Why an accountability buddy can help you reach your goals

Let me tell you a secret. I have been trying to get fit. You may not have noticed, but I have indeed been trying.

So, what does getting fit mean to me? It means setting a goal, being intentional about creating time to exercise, actually exercising regularly, seeing some difference in my level of fitness, my body and generally feeling better about myself.

One of my close friends has been trying to lose weight. What does losing weight mean to her? It means setting a goal, planning her meals, following the plan, making consistently healthy food choices, exercising regularly, seeing positive change in her weight and feeling better about herself.

“There is no such thing as a ‘self-made’ man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.”

George Matthew Adams

Don’t go it alone. Why are accountability buddies a luxury? Why do they carry power? Because they can increase your chances of achieving what you want.

In the article “Change or Die”, based on a book by Alan Deutschman, the importance of support is explored in relation to making lifestyle changes. One key message is that fear alone is often not enough to help people sustain change. Support, encouragement and regular check-ins can make a significant difference.

The learning here is: if you are implementing change, don’t go it alone.

My friend and I agreed to be accountability buddies. We agreed to involve each other in being intentional about our goals and not to try to do it alone.

I researched different forms of exercise which would fit around my family commitments, building my life coaching practice, my part-time job, my available time and my recommendation from my physio not to take up running.

I settled on a free online fitness plan which gave me a variety of 40-minute workouts, including warm-up and cool-down, spread over a period of 15 days.

Each weekend, I text my accountability buddy and let her know which evenings I am aiming to exercise. Firstly, this means taking the time to look at my week and plan when I can realistically exercise. Secondly, it means making the commitment to both myself and her to follow through with my intentions.

There are evenings when I feel tired or unmotivated, but having made that commitment and knowing I am able to text my accountability buddy once I have exercised really increases my motivation.

Sometimes she texts me during the day to encourage me, which increases my commitment and ensures I don’t “forget” to exercise as planned.

After the first round of 15 days, which took me about 21 days to achieve, I lost 2.5 inches from my tummy, and I have been amazed by how much stronger my body is. I’m now in the middle of round four.

And my accountability buddy? She’s lost an impressive amount of weight, moved from a size 20 to a size 14 in 10 months, is continuing to maintain a happy, healthy lifestyle and feels a lot better about herself.

She says: “Having an accountability buddy keeps me focused when I am experiencing self-doubt. Talking about my goals really helps me to achieve them. I would not have accomplished my weight loss without my accountability buddy - she makes all the difference.”

Breaking old habits and achieving new ones takes hard work and commitment. I recommend to all that they have at least one person who is aware of the goal they are reaching for and the new commitments they are intent on keeping.

Don’t try to do it alone. Get yourself an accountability buddy. They are very precious indeed.