time meaningfully.
3. Growth mindset. Accountability encourages you to be open to learning and developing rather than staying in the same place. You’ll be curious to try new things if it means achieving your goals and experiencing more self-improvement.
4. Increased self-confidence. Learning more about your capabilities builds self-confidence.
5. More motivated. Your motivation grows after reaching certain milestones, fueling your drive to keep setting new goals. If you can keep yourself on track to meet one goal, it will provide the burst of inspiration you need to focus on the next one.
In my Virtual Run/Walk Around the United States, I used physical maps and kept track of my mileage progress via a spreadsheet to keep me motivated to get out the door. Every state line I crossed reenergized my motivation to complete this long-term goal of walking around the perimeter of the United States. It worked for me over the 16 years it took to complete, and I know it will work for you.
I talk more about this in Episode #6 of the Walking for Health and Fitness podcast.
5 Steps to Hold Yourself Accountable:
1. Start small: Don’t expect to become a self-accountability expert overnight. As you start this practice, take time to understand why you’re trying to be accountable in the first place. Then, break down tasks into smaller pieces to get started.
Short-term goals are more realistic and achieving them will motivate you to continue. (Think about ”Small Steps” I mentioned earlier)
Developing these habits will be a big change, and starting small helps you adjust.
2. Set goals: Goal-setting forces you to own what you set out to do, so think carefully about what you aim to accomplish.
Your long-term goals may seem daunting, but, breaking them into short-term goals helps them stay realistic.
3. Create a schedule: A schedule creates a sense of control and accountability over how you spend your day. Form your schedule around when you’re most productive in your day.
You'll have an easier time checking things off your to-do list if you’re realistic about how much you can accomplish in a day.
4. Reward yourself: Make it a habit of celebrating wins, both big and small. Take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come and what you’ve learned after each milestone. This will help motivate you to continue working on your personal development.
While some reward themselves with a fancy dinner or a cocktail night, others will enjoy an hour of uninterrupted reading time or a long bath.
Rewarding yourself is self-care, regardless of what that looks like for you.
In podcast episode four, I talk about self-care in my Walking Logbook Insight. Check that out.
5. Have an accountability partner: Any self-improvement journey is more challenging alone, so find a family member, loved one, or friend with similar goals and support one another.
Complete Walking Program
If you need assistance with self-accountability, my Walking for Health and Fitness Program was built around this topic and has you covered to succeed at all four of these main points.
· An easy "step-by-step" plan to hold yourself accountable!
· The thrill of setting and crushing your fitness and personal goals!
· Learn how applying "Small Steps" will lead to big success!
· How knowing your "Why" will supercharge your fitness!
· Set your walking, health, fitness, and wellness routine to be on autopilot.
The Walking for Heath and Fitness Complete Walking Program is hosted on the Teachable platform. It has a 100% money-back guarantee, Secure login, a 2-month payment option, and a very easy-to-use interface.
The Complete program includes:
· 13 lesson videos
· Walking for Health and Fitness Exercise Guide:
· 6 Instrumental Walking Music audio tracks
· Successful Mindset Booklet
· The Walking for Health and Fitness Audiobook
· Walking Inspiration Audiobook
· And much more bonus content.
I hope this post gives you some extra insights into developing the habit of self-accountability. Please leave a comment or click the link to contact me.
Walk on,
Frank S. Ring
Author: Walking for Health and Fitness, Fitness Walking and Bodyweight Exercises, Walking Inspiration, and Walking Logbook Journal.
