How Can I Make Myself Accountable??

I know all about healthy eating and exercising... it has been an obsession for a long time, but I have fallen off the wagon and CAN'T get back on again.  I know falling off isn't a huge deal if you work through it and keep trying, but this is a BIG fall and I can't keep myself on track.

I have tried putting tallies on my fridge and giving myself gold stars, but I'm afraid I'll have to spend the millions of dollars to join Weight Watchers or something just to make myself accountable to someone.  I always let myself cheat, since there's no one there to be accountable to.

Do you think a buddy on here might work?  I really don't want to spend money joining a group.

A trick that has worked wonders for one of my friends is placing her worst picture on the fridge as a constant reminder.

Finding a buddy/friend whom you could talk to would probably help out.

Believe in yourself.

Much as I love this site, I find that I'll join a group and then forget about it... I recently started dating this great guy and he wants to lose weight too. So I've used that to my advantage and going on a squash date at the weekend. But just having that little edge of 'real life' competition is helping heaps. And I tell him whenever I'm reaching for the biccie box lol

Good luck!

I totally agree with getting a real-life buddy, because I too always forget about the groups on here.  My boyfriend, who I live with has tried to help me, but he is the WORST eater ever, and the #1 reason I fell off in the first place and gained it back (we moved in together a year ago).

My friends are all really sensitive about weight related issues, and the mention of losing weight brings on fears of anorexia.  I need to find myself someone who isn't so jumpy about weight-loss.

I like the idea of a horrible picture on the fridge.  Maybe also don't buy bad food so that when you do look for something to munch you can grab something healthy that won't affect your diet if you over indulge.   I like grapes, bananas, popcorn, and homemade oatmeal cookies as ways to avoid junk food.  Since I have a wife and 3 kids there's no way I'm going to get away from bad foods... and even with people it's only up to me to make the right choices of what to eat.  You need to sit back and reflect on your weight... and why you wanted to change to begin with.  Maybe put a weight chart on your fridge to challenge yourself and to keep the reminder there of the progress you have made... just start over.  There's no sense in dwelling on the past mistakes.  Try to focus on doing it right this time around.

I"m on try #2 after failing and backtracking... I don't want to be fat anymore.  Do you?

try posting exactly what you eat each day in your journal... this whole site can read it, talk about accountability!  Sometimes just writing it out makes you feel guilty enough to be accountable to yourself anyways

In the end the only person you are REALLY accountable to is yourself... I've found that keeping track of my exercise and having an exercise goal for the month is a great help in keeping me moving.

It really depends on you.  I find that if I tell someone I am going to do something, I feel I really have to do it, but that doesn't work for everyone.  Find a buddy (I volunteer) and exchange information on what you ate and how much exercise you did.  Knowing that you are going to have to tell people might give you motivation.

Look at the language you use in your post.. 'accountable', 'fallen off the wagon', 'on track', cheat'....   You are treating something as potentially pleasurably simple and rewarding as the adoption of a healthy lifestyle like others approach treating alcoholism or getting off hard drugs.  Gold stars for what?  For sticking it out throught the misery?  No wonder you don't want to get started, it sounds horrible.

Seriously.... I think that, even though you know all about healthy eating and exercise - you simply haven't found a way of making it enjoyable.    People who enjoy their healthy lifestyle are not 'on a wagon' that they can fall off... they don't 'cheat' because they're having a good time already.... That could be you, very easily, if you simply change the way you approach it.

Personally, I thought WW was far too interested in their commercial performance and selling add-ons to be worried whether their members were having a good time or not.    Support is good but I don't think you need them specifically.   I think you need to devise a personalised plan and your catchphrase at all times is 'am I enjoying this?'.... And if the answer is ever 'no, I'm not enjoying myself', then tweak the plan until you are.

When I embarked on losing 50lbs a few years ago that's exactly what I did.  So when I was thinking of what food to eat I decided, no, I'm not sitting there at breakfast miserably eating some cold carboard-flavoured cereal just because it's low calorie!  Instead I'd make myself delicious poached eggs on toast  for the same calories and go out to work with a smile on my face and a warm glow in my stomach.   I can't abide gyms and knew I'd never keep up with any exercise regime that involved setting foot in one.... so I found something else I liked doing better.  If I fancied a little chocolate or a glass of wine as part of my enjoyable healthy lifestyle I'd go right ahead and have some and not spend the rest of the day feeling wracked with guilt......   Every step of the way 'am I enjoying myself?'... Dammit! Yes!!!... and I still am.

I've found that joining a group on here has motivated me, but a real life buddy may also be helpful. I feel like if people know that I'm trying to lose weight, they might scrutinize me and constantly check whether or not I have which makes me a little more determined. However, a healthy lifestyle can be a positive thing if you make it so, you just have to find out what works for you and what makes you want to stay on track.

I'm not much into groups online, but a friend of mine does something that I thought was a really good idea.  Basically she got 39 of her friends together to "sponsor a pound of fat."  Obviously trying to loose 39 pounds.  Basically every week she sends us an e-mail update of how she did, and then asks us for help w/ motivational quotes, healthy recipes etc..... She says that it really keeps her acountable because she has 39 people to answer to if she doesn't keep with it.  I don't know if there are groups on here that do a similar thing, but If you have enough friends that you trust, that idea sounds better to me than to strangers online. 

Good luck! 

Original Post by micciofiorentino:

I'm not much into groups online, but a friend of mine does something that I thought was a really good idea.  Basically she got 39 of her friends together to "sponsor a pound of fat."  Obviously trying to loose 39 pounds.  Basically every week she sends us an e-mail update of how she did, and then asks us for help w/ motivational quotes, healthy recipes etc..... She says that it really keeps her acountable because she has 39 people to answer to if she doesn't keep with it.  I don't know if there are groups on here that do a similar thing, but If you have enough friends that you trust, that idea sounds better to me than to strangers online. 

Good luck! 

 

 

Awww...now i wish i had 122 friends to sponsor me. :-(

Original Post by pen_coed:

Original Post by micciofiorentino:

I'm not much into groups online, but a friend of mine does something that I thought was a really good idea.  Basically she got 39 of her friends together to "sponsor a pound of fat."  Obviously trying to loose 39 pounds.  Basically every week she sends us an e-mail update of how she did, and then asks us for help w/ motivational quotes, healthy recipes etc..... She says that it really keeps her acountable because she has 39 people to answer to if she doesn't keep with it.  I don't know if there are groups on here that do a similar thing, but If you have enough friends that you trust, that idea sounds better to me than to strangers online. 

Good luck! 

 

 

Awww...now i wish i had 122 friends to sponsor me. :-(

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH @ penn_coed

Thank you so much for all your replies.  I especially liked gi-jane's. I think you totally figured out what my problem is. I don't have a lot of weigh to lose, and I always approach it as something to defeat, "just get through the next few months and it'll all be over".

I DO need to find ways to make me enjoy it.  I enjoy working out, but the healthy food leaves me feeling deprived.  I'm only 5'2" so I don't get very many calories in a day and don't have a lot of room for decadence. I bought some Skinny Cow popsicles though, to help me feel not so deprived of treats!  it's hard after the holidays and lots of careless munching!