Why accountability is important...

When you decide to start to invest in your health and make changes, we often feel a little bit of the "honeymoon phase" to start. We have a feeling of empowerment for choosing to make the decision to get healthier, and even feel a renewed confidence in making the decision to change your diet or behaviors. However, life happens. Stress, sadness, busyness, loneliness and exhaustion and begin to take over and we can lose the momentum very quickly. This is where accountability comes in.

Accountability means the regular checking-in on priorities, challenges and motivations in order to meet a certain goal. It is the necessary tool to help you work through your thoughts, in order to not let them defeat you. If you are in a time period where you feel frustrated by attempts to lose weight or improve your health, maybe try finding more accountability this time around. Set some new goals, then meet with a friend, family member, dietitian, counselor or support group member to review your goals and find ways to regularly check in.

As I work with my clients, I find that those who maintain regular communication tend to succeed the most. I encourage my clients to ask questions, set goals for themselves, and update me on their small goals so that I can check in. I also encourage them to find another person in their life that they can maintain accountability with as well. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple text, email or call from a friend to help you stay motivated.

I wanted to send you a message that might help you find your motivation today. I hope you enjoy!

I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine today! This is the perfect time of year to get outside, because our bodies are used to the heat, but now when we have cooler temperatures, our bodies are primed to feel good! Take advantage of this to get out and walk! I provided a good "walk workout" challenge you can try! This can help eliminate boredom when trying to get your steps in!

Fun Walk Workout

Total time: 15 minutes

Minute 1: Walk to warm up. Tell yourself how great it is that you are out there and getting it done!

Minutes 2-5: Think about your favorite things from this week. What were some highlights that you can reflect on. Allow your pace to be slow while you think about these things.

Minutes 5-9: Quicken the pace to feel your muscles work a bit. This should quicken your breath and heart rate. Think about some frustrations of the week. Reflect on them.

Minutes 9-11: Slow the pace and try to breathe deep. Try to breathe in for 4 seconds and out for 6.

Minutes 12-15: Think about something you are looking forward to. Quicken the pace and try to finish strong.

You can repeat this cycle of movement and thought for another 15 minutes, or if you want 30 minutes of time, extend each section by double the amount of time.

Something else to think about!

Why to not weigh yourself everyday- This article explains a lot about what shifts can happen. If you tend to be emotional about that number on the scale, this would be the main reason to back off. Think about how your clothes slide on each day, or how the waist of your favorite shorts feel one day to the next. Do that for the week as you stay consistent, then jump on the scale Friday to see where you are at. Keep expectations low, its not a magic trick! But it will help you be more likely to actually see a shift.

​Some foods I am making this week... and maybe you can try too!

Gluten-free apple breakfast cake- Great for a make-ahead breakfast for kids going back to school. This is great with a big scoop of vanilla triple zero yogurt on top and some chopped pecans.

Asian Meatballs- Am going to triple this recipe and make some for a couple nights and to freeze for another night! Freeze the sauce in a separate container or bag.

Cucumber Salad with Sesame- I am using up some garden cucumbers to make a great side dish with the meatballs.

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup- Also using the fresh garden-plenty, this can be a great side to a grilled turkey pesto grilled cheese. Add a touch of milk or greek yogurt to make it creamier.

I hope these recipes inspire you to keep cooking! If you are feeling discouraged, unmotivated or frustrated, I recommend you reach out to someone for help or encouragement this week. Find a friend to help stay accountable with... Reach out to me if you need more guidance or feel like something isn't working. Reach out to a counselor if you are feeling depressed. Reach out to a friend if you need a walking partner. Sometimes just talking through things and setting some new goals can help you stay on track!