Fitness Challenge: Accountability Buddies Rock!

Day 1:  I was so fired up!  Ready to take on this challenge and kick butt!  I walked in to my gym with a new sense of purpose about my workout – not about just the dreaded losing the couple extra pounds but about changing BEHAVIOR!  Yeah!

My intention was to get a baseline measurement from a physical trainer.  I got one of these when I joined the gym 3 years ago, and figured I was due another for free, but was willing to pay if needed.  I was pleasantly surprised when they told me that yes, I get one free assessment each year with my membership!  So I filled out the form, turned it over and expectantly looked at the greeter to point me to my trainer.  He said “okay, you’re all set.”  I must have looked confused because then he added “a trainer will be calling you in the next couple of days”.  Humpf. If you know me at ALL you know I like measurement.  Now I wouldn’t have a TRUE DAY 1 measurement…it was going to be like Day 4 or Day 5.  Not cool.

So then I looked around for my friend who works there (Jason in membership – no really, he is my friend, not just the guy who sold me the membership!  He’s my brother’s wife’s brother!).  I thought that maybe he could wrangle someone for me.  His office was dark, so I just said to myself, “it doesn’t matter – the real behavior change is about consistently working out 3-5 times a week – the measurement was just gravy!! And you’re HERE! So go work out!”  With my pep talk wringing in my ears, I climbed on the elliptical and settled down for a marathon of 6 month old magazines and Law and Order reruns.

After I finished my 45 minutes, I walked over to stretch a bit and heard “Hey!” — I turned and there he was!  Jason! We stretched together and I told him about my program.  And then I asked him to be my accountability buddy – I told him I would tell him when I was going to the gym, and if he could watch out for me and make sure I was actually going, text me if I wasn’t there, and just in general support me, that would be amazing.

Not only did he say yes, he took it one step further.  He said that after I (finally) meet with the trainer, that we could sit down and set up a schedule, that he would workout with me (WORKOUT BUDDY!!!) during times he could, and basically, that we would do this together!  I would be motivating HIM to be more consistent! Whoo hoo!  I almost cried (seriously, I get really emotional about this stuff!).

So I went home re-fired up, although a bit “in waiting” since I need to meet with my trainer before setting this all up – I have to admit to being a bit discouraged by that roadblock.  But Friday, my accountability buddy came through and texted me “GO TO GYM” Love it.  I told him Friday was my day off but would meet him at yoga at 9AM on Saturday.  He was going to be working, but said he would see me there.

Saturday at 8:30AM, as I was starting to wrangle my kids into the strollers and those thoughts of “well, it might be better just to stay home so Alex can take a proper nap” Jason’s text popped into my mind….”GO TO GYM” .  I smiled, put my shoes on and walked out the door.  I was late, but I was there.  Namaste!  (In a universe aligning-note, my Yoga Teacher, Jackie Prete, was focusing on breaking through barriers, what she called ‘fishnets’ in class – so perfect!)

Got a call yesterday from the trainer and will call back this AM to set up my fitness session.  Hopefully by the end of day tomorrow I will have a program in place so I can schedule it out in my calendar and “officially” start this thing!

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