Outside Accountability

I hate to admit this, it rankles – since I often think of myself as fiercely independent – but I just done seem able to do it on my own. I have tried.

More specifically I have failed miserably because I seem to hardly try at all! Obviously, I cannot do it on my own, so it is now time to call in the big guns.

Since having ranted last week about not being able to adhere to any sort of fitness and nutrition regimen; I have thought about it, while eating more junk and skipping workouts (oh, if ONLY I WERE joking), and want I really need is outside accountability.

Like a child having their homework checked when they claim to be done I think I might need to enlist the aid of some friends to help “encourage” me (read: kick me in the arse and slap me upside the head) on my fitness and weight loss path.

I have goals - that I believe to be realistic. I have a plan - that I believe to be not too challenging (for the fitness side of things) and not too restrictive (for the nutrition side of things) so maybe what I need to do is start tracking the reality of executing that plan and show it to a few close friends on a regular basis and have them - check my progress (read: pat me on the back or slap my wrist).

I recently saw somewhere that in October of 2009 the World Health Organization declared that Obesity was now killing more people that Starvation – so I know I am not alone in my struggle.

Tonnes of people (pardon the pun) are part of Weight Watchers and PART of what makes WW work (at least for some) is the Outside Accountability - you show up every week and get on a scale in front of some stranger and have to justify how much you weigh this week versus how much you weighed last week - and though I DO NOT agree with the "scale as your benchmark" focus, I do like the idea of having to justify my actions to others.

Well, at least in principle...

I think that I could ask my friends S & C to help keep me honest – but the trick will be accepting the kick in the pants when they are required (and I hope C & S are brave enough to apply their foot to my backside) and ULTIMATELY being honest with them. After all, they can’t be around to KEEP me honest, and they will only know what I report to have done (sorry C, but random spot-checks of the contents of my kitchen garbage will not be sufficient to keep me honest).

Maybe just the act of consciously thinking about having to account for my nutrition and exercise on a daily basis will be enough to help me think twice about cheating.

Maybe, since I don’t want to lie to C & S, I will be able to be honest with them – and ultimately honest with myself.

Maybe, if I’m really lucky, I will get a Gold Star on my homework.