How to Use Accountability to Reach Your Goal
Accountability is the most important skill to build when achieving your fitness goal.
Accountability gives you the foundation for consistency, motivation and patience.
We already have exercise programs, nutrition plans and recovery habits that work.
Making it work for YOU requires accountability.
But most people don’t understand what accountability is and how to apply it.
This article will help you understand:
- What is Accountability, with an actual accountability formula
- How to Use Accountability for ‘The Basics’ that give you 80% of results
- Examples of Realistic Instructions for Exercise, Nutrition, and Recovery Habits
What is Accountability?
It’s clear what accountability IS NOT…
It’s not having someone nag at you, making you feel guilty, or “force” you to do something.
A common definition of accountability is ‘being responsible or taking ownership for your actions’.
But let’s make this definition more specific.
Then we need to define Responsibility?
- ‘the state of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one's power, control, or management’
We can simplify ‘within one’s power, control or management’ as… your abilities.
Your abilities include:
- Physical skills - strength, endurance, balance, coordination, cooking
- Emotional skills - self-awareness, managing emotions like; stress, anger, over excitement
- Cognitive skills - patience, time management, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, goal setting
And the purpose of accountability is to accomplish a goal or a desired outcome.
So our complete definition looks like this..
“Accountability is taking ownership for actions that are within your abilities, to achieve a desired outcome.”
So how do you build accountability?
Accountability Formula
We like Leila Hormozi’s formula of accountability
(Expectations + Measurement) x Reinforcement
When we use more simple terms it becomes…
(Instructions + Measurement) x Feedback
Let’s dig deeper into the meaning of each variable.
Instructions
Instructions are the actions and small steps that make up the plan for your goal.
You don’t need a perfect master plan with detailed steps.
The plan can be an outline and...
The steps just need to to be simple and move you in the right direction.
But these actions need to be within your abilities or ones you can currently build.
“You might not be able to see through the forest, but you can see your next step” - Charlie Mackesy (book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse)
Let’s say there’s a beginner named Daniel and he wants to get stronger and build muscle.
If he’s been sitting 8 hours a day for the past 15 years…
It’s unrealistic to suddenly follow these instructions...
- start cardio exercise 150 minutes per week
- find an active hobby for the weekend
- walk an extra 10,000 steps per day
- strength train 4 times per week
- get a treadmill walking desk
We’d focus on one of these actions to help him start.
(You’ll read more on how to make this list realistic for Daniel in the ‘How to’ section.)
But for now remember, the first step is having realistic Instructions.
Measurement
Measurements are..
- Tracking your actions and
- Tracking progress towards your desired outcome
Examples of Tracking Actions are:
- Writing down what you ate this week
- How many hours did you sleep each night
- The numbers of steps you took or how many workouts you completed
Examples of Tracking Progress are:
- How much you weigh
- Measure of your waist and hips
- Weekly or monthly progress pictures
- Your body fat percentage or your lean body mass
In a study with nearly 1,700 participants, those who tracked their food intake lost twice as much weight compared to those who didn't.
Most people make the mistake of not tracking anything…
Some people track their progress…
Almost nobody tracks their actions.
For example,
- Daniel gets motivated to lose weight and joins the gym on New Year’s Day
- “I’ll start going to the gym everyday!”
- He starts weighing himself ( track progress )
- But he doesn’t track his sleep, activity, workouts and nutrition ( track action )
- At the end of week two he sees no change on the scale, but tells himself,
- “It’s ok! Weight loss takes time!”
- He continues but sees no change after weeks 4 and 5 so… he quits…
- “It’s just not for me, it must be my genetics, working out doesn’t work..”
If Daniel tracked his actions, we could see:
- How many days he actually went to the gym
- If he followed a program or wandered around the gym
- He was only doing ab exercises hoping to lose belly fat
- His workouts were too easy or hard, both ineffective and unsustainable
Everyone has to make adjustments to plans and actions to make it work for them.
Once we track actions and progress, we can get to the most valuable part of the formula…
Feedback.
We’ll cover more tips on tracking in the ‘How to’ section, but for now…
Remember, the second step is Measurement of actions and progress.
Feedback
Let’s say you start with realistic instructions, track your action and your progress..
But what do you do when you don’t see progress?
Feedback helps adjust your actions, so you can make progress towards your goal.
This is where an experienced and knowledgeable coach can be helpful.
They can give you effective feedback that has helped people in your type of situation.
Lucky for you, you don't need a coach for this first type of feedback.
The first form of feedback comes from answering this simple question…
“Did you take action, Yes or No?”
- Did you follow the realistic instructions (take action)?
- Did you track your action?
- Did you track your progress?
If you answer NO to any of these three questions…
You can start with this feedback:
1. The instructions are realistic and you just need more time to make them habits
The instructions can be realistic but you’re..
- getting distracted
- not managing your time
- wasting energy on non priorities
2. The instructions are unrealistic so we need to adjust them to fit your abilities.
You need to take a step back and take more simple and basic actions..
Once you’ve consistently answered YES to:
- Did you follow the realistic instructions(take action)?
- Did you track your action?
- Did you track your progress?
Then you can get more detailed feedback, shown in the section below.
How To Use Accountability For Exercise, Nutrition, And Recovery Habits
The desired outcome for most clients at our gym is to:
- Lose some weight, more specifically lose body fat
- Be stronger and build muscle or get ‘toned’
- Have more daily energy
- Be healthier
Basically… Look fit, Feel fit, Be fit
The good news is most people can accomplish this with The Basics.
The Basics are ‘the lowest hanging fruit’ actions that give you 80% of the results.
The Basics
Here’s an overview of the basics and the realistic instructions we give to beginners, like Daniel.
Exercise
- Low intensity cardio 150 minutes weekly
- Strength training 2-4 times per week
- 10,000 steps throughout the day
- A safe activity, hobby or sport
Nutrition
- Find your daily caloric needs and don’t eat more than that (BMR)
- Eat 0.8/1.0g of protein per pound of lean body weight
- Water - body weight divided by 2, in ounces
- Healthier substitutes for food choices
- Cut unnecessary snacks/junk
Recovery Habits
- Sleep 7-9 hours daily
- Find healthier ways to manage stress
- Stretch, soft tissue work (self or professional massage)
Before you get overwhelmed!
You don’t start all of these habits at once.
Examples of Realistic Instructions for Exercise, Nutrition, and Recovery Habits
Realistic Instruction
A coach would first meet with a client, like Daniel, and ask:
- What’s your goal?
- What exercises have you done in the past?
- Have you worked with a coach? What did you like / dislike?
- What type of program or plan has worked or not worked for you?
The most important question would be..
“which action are you confident in taking first - exercise, nutrition or recovery habits?”
Remember it starts with… actions that are within your abilities..
Regardless of which action you decide to take first, find a way to commit to the action.
You can start with strict commitment or flexible commitment.
Strict commitment is…
- “I will workout on Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 6:30am, no matter what”
Flexible commitment is…
- “I will workout three days per week, no matter what”
Example 1 - Exercise priority
Basics
- A. Low intensity cardio 150 minutes weekly
- B. Strength training 2-4 times per week
- C. 10,000 steps throughout the day
- D. safe activity, hobby or sport
A. You could start with 60-75 minutes weekly low intensity cardio, instead of 150
- 20 minutes 3 days per week or
- 15 minutes 5 days per week
B. Strength training 2-4 times per week
- You can spend the first few sessions learning and practicing whether you
- You start on your own with a simple strength program or
- Join a structure program like we have at Dare Strength
C. 10,000 steps per day
- You can start with 6,000 steps per day and add 500 steps every 2-3 weeks
- Set aside 5-10 after each meal or snack or walking every chance you get
D. A safe activity, hobby or sport
- Hire a coach that guides beginners for your desired activity, hobby or sport
- Being overwhelmed starting on your own is a recipe for quitting or injury
The point is, show up consistently.
“What if I don’t understand all of the exercises or can’t complete the workout?”
- That’s ok! Showing up is the first habit you need to build!
While exercise is the priority action, you can also add simple nutrition and recovery habits like:
- Add more protein for each meal and sleep 7-8 hours daily
- Cut down on unnecessary snacks and add walks to manage stress
- Find healthier substitutes for highly processed foods and make time to walk more, daily
Example 2 - Nutrition priority
Writing down everything you eat is the best place to start.
Whether it's logging every calorie, taking photos of your food, or writing in a notebook.
Whether you decide to DIY(Do It Yourself) or work with a coach...
You can start with alternative diets listed here Lose-weight-without-calorie-counting-alternative-diets
If you want to get specific, you can start by tracking your calories 5 Steps to Counting Calories
Or we have plenty of helpful articles like How-to-lose-weight-body-fat and 5-steps-to-calorie-count-for-precise-weight-loss.
Regardless which one you choose, they start with one of these basics:
- Find your daily caloric needs and don’t eat more than that (BMR)
- (what are you eating and how much?)
- Eat 0.8/1.0g of protein per pound of lean body weight
- (eat more protein)
- Water - body weight divided by 2, in ounces
- (your body needs water)
- Healthier substitutes for food choices
- (at least eat healthier versions of processed foods)
- Cut unnecessary snacks/junk
- (cut out the junk if you're not hungry)
While nutrition is the priority action, you can also add simple exercise and recovery habits like:
- Build up to 8,000 steps daily and sleep 7-8 hours daily
- Start a safe, active hobby and manage stress by getting in nature
- Join the Dare Strength program where you can show up and the workouts are served on a silver platter and practice soft tissue work like foam rolling to recover
Example 3 - Recovery Habits
This is the last thing people think about for weight loss or muscle and strength goals.
But here’s why you might consider starting here.
Stress, self-control, will power, motivation, appetite, energy.
These are common reasons why people quit or don’t even start their fitness journey.
- "My appetite is too big"
- "I don’t have energy to exercise"
- "I’m too stressed or have too much on my plate"
- "I lack self control or will power to stick to any program"
Poor sleep affects all of these.
- It impairs decision making ability
- It can negatively impact emotional stability
- Your body produces more cortisol (stress hormone)
- Weakened immune system, less energy, weaker body overall
“That sounds great, but I can’t fall asleep!”
Here’s where things get interesting.
- You can exercise and eat to have more energy
- You can change your food choices to feel better
- You can adjust your eating schedule to sleep better
- You can start exercising to reduce stress and sleep better
- You can use exercise and nutrition to change how you feel first, then how you look
And this is where an outside perspective is helpful.
Remember this quote?
“You might not be able to see through the forest, but you can see your next step”
Yes, if you take steps forward, you will make progress.
But!
You can make more progress if someone looks from above the forest to make sure you’re moving in the right direction.
If you’re unsure of your next step, it’s ok to ask for support and accountability from a coach or mentor.
Feedback from the right source can multiply the rate at which you make progress toward your goal.
RECAP
Accountability Formula:
(Instructions + Measurement) x Feedback
Our Definition:
“Accountability is taking ownership for actions that are within your abilities, to achieve a desired outcome.”
Taking ownership is:
- Taking action
- Measuring your actions and progress
- Accepting feedback to adjust your actions to fit your abilities
- Continuing this process until you reach your desired outcome
To review how accountability helps build the foundation for consistency, motivation and patience.
Realistic actions help you stay consistent without being overwhelmed.
You build momentum and motivation when you SEE your action and progress because you measure them.
The final part of this formula looks like this...
(Instructions + Measurement) x Feedback = Progress towards your desired outcome
You don't focus on stressing, hoping, and getting frustrated that you don't have the desired outcome.
You focus on everything else ' (Instructions + Measurement) x Feedback = Progress '
This is how you accountability to build patience and reach your goal.
If you want support and accountability for your goals, book a No Sweat Intro here.
