Why You Need a Wellness Accountability Partner
Jo and I are both wearing Outdoor Voices
One of my favorite things about 2018 so far has been having a wellness accountability partner in my friend Jo! I’ve made so many healthy changes (both mentally and physically) this year, and I can owe a lot of that to having an accountability partner and several encouragers in my life. Whether it’s a friend, your partner, a family member or a trainer or health coach, I’m a big believer in accountability partners and here’s why:
They’re Someone to Share your Wellness Goals With
I think it’s really important to put your goals out into the world, and sharing them with your accountability partner is a great (and non-scary) way to do that! Maybe your goal is to reduce your amount of stress, or to build more lean muscle, or to increase how many veggies you eat in a day - regardless, put it out there! Vocalizing your goal makes it real and puts you into action. Instead of thinking about doing something, you’ve shared your goal, which is a great kick-start.
Share your goals with someone you trust who can then follow up with you on your progress and encourage you as you meet those goals!
They’re Someone to be Active with You (and/or cheer you on)
Jo and I are long-distance friends, but fortunately with smart phones at our fingertips it’s easy to hold ourselves accountable to be active! However, if your accountability partner is local you can also schedule active activities together!
One of my favorite things to do when I catch up with friends is to go on a walk or hike together. Not only do you get plenty of time to talk Real Housewives or have a serious life conversation, but you are also getting in some movement and enjoying nature at the same time (instead of your couch and a bag of candy).
If you’ve been nervous to try a new workout class, signup with a friend! Classes are really fun when you have someone by your side to laugh with and figure things out with.
If your accountability partner isn’t local, then you still have someone you can text or call about your activity of choice! Sometimes I need a push from Trey or a friend to get up and workout, and I also love getting to report that I got in a good workout.
They’re Someone to Text your Food Diary to
I’ve made some significant changes to my diet this year, and honestly don’t think I could have done it without Jo or my sister! Jo and I each tried a Keto-ish reset at the same time and texted one another our food diaries every single day! She’s also helped me piece together that sugar intake is a huge contributor to my acne. While Jo and I don’t exchange our food diaries every day right now, at times this has been vital for us in implementing healthy changes. Having to show someone what you ate in a day definitely helps you to make healthier choices too! Suddenly that 5pm post-work junk food binge doesn’t seem like a good idea.
They’re Encouragers
We can always use a little more encouragement in our lives, #amiright?? Last night Trey and I went to bed early and I felt guilty for not staying up and working, but Jo encouraged me to just go to bed and get some sleep! Whether it’s someone who can say “wow, you incorporated so many veggies today!” or “I’m glad you made a little time to de-stress and take care of yourself this evening,” it’s so helpful. Some days it’s hard to make healthy choices and some days stress us out to the max, but having someone who can send you a healthy reminder or a little bit of encouragement is priceless. And, having someone to celebrate milestones with you makes the journey even sweeter!
Have you ever had a wellness accountability partner? Do you believe it makes a difference?
Also, if there was a service where you could pay an affordable monthly amount for an accountability partner or health coach, is that something you would be interested in?
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