I sometimes know myself a little too well. When it comes to exercise, I will always take the simplest and "cheater" way out....perhaps even the "easy way out".
Therefore, I try to build in accountability whenever and wherever I can.
One example? I make myself stand front and center in my Jazzercise and Zumba classes. Yeah, I would totally rather hide in the back of the room.
Here is a photo that I took just before Jazzercise that shows where I stand in class. Pretty much as close as I can get to the instructor. No hiding from her!
She is a high school P.E. teacher during the day...so I bet you can imagine her level of enthusiasm to make us work our tails off in class. She is always telling us to jump higher, squat lower, and she generally kicks our asses. It's great.
In Zumba class, due to the location and space limitations, I stand even closer to the instructor! With in a few feet. Sometimes, if I'm not careful, I could accidentally hit her when I get groovin' to the music and shakin' my bon-bon.
I know that if I choose a spot in the back of the class, I will do what I refer to as "Half-ASS Zumba" or "Half-ASS Jazzercise". You know, not lift my arms and legs as high...or just not put as much oomph into it. Therefore, less sweat, less calories burned, and less overall exercise.
Also in the back of the room, not only am I far from the instructor, but there are no people behind me to see what I'm doing. In the front, everyone sees me....from all angles. Talk about ACCOUNTABILITY!
So here's today's question for you:
Where do you find accountability in your daily journey to improved health? A workout buddy? or perhaps a weigh-in buddy? or maybe your own internal accountability?
Great question! One area for me is my weight chart. I weigh every day but just count Friday for ticker changing.....I leave the chart out for my husband to see. Talk about accountability. He comments quite often....mostly a lot of "I am proud of you" or "you are doing great" and sometimes "were you drinking from the salt shaker yesterday? I love that man!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting topic today. I only do one "class" and that's zumba and we switch after every single song, we rotate rows and when you're in the front row at the end of the song you go all the way to the back. I was just thinking of Half Assing today because I absolutely know during one song I didn't like the song at all and the moves were a bit complicated so I was getting a bit frustrated so I pretty much gave up mid song and just side step toe touched for a good portion of the song. When I realized what I was doing I was like, "What the hell?? Move your ASS!" hee hee. I stepped it up, but yeah, I don't like that song. As for accountability, I pretty much just know that I have to work hard or I'm not going to get the results I want. So I supposed that internal accountability is what I go with.
ReplyDeleteI am always 15 minutes early to class. First of all, I want to be in the front, so I can see and it makes me work a little harder because I know people are behind me, I won't wimp out!
ReplyDeleteLol @ Jacquie! I went straight to the instructors and said, I obviously need to lose a shitload of weight! Push me like crazy". They don't let me get away with anything now! They yell my name out at least 4 times EVERY class. "Go lower", "Is that a real lunge?" etc.
ReplyDeleteI've started telling coworker friends what I'm going to do for exercise, and they ask how my run/ride/swim was when they see me next. I work with most of them six days a week, so if I don't go, they know about it pretty quickly. Also, I have to get yearly bloodwork to make sure my cholesterols are doing what they should be doing. My dad had heart surgery, and I don't want to follow in his steps, so the annual really helps me realize that my efforts are not for nothing.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing the global corporate challenge (http://www.gettheworldmoving.com/why-get-involved) with a group of work colleagues. You wear a pedometer and record the number of steps you've taken, or distance you've swum or biked each day. That little sucker is like my conscience! I seem to have developed a compulsion to do at least 20,000 steps a day, and then some biking or swimming. Having the pedometer really makes me aware of how much I am (or am not) moving.
ReplyDeleteI stand in front because otherwise I can't see the instructor's feet and I get confused! I missed Body Pump today (overslept due to not getting home until 2 AM) and now I am going to have to lift alone today, which isn't nearly as much fun. I LOVE the class environment!
ReplyDeleteI have to chime in similar to the rest. I don't have a problem motivating myself to go exercise BUT when I go to a class, I do work harder than I would push myself. I am also training for the 60 mile Susan G Komen Breast Cancer walk so when we do that, I feel like I have to keep up the pace so the "skinny girls" on my team won't ever think I'm slowing them down. They usually tell me to slow down for them...which my ego loves, but I don't want to be the slow poke.
ReplyDeleteI started out standing in the front of the Jazzercise class because it is front of the fan. Ha! But it had the secondary benefit of keeping me motivated because everyone is behind me and can see me! :) Win win.
ReplyDelete