Personal Accountability for Weight Loss

Do you tend to put things off or shift blame when something goes wrong? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. Many of us have participated in this type of behavior from time-to-time, but it doesn’t mean that the attitude can’t be changed. Shifting your thought patterns from others to yourself can really make a big difference in your life. When it comes to taking control of your diet, exercise and weight loss program, accepting personal accountability has been shown as the best approach to take. After all, the decisions you make really are in your hands.

Personal accountability simply means that you take responsibility for the things you do–and the things you don’t do. This is the first step in changing many unwanted behaviors and patterns of thinking. If you are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle, blame and procrastination are two of your worst enemies. So how do you change this type of thinking? When you find yourself putting things off or passing the buck when it comes to a negative consequence, take a step back. Look at the situation again and see if there is a way you can take responsibility for changing things going forward. This one simple change can make a gigantic difference.

When we look at reasons for gaining weight there are compelling arguments to say that genetics and environment are the major factors influencing our size.  Personal accountability is not a methodology for assigning blame or finding excuses.  It is simply accepting that despite the reasons for weight gain, you have an opportunity to accept responsibility for improving your health and reversing your weight gain.

So how can you accept and show your accountability? Paradoxically, showing personal accountability may mean being accountable to someone else.  In much the same way as most of us learn that being accountable to our team or our school with “spirit” is a powerful motivator for striving toward a goal such as winning a game, being accountable to someone else can help you stay true to your weight loss goals.  A weight loss buddy, workout buddy or even a dietitian or personal trainer can help. You may also choose to make your commitment public by starting a weight loss blog or social media page.

However you choose to show your personal accountability, set realistic short and long-term goals and accept that your choices are the single greatest determinant for whether or not you reach your goals. It is up to you.