Step #2: Support and Accountability

Step #2 in the How to Start a Healthy Lifestyle series is on support and accountability. The purpose of this step is to reinforce the importance of getting support and accountability to reach your health goal.

Let’s start with our house analogy from Step #1…

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Gets Support

If commitment to a health goal is the foundation of a house, then support and accountability would be the framing of the house. If support and accountability are not built up or poorly built, the whole house will fall down. AKA – your changes won’t last if you have little to no support or accountability, no matter how strong your commitment is to your goal.

We all need support when we’re doing something challenging. We especially need support when we’re trying to start a healthy lifestyle.

Have you ever tried making a lifestyle change when no one else in your household feels the conviction to? Or when the people around you fight the changes you’re trying to make?

You can reach your health goal without support or accountability. But, it will be fifty times harder and take longer to do so.

So, make it easier for yourself and find a group of people to support and encourage you towards your goal. As the saying goes, no man is an island.

Support vs. Accountability

Now that you know how important support and accountability is, we need to talk about what they mean. You may think support and accountability are the same, but there are a few differences between them.

A support group provides you strength to keep going when life throws you a curveball. You can also find hope when circumstances make you feel hopeless. Support can come from one person, but often comes from a group of people.

As for an accountability partner (AP), he or she helps you stay on track to reach your goals. Accountability often comes from one person but can come from a few. This is because accountability is more personal in that you share your struggles and obstacles with that person. An AP is someone who helps you overcome what’s preventing you from reaching your goal.

I recommend finding both a support group and an AP. But, if you can only choose one then choose an AP. Sharing your struggles one-on-one with an AP will better help you stick to your healthy lifestyle changes.  

Sidenote: if you live with someone(s) who is negative towards your eating changes, then you need to find others who will be supportive of the changes. Negativity from others, especially when it’s your family, can be harmful to any change you want to make. So, all the more important to build a support group to combat those Negative Nancies and Debbie Downers.

Where to Find Support and Accountability

If you’re looking for an AP, think of someone you know right now that you trust enough to share your struggles and obstacles with. Your AP should have a similar health goal to yours. You should also feel comfortable enough with them to share your struggles.

If you’re looking for a support group, gather together your friends who have similar goals to yours. If online is better for you, find a support group by searching for Facebook groups or online forums specific to the goal you want to reach.

Here are a few different Facebook groups I found to get you started…

Fitness Motivation

Journey To Lose It- 2018 Weight Loss Support Group

Fitsister’s Health/Fitness Tribe! Motivation and Support!

Healthy Eating Support Group

Healthy Eating Lifestyle Support Group

Fit Happy Life

To Sum Up Step #2

• Your changes won’t last if you have little to no support or accountability, no matter how strong your commitment is to your goal
• If you live with someone(s) who is negative towards your eating changes, then you need to find others who will be supportive of the changes
• If commitment to your healthy lifestyle goal is the foundation of a house, then support and accountability would be the framing of that house
• We especially need support when we’re trying to build healthy lifestyle habits
• You can make a lasting change without support or accountability; it just will be fifty times harder to do so.

Just a friendly reminder, you don’t have to follow these steps. This is just to help you make eating changes that will last.

So, if you don’t think you need to commit to your goal, or find support or accountability, then go ahead and try the way you think will work. If your way doesn’t work, then humor me by trying these steps. Maybe it works for you, maybe it doesn’t.

The goal here is for you to try a different way of making changes to your eating to see if it works for you.   

Whenever you’re ready for Step #3, you know what button to push.