{"id":42005,"date":"2016-06-08T10:30:48","date_gmt":"2016-06-08T14:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=42005"},"modified":"2021-11-18T07:28:56","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T12:28:56","slug":"no-excuses-accountability-workouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/no-excuses-accountability-workouts\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Tricks to Actually Stick to Your Workouts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We all know the hardest part of getting fit isn\u2019t completing your workout, but starting it in the first place. After all, it\u2019s one thing to say<\/em> you\u2019re going to stick to an exercise routine \u2014\u00a0and another to actually do it. Unfortunately, actually getting (and staying) accountable to your workouts is far easier said than done. And without a healthy sense of accountability, your goal of getting to the gym<\/a> more often will be dead in the parking lot.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a0The 21 Best Snapchats for Instant Fitness Motivation<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all been told to \u201cjust find a workout buddy<\/a>\u201d or \u201cschedule your workouts in advance.\u201d But what if you like working out alone? Or, your schedule changes every day? Never fear: We tapped top trainers, sports psychologists and bloggers for better ways to stay accountable to your sweat sessions.<\/p>\n

Whether you prefer to work out solo, or at home (or actually prefer sitting on the couch), we guarantee these tips will help you keep your commitments in check.<\/p>\n

15 Tricks to Improve Your Workout Accountability<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"15Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

1. Sign Up for a Competition
\n<\/strong>There\u2019s nothing like an \u201cI\u2019ve got to be fit by X date\u201d mindset to get you moving. But signing up for a 5k, obstacle race<\/a> or CrossFit competition also gives you something way more motivating<\/a> to work toward than improving your looks. Plus, if you don\u2019t put in the training time, you might not be able to complete the race, says Lisa Niren, head coach at Peloton Cycle. (Or, you will, but things might get ugly<\/a>.) Here\u2019s to crossing the finish line strong.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Hate Running? 25 Ways to Learn to Love It<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Put Money on the Line
\n<\/strong>Oh, money, the great incentivizer. Try handing over cash to a friend, and then earn it back<\/a> by achieving your fitness goals, Niren says. Or, if you\u2019re technologically inclined, sign up with an online betting system like the Pact<\/a> app or DietBet.com<\/a>. The concept is simple (and oh-so motivating): Hit your goals and you\u2019ll win cash. Miss the mark and you\u2019ll lose it.<\/p>\n

3. \u2026 Or Bet Something Else
\n<\/strong>Short on funds? \u201cYou can put anything on the line; it doesn’t just have to be money. For example, you could bet on housework, babysitting, tickets to the movies, or anything else,\u201d Niren says. \u201cFind something that motivates you to help you achieve your goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Dread the Gym? Here\u2019s What Might Motivate You<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Share Your Goals on Social
\n<\/strong>\u201cWhether you have a hundred followers or thousands, sharing your workout plan with social media before it happens can help you stick to the plan,\u201d says Brian Kelley, Pavement Runner<\/a> fitness blogger. \u201cThe night before a run, I might send out a tweet that says \u201810-mile run in the morning, alarm set, shoes ready.\u2019 It helps keep me accountable for the workout and in response, friends might wish me luck or send me motivational mantras. It’s just that something extra I might need.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. Make a Video Diary
\n<\/strong>Behold, the power of video. Record yourself talking about your goals or performing awesome lifts<\/a>, then post it on YouTube or Instagram, Niren recommends. If you\u2019d rather not share with your real-life buds, find a likeminded community at GiveIt100.com<\/a>. The site is designed to keep people accountable while they work on something, anything, for 100 days straight. You\u2019ll upload a video every day and fellow site-goers can follow you, like your posts, and cheer you on through comments.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 19 Reasons to Work Out (Beyond the Perfect Body)<\/a><\/p>\n

6. Enjoy Your Own Rewards Program
\n<\/strong>Create a workout log and have a reward attached to hitting a certain goal, be it losing 10 pounds or lifting 50, says Barbara Walker, Ph.D., a sports psychologist with the Center for Human Performance<\/a> in Cincinnati. To celebrate, buy yourself some new fitness threads, a killer bike<\/a>, or splurge and go on a bucket list trip<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7. See It to Believe It
\n<\/strong>Fantasizing about getting fit might actually do your body good. \u201cEvery day, do a five-minute visualization session<\/a>, envisioning what it is you want to see in yourself, who you are striving to be as a high performer, or super-fit person,\u201d Walker says. By checking in with yourself and how you are progressing on your goals every day, you\u2019ll hold yourself accountable to the most important person around: yourself.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 7 Ways to Carve Out Time for Meditation<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Take Photos Every Week
\n<\/strong>\u201cThe number on the scale can be deceiving<\/a>, but a photo of how you look in your underpants or your favorite dress will not lie,\u201d says Larisa Stahl, trainer at KORE<\/a>. \u201cTrack your results in a special album on your phone so you can see changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

To up the ante, post a \u201cbefore\u201d picture of yourself, along with your goal, recommends Brett Hoebel, creator of the 20 Minute Body<\/a> and celebrity trainer on The Biggest Loser<\/em> season 11. \u201cIf you have the guts, it\u2019s one of the most motivating. I\u2019ve done it and it\u2019s no joke,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

9. Do It for a Cause
\n<\/strong>Being self-motivated is hard \u2014 so how about sweating for donations to your favorite charity? \u201cYou become accountable to the people who give you money, the people who are cheering you on, and most importantly, the people you are trying to help,\u201d says Georgina Miranda<\/a>, who has so far climbed six out of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent, to raise money and awareness for victims of gender-based violence in Africa. Try signing up for a charity run<\/a> or enlisting to run a marathon on behalf of an animal shelter.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Do You Call Yourself an Athlete? Here\u2019s Why You Should<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10. Follow a Long-Term Fitness Program
\n<\/strong>\u201cDon’t just pick and choose your workouts willy-nilly, going to a class here, doing a DVD there, says Kourtney A. Thomas, C.S.C.S., owner of Lagniappe Fitness<\/a> in St. Louis. When you choose a longer-term workout program<\/a>, you\u2019re automatically holding yourself accountable to something \u2014 and for long enough that it actually stands a chance of becoming a habit. \u201cSet a goal, choose a training program<\/a>, complete the training program, reach your goal,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

11. Sleep in Your Clothes
\n<\/strong>Good-bye, comfy pajamas. \u201cThis may sound funny, but if you have a workout planned in the morning and are having trouble making it happen, try sleeping in your workout clothes,\u201d says Kelley. That way, to skip your workout, you actually have to peel your workout clothes off of your body and admit to yourself that, yup, you\u2019re letting yourself down.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 19 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Becoming a Morning Person<\/a><\/p>\n

12. Set Your Electronics to Shut Down
\n<\/strong>Program your digital devices to conspire against <\/em>your desire to skip a workout in favor of Facebooking. Download an app like BreakTime<\/a> for your phone, tablet and<\/em> computer, and program the app to shut you out of your devices at the time you\u2019ve scheduled your workout, explains Tiffany Henness, the blogger behind ThoroughlyThriving<\/a>. We\u2019ll like<\/em> that.<\/p>\n

13. Let Others Track Your Workouts
\n<\/strong>Most fitness tracking apps<\/a> come with a competition or leaderboard feature because, well, they work, says Stahl. Apart from entering you into some friendly competition, they allow the people closest to you to know if you\u2019re sticking to your workouts. Sign up (use a code name if you prefer your privacy!) and prepare to unleash your inner athlete<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a0How to Hack Your Google Calendar to Reach Your Goals<\/a><\/p>\n

14. Vent in a Journal
\n<\/strong>We\u2019re not talking about writing down your reps and sets; but rather, your feelings<\/a>. \u201cShifting your perspective, in terms of choosing to define and place meaning upon your workout is another effective tool in staying accountable,\u201d says Kenneth Ferrer, trainer at Barry\u2019s Bootcamp. Each day, write down how you are doing mentally, emotionally and energy-wise<\/a>. Then write down whether or not you\u2019ve worked out that day. Sooner or later, the patterns that emerge might make working out seem like the obvious choice.<\/p>\n

15. Sign a Contract
\n<\/strong>Sit down by yourself, or with a friend, and write down what your workouts will entail, how often you\u2019ll complete them, and possibly your end goal. Whether or not you tie rewards or consequences to the contract, simply making your goals official will help you feel accountable, Niren says.<\/p>\n

Originally posted August 2015. Updated June 2016.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Struggling to stick to your workouts? We\u2019ve got 15 tricks to help bolster your accountability \u2014 even if you prefer to exercise solo. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6],"tags":[104,103,341,343],"class_list":["post-42005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-goals","tag-motivation","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42005\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}