Accountability

Have you ever signed one of those contracts you get in some diet books - the ones where you commit to losing weight and you tell your spouse, friends, or relatives so they can help keep you accountable? 

It doesn’t work. 

It doesn’t work because you are accountable to one person: you.  

It’s the same as buying a gym membership and telling yourself that you’ll use it because if you don’t you have wasted money. 

If you need the threat of embarrassment or loss of money to force yourself to lose weight and shape up, you are not ready. You have to want to lose weight and shape up; you cannot force yourself to do it.

If you start to entertain thoughts of signing a contract or forking out for a gym membership to keep yourself honest, stop. It means that you really aren’t ready. Better to wait until you are.

Comments

[neanco]

I'm 69 and took up weight training when I was divorced, 22 years ago. I decided to give it two years as a fair trial and paid a year's subscription in advance (!!!). I have found that my body is far better than before, that my diet is better, that training has given my life a decent routine and structure and made me mentally and emotionally stronger. Happier, too. I train because I wish to train.
The people at my gym are ordinary, everyday people such as you or I and the seriousness of training is off-set to a certain degree by the social aspect which develops amongst the regulars. Those who take up regular exercise in such an environment will find that they have developing within theirselves a better regard to life and living. But the impetus has to come from the individual in each instance.

[Craig Knight]

Your attitude is commendable.

I can certainly appreciate where you are coming from. I too have found that my training has helped me mentally and emotionally. And it has given me a greater appreciation for life.

Thanks for your comment.