Meet your Workout Goals with a Fitness Accountability Partner

Are you someone who vows every year to go to the gym, exercise more regularly and improve your fitness quotient – only to abandon all resolve a few months later? If so, don’t feel bad. Personal fitness requires consistency and commitment, and it’s not easy to keep these up all on your own.

But if now, you’re thinking the time to wait has long passed and you need to take your fitness seriously, why not do something different this time and team up with a workout / fitness accountability partner to help you stick to your goals?

An accountability partner will not just ensure you are actually working out and exercising but also keep you motivated when you feel stuck and want to quit. As a bonus, they could also give you tips on how to boost your fitness techniques and get to your goals quicker and better!

Why you need a fitness or workout accountability partner

To share your journey

Let's face it, it's just more fun to do it with a friend! Some people are much more productive when they have an accountability partner to bounce ideas off of, exchange ideas and updates on daily progress. A fitness accountability buddy checks all these boxes by being with you every step of your fitness journey – and maybe even joining some of your goals so you can work out and get healthy together!

To keep you on track

Once you get started on your fitness goals, it's quite likely that you'll follow them with dedication for a few weeks and then start to let life and inertia creep in. There's that unexpected party, which tanks both your diet and fitness goals for a few days. And then you get a cold, and don't feel like running. And before you know it, all those habits you've carefully cultivated are in disarray.

Having someone keep an eye on your fitness goals will increase your chances of sticking to your commitments, working more efficiently and seeing results faster.

To stay motivated

One way to ensure that you always stay on track is to keep up the motivation – especially when fitness regimes get more difficult to keep up with. A workout accountability partner will be there as a personal cheerleader to encourage and support you to not give up.

In the same way, you may lose heart if the plan you set out with does not seem to be working. A partner will also help you refocus and try to think of goals differently.

To learn new things

When you first think about forming some fitness goals, you'll find that there are so many great regimes and activities out there, each with its own perks and maybe some quirks. Deciding which one to try first can get overwhelming!

So if you have an accountability partner who is experienced in this area, they’ll be able to provide new perspectives and show you new ways of doing things.

How to find fitness accountability partners

Join a gym

Sometimes the most obvious solution is the best one! Find a gym or fitness centre near you with personal trainer programmes, and try working out with them.

Join fitness classes

There are lots of classes online and in health centres for yoga, aerobics or Zumba. Join a fitness class near you that seems interesting and fun and aligns with your fitness goals.

As a bonus, you'll not just get to interact with a trainer, but also other people who may have similar wellness goals to yours and may be willing to establish and create an accountability partnership!

Check online communities

Facebook and other social media platforms now have support groups and chat rooms online with hundreds or even thousands of people involved with goals to lose weight or exercise looking for advice, support and encouragement. Join a few to connect with others, get tips and advice, create a small group and share your own learnings too!

Download fitness accountability apps

Stickk, Strava and Stepbet are some popular workout accountability apps that people use to set fitness goals and record their progress. Stickk and Stepbet even have an added incentive – they penalise you if you don't meet your goals, thus making sure you do achieve them no matter what!

If you're going the app route, you can even try some unconventional options to make the process fun – like Pokemon GO! Get those steps in while trying to catch 'em all!

Tips for Working with an Accountability Buddy for your Health and Fitness goals

Pick someone who you relate to

Being in sync is important for any relationship, and an accountability partnership is no exception. You need to find a partner who understands what your goals are, maybe has similar aims or experience, and is able to keep you accountable in the way you want.

If what you're establishing is a two-way partnership, in which you both hold each other accountable, just remember that your partner doesn't have to have the same goal as you. Both of you just need to be on a similar wavelength so you can stay with each other every step of the way.

Set the agenda

Once you find an accountability partner, the first order of business is to decide how you will be working together. This includes sharing what your end goals are, which aspects you will need an accountability check for, which ground rules would need to be fixed, and so on!

If it's a two-way accountability partnership, make sure you're on the same page about what you'll do to help push each other--one person should not be doing all the heavy lifting!

Agree on a schedule

An accountability partnership works best with regular or even daily check-ins to make sure you're achieving your desired outcomes. So decide on a time to check in and honour that message when it comes!

Try also to work out together to give each other a closer look at how you're approaching your decided regime for some feedback and tips.

Check if it suits you

If you're trying a fitness accountability app, make sure its pricing, accessibility and features offer you the kind of accountability you want. You do not want an app that tells you how many steps you're taking when you're really trying to measure your calorie intake! So the platform must match your intent!

Final Thoughts

Getting an accountability partner is definitely the best thing you can do for your fitness goals. If you're getting started with your fitness journey, here are some other articles to help you get there!

• Using a Workout Accountability App to Stick to Your Fitness Goals
• Make Your Fitness Habit Stick With the 'Workout With Friends App' Approach