Health & Well-being

May 1, 2020

Accountability – the secret to health and fitness success!

By Lisa Jane

Accountability is your friend. It’s the secret to discipline because, well, we all know self-discipline isn’t easy.

No athlete or sportsperson ever became great without a coach. Even the most focused and driven person needs help to show up and work hard on a regular basis.

Accountability means accepting responsibility for undertaking your assigned tasks and reporting to someone (your PT or workout buddy is great for this role!) or something (your fitness app or food diary!).

In having to report your achievements (or lack thereof), you are motivated by the mere fact of letting them down and having to face their (maybe perceived) disappointment. While we often have little regard for letting ourselves down, letting someone else down is psychologically much harder. The fact we must admit to someone that we have not done what we said we would, can be the best kick in the butt we need to ensure we do it!

A workout partner makes a great accountability buddy. By working out with another person, you add an inherent obligation to show up so that you’re not letting them down! They make working out more fun too. You look forward to your exercise sessions instead of making excuses not to do them.

Why do we need an Accountability Buddy?

We need an accountability buddy because we will do for them that which we are not willing to do for ourselves!

Having a buddy improves productivity.

Exercising alone can leave us prey to our human flaws. Procrastination, distraction and prioritising others needs above our own bite hard into making time for ourselves.

A buddy understands what you are going through.

Family are great but don’t always understand what you are really going through. Only another person on a similar fitness journey knows the feelings of the lows and highs, the struggles and frustrations, and the triumphs.

A good buddy is conscientious.

They have high standards and hold you to those standards too. Rather than being ‘nice’, they are honest, knowing that being brutally frank is far more beneficial to you than pandering to your ego. A great buddy makes sure you do your exercises conscientiously and in correct form.

Your buddy is supportive.

The aim of a buddy is to help you do the best you can. They give praise where it’s due, always looking for the positives as well as areas that could be improved.

Becoming a buddy is just as important as having a buddy.

Being responsible and accountable to each other strengthens the depth of commitment to both achieving your goals.

I've got an app, why do I need a buddy?

Apps are excellent tracking tools – they are a great way of measuring and keeping track of your progress. But there is nothing like a real person, your PT or accountability buddy, for giving you a pat on the back when you deserve it or a kick in the butt when you need it.

Do yourself a huge favour and organise an accountability buddy today!

Lisa Jane


I believe in a holistic approach to health and fitness and making small, incremental changes to improve your lifestyle. It isn’t about how you stack up against everyone else, it's about how you feel about yourself! It’s more than your exercise or your food, it is your attitude and your well-being!

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