In fitness and wellness these days every direction you look someone is trying to sell you a supplement to help you achieve your goals quicker and easier. There are many companies that are selling the idea of detox or cleansing for weight loss and wellness. I am not the first to say this and I will not be the last to tell you that many commercial detox programs are more or less a waste of money and in some extreme cases can even be harmful to your body.

Today we are going to talk about accountability. As we all know too well, it is hard to maintain motivation for fitness. Our lives move quickly and if we do not have something to hold us accountable, many times we will let our goals slip away. There are many ways to keep ourselves accountable. We will discuss three things that I have seen work in the past.

---

Hey, it's Brittney.  I'm a Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach at Milestone.  Let's take a moment to talk about the unique benefits of two of the most popular forms of exercise: Weightlifting and Cardio.  What's the difference?  Which one should you do?  Will weightlifting make you BULKY???  If you've ever wondered these things, keep reading.

In my experience as a trainer I have seen many people with goals of weight loss. Of these people there are many who do not reach their goals because of one or two things in their lifestyle that hold them back. I have developed 5 things that I have seen work and were sustainable for weight loss.

1.Make a Plan and Commit to it

When you first decide you are ready to make changes to your life you should write down a plan for this change to occur. I really mean write it down! Writing down a plan of action and keeping it somewhere you can see helps you hold yourself accountable. When you are making your plan make sure that it is something that is achievable. For example, if you work three twelve hour shifts a week do not make a plan to workout seven days a week, that is just not something that is realistic.

2.Have a community to keep you accountable

Having a community means having a trainer, friends, or family to make sure you are sticking to your plan. In my experience it is best to have someone at the gym that is holding you accountable. So having a workout buddy or a trainer is the best way to keep to your plan. If you are working with a friend, make sure that friend is on your same fitness level so that one person is not trailing behind the other.

3. Nutrition, Hydration, and Sleep

I will be posting more on this in later posts but these three components are probably one of the most important things when it comes to weight loss. As far as nutrition goes it is very important to make sure you are getting all of the nutrients you need and avoiding unhealthy foods. For hydration, 64 ounces of water is the minimum that we should be drinking. For sleep, a person needs to be getting at least 6-8 hours a night. Overall on these topics there is a lot of information on the internet and many of them are not reputable. So when you are looking for nutrition advice it is best to consult a dietitian or at least make sure your sources are reputable.

4. Have an Effective Workout

An effective workout is different for every person. As a personal trainer my job is to make effective workouts for all types of people. Working with a personal trainer gives you an individualized workout that identifies your personal strengths and weaknesses. I think the second best thing you can do is to join a fitness class that you enjoy. Although these classes are not always individualized, they typically give modifications for all levels so that most people can participate. Another great thing is to find an at home program that works for you.

5. Do NOT Give Up!

This is one of the hardest things to do. Weight loss is difficult, takes time, and requires sacrifice. My biggest tip for you is to not get discouraged. Weight loss will happen even if sometimes we aren’t perfect with our plan. Be patient and work hard.