Value of Accountability to Help Us Consistently Eat Healthier

We all know that accountability can be valuable to help us consistently eat healthier. Even so, many of us resist seeking out accountability. Personally, I don’t utilize accountability because I feel like I should be able to do it on my own. I know exactly what I want to do. All I need to do is resist temptations so I can consistently eat healthier.

Easy, right?

Willpower is Limited

In theory, yes. We should be able to resist temptation and consistently eat healthier if that is our goal. However, just deciding to do something has us relying on willpower to resist temptations. Unfortunately, willpower is limited.

Every time you make a decision throughout the day, you use a little bit of willpower. Even something as simple as, should I wear a coat requires you to stay focused and make a decision.

Sometimes, by the end of the day, our willpower is all used up. That’s exactly why we need something else in place to help us consistently eat healthier.

There are lots of things that you can put in place to help. For today, let’s take a look at the value of accountability to help us consistently eat healthier.

#1 Perform Better Under Observation

A common healthy eating goal is to skip dessert during the week. If you share this goal with perhaps a coworker, then you know for sure they will notice if you grab a handful of chocolates off someone’s desk. You know they are watching you. This helps motivate you to follow through.

If only you know your goal, it is easier to cheat yourself.

#2 Set Measurable Goals

If we are setting a goal with an accountability partner, we will set a measurable goal. Without accountability, we might set a vague goal like:

• I am going to eat less sugar.
• I am going to eat a healthier breakfast.

Instead of a measurable goal like:

• I am going to skip all the sugary drinks.
• I am going to eat egg muffins for breakfast.

A measurable goal can be tracked, so it holds us more accountable. At the end of the day, we know for sure if we have accomplished it.

#3 Better Follow Through

We all want to share good news. If we check in with an accountability partner each day, we are going to want to celebrate our success. This desire to share good news helps us consistently follow through with our healthier eating.

#4 Focus on Today

Another value of accountability is that it helps us focus on the now. All you have to do is follow through today. No need to worry about tomorrow. No need to focus on next Monday. Just be accountable to your healthy eating goals today.

By taking it one day at a time, it feels less stressful. It becomes more manageable. This makes it easier to be successful.

#5 Slip-Ups Remain Small

Accountability assures you will get support and encouragement to get back on track. This helps us resist the temptation to throw in the towel. We focus on the positive rather than the negative.

Negative: I already ate a handful of candy, I might as well eat this entire row of cookies.

Positive: I ate that candy, and now I happily choose to get right back on track.

Accountability helps us stay focused on our goals. We are more likely to get back on track rather than quitting.

Getting Accountability

There are so many ways to get accountability. When adding accountability, make sure it is supportive. Slips ups are going to happen. We don’t want to be held accountable with shame or criticism. The value of accountability is that we feel supported and encouraged to consistently eat healthier.

If you are looking for some accountability, then I encourage you to join the Stress-Free Weight Loss Community here. We’re a supportive group of women who motivate and encourage each other to reach and maintain a feel-good weight.

Once you are there, be sure to check out the video: Why Accountability is so Valuable to Help Us Reach Our Healthy Eating Goals.

Looking for even more support? Schedule a Sustainable Weight Loss Strategy Session here. During this session, I’ll walk you through a four-step process to help you uncover what is holding you back from reaching your weight loss goals and develop a custom plan to get you back on track.

Originally published at www.claireketchum.com on February 19, 2019.