15 easy ways to keep yourself accountable this new year

15 easy ways to keep yourself accountable this new year15 easy ways to keep yourself accountable this new yearNew year, new you, right? Well, its leid always that easy. Weve all been there - New Years Evecomes and we make promises to ourselves were going to bethe healthiest, happiest, and best we can be Sounds like a good goal, doesnt it?But then the end of January comes to a close, and our motivation starts to waver as the joyof the holidays trickles into hard, busy days and a routine that leaves us unable to catch our breath. March comes in the blink of an eye, and by the time July rolls around, our New Years resolutions landseem like a far off dream. You know this cycle all too well, dont you?Well, its time to break the cycle - 2019 is going to beyour year. You really can be the healthiest youve ever been this time around, because weve found the secret formula that the vicious, endless cycle has been missing accountability. Holding yourself accountable to reach your goals ensure s that whenthe going gets tough, you dontgive up.And you know what happens when you dont give up, right? It snowballsintobigger goalsand evenmore motivation. By the time 2020 rolls around, maybe you wont even feel the need to make any New Years resolutions at all.With 15 easy ways, heres how to hold yourself accountable to achieve your healthiest self, ever1. Get in the right mindsetBefore setting your goals, you must know your why. Take some time reflecting or journaling on why accomplishing this goal is important to you, and how it will make a difference in your life. So when youre going through the day-to-day, you wont be thinking, Ihaveto wake upat 6amto exercise. Youll be thinking, Iwantto wake up at 6am to exercise, because it makes me feel so much happier and healthier throughout the day if I get a workout in in the morning. Know your why and remind yourself of it daily.2. Preparewhat you need in advanceDo you prefer morning workouts? Lay out all your clothes next to your bed , and even untie your sneakers so theyre ready to go in the morning. Pack up your gym bag or prepareanything else you need, likesetting out your water bottleand car keys.If you workout in the afternoons and your lifestyle allows it, consider wearing your workout clothes before your workout, like when youre running errands or doing work.Having everything ready to go will make it so much easier to get yourself to workout, and will put you in the mindset that this workoutwillhappen. Preparation also works for nutrition goals, too - meal prepmakes it much less likely for you to resortto takeout after a busy workday orsnack on unhealthy choices like chips and cookies.3. Get an accountability buddyHave a friend or work wife who also wants to stick to health goals? Make them your accountability buddy and motivate each other by exchanging healthy recipes, sending motivational quotes, and checking in to see how the other is feeling or keeping up with their goal. Yes, you should be holding yo urself accountable, but it doesnt hurt when someone else holds you accountable, too Youll be much more motivated feeling like youre in this together.4. Set specific small goals every weekLose20 pounds is a far off goal that will leave you disappointed and unmotivated - trust me. If you want to be healthier, set smaller, more specific (and non-scale related) goals throughout each week to be a healthier you. On Sundays, think about what you want to achieve that you can manage in your lifestyle - fit in four workouts total, run three miles instead of your usual two, lift 10 extra pounds, or addgreens to two meals a day. And then work up towards achieving your goal, so by the time the week is over, youll feel accomplished, proud of yourself, and more motivated to set harder goals for the next week.5. Use apps to track your statsSince its hard to alwayskeep yourself accountable, why not let an app do it for you? Theres a reason heart rate monitor workouts like Orangetheory are so popul ar - you see the stats, so youknowhow hard youre working, and whether or not you reached your goal. Consider a fitness tracker that will trackactivitylike heart rate and steps, and then set goals based on what you can track (i.e. 13 minutes of 80 percent maximum heart rate, or 12,000 steps a day), so you know if you need to be working harder or putting in more effort. For nutrition, its also helpful to use a food tracker like My FitnessPal to see if youre overeating or not getting all the nutrients your body needs. Theres no arguing with the hard facts6. Planyour workouts like youre scheduling an appointment.Try signing up for a workout class - the cancellation fee in itself will be enough to keep you accountable If you workout with a trainer, that means you both must agree on a meeting time.Having a set plan will hold you accountable to show up, making itharder to make excuses not to. Ifyou prefer solo workouts, dont just plan to workout sometime tomorrow or whenever you have tim e. Guess what you will never have time Scheduleworkouts in advance, write theminto your planner or calendar, and honor that workout - show up on time, be prepared - like you would any other appointment or meeting on your schedule.7. Reward yourself for reaching small goals.If you plan to workout four days a week for two weeks and reach that goal, or plan to eat healthy and end up resisting geschftszimmer rice krispy treats not once, not twice, but three times? You deserve to be rewarded Of course, your rewards should not be counterintuitive to your goal, like a cheat meal or piece of cake. Thats just training your brain to see yourefforts as ahavetoand making unhealthy food the goal, instead. Try rewarding yourself with the leggings youve been wanting, a sports bra that youll love, or even a facial. Or plan yourself a movie night in at the end of the week, complete withhomemade popcornand a glass of wine (even goals can have a little fun).8. Workoutwith friendsEven with our busy l ifestyle, weleise want to fit in social time with all our best friends That usually means an after work drink or meeting up for dinner, but why not make your social schedule healthier and more attune to your goals? Go on a walk to catch up with a friend instead of meeting for coffee. Cancel the brunch plans one week and schedule a spin class and post-workout smoothies with your girl friends. Not only will you get the quality time in a healthier way, but working out with a friend or two will hold you accountable to make sure you dont skip the workout.9. Journal your progressHere at The Everygirl, we could talk about the benefits of journaling until were blue in the face (and oftendo). It creates a space for mindfulness, thoughtfulness, and purrumliche lage, and can help you achieve all of your goals. Get a journal thats specific for your health goals (likehereandhere), so you can record your progress. You can also use any blank notebook (or the notes in your phone) and every day, wri te about what you did towards your specific goal, and how you felt during the day.Not only willjournaling about your goals on a daily fundament keep you motivated and proud of yourself, butknowing youre tracking your daily progresswillhold you accountable. Its a lot less tempting to skip the workout or order takeout when you know youll feel so much less proud of yourself when youre writing about it later.10. Have a plan BSo you slept through your alarm and missed your morning workout? Or are feeling under the weather and just dont want to go to spin class? Have an easy and flexible backup plan so that you just dont completely give up when your plan doesnt work out. Going on a 30-minute walk after dinner or doing a yoga YouTube video before hopping in the shower are great ways to fit in movement and keep yourself feeling motivated and good about your goals, even when your plan doesnt work out. Having a backup that youdontneed to schedule when your plan falls through is crucial to sta ying on track.11. Create a vision boardSurround yourself with images and words that are motivating to you. If mantras are your thing, come up with your own, write it down, and post it on your mirror or somewhere where youll see it often. You can also start a vision board filled with motivating images like a picture of yourself from when you remember feeling healthy and happy, or amagazine cut-out of someone achieving your goal (like crow pose or running a 5k). You can also post healthy recipes youve liked, or pictures of women you admire for their drive and ambition. Visually seeing your goal as often as possible will keep you motivated.12. Find ways to stick to your goals that are enjoyable for you.If you want to eat healthy but hate salad, dont eat salads If you want to get fit but cant run a mile to save your life, dont force yourself to run right off the bat. Instead, find the things you enjoy - the foods you like, the exercises thatmake you have fun or feel centered.Learningho w toenjoyachieving your goals is much more likely to make them stick long-term than forcing yourself to eat or do things you dont enjoy. Instead of the same old salad and chicken breast every day of the week, get invested in cooking and trying new things. Experiment with healthy recipes like crockpotcurries or spaghetti squash, and test out workouts to find one that youll not only enjoy, but will look forward todoing, like a dance class or yoga routine. It will be the easiest and most fun way to reach your goals, ever13.Build your own habitsThanks to Beyonc, we know that it takes 22 days to create a habit. Think about what little habits you could make to help yourself achieve your goals. Would an hour of uninterrupted phone time a day help you stay motivated? Would getting to bed an hour earliermake it easier for you to wake up for your morning workout? What about snacking on carrots instead of pita chips when youre hungry before dinner? Commit to building smaller, healthier habits for just 22 days, and watch how easy it is for you to stick to them. After a while, getting enough sleep, choosing the healthier snack, or doing something good for yourself really will just become, well, habit.14. Read, listen to, or watch something positive every day.I loveReal Housewivesjust as much as the next girl, but lets be real - bingeing it every night before bedcertainly does not help out with health goals. Instead, listen to amotivating podcaston your way to work, read a chapter from aself-improvement bookbefore bed, or if reality shows really are more your cup of tea, stream a show likeQueer Eyethat will inspire you to be your best self. Filling your time with inspiration and motivation will make you excited to reach your goals.15. Look for one small victory every day.Every single day, look for a victory you made towards your final end goal. It could be that your jeans are fitting looser, or that you did an extra 10 crunches, made a smoothie for breakfast instead of get ting an Egg McMuffin, or successfully turned down the donut at the office that day.Feeling like youre accomplishing something, no matter how small, and making one small step (or pant size) towards your final goal feels much more motivating than a distant goal that feelsout of reach. Let the victory in itself be its own goal, and get excited for whatever victories the next day will bring - youll reach your end goal in no time 2020 will be so impressed.This article first appeared on The EveryGirl.