The 3 Pillars of Accountability FOR NUTRITION SUCCESS (how to find and harness them!)

“Who are you accountable to?”

I wanted to start this blog post with a question that underpins the ultimate purpose of this piece: to get you the accountability needed to succeed. 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines accountability as an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions. So you may be wondering how this relates to nutrition and your quest to become leaner, build muscle, get stronger, and feel more confident. ​

Well when you understand that the only way to truly succeed is through relentless action over time x consistency + direction, you start seeing why being accountable to said action taking and having personal obligation becomes paramount. 

You’re starting to read this now and perhaps realise you may have a missing link. I’ll help you gain the clarity by asking you another question: 

“Do you lack accountability?”

If you answered YES, then have no fear as your trusty dietitian is here. I’m going to deep dive into the types of accountability (there are 3) and explain how you can harness them for your own nutrition journey. 

Time for you to reach your peak and feel happier, healthier, and more confident (no matter if it’s weight loss or something else you desire).

Importance of ACCOUNTABILITY

So why is accountability so important? After all shouldn’t our own desire to reach our goals suffice. Well yes but no and sometimes but not always. In other words, it depends on the person and what you are trying to achieve.

However, rest assured that I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t thrive on accountability (thrive is different then simply achieving something eventually). In my line of work I like to say that accountability is one of the secret sauces in the nutrition change recipe. Without it you can still win but with it winning is easier, fastER (not quick), and more streamlined. 

All in all, having accountability is important because it ensures the necessary action is not only taken, but taken consistently and effectively. Once you hear about the 3 ways you can get accountability, you will have an even clearer idea of why you need it to achieve the body you desire AND sustain it. 

The 3 pillars explaineD

You’re now ready to hear about the 3 forms of accountability which I named: The 3 Pillars of Accountability. 

Each pillar has its own purpose and benefit but together is how they truly thrive and how you will elevate your nutrition game. Think of each pillar as your “reinforcement beam” for the temple that is your nutrition success. 

My clients have personally implemented these to help them achieve greater weight loss, more muscle gain, enhanced health status, and boosted performance. 

Without further ado, here are the 3 pillars to help you achieve your nutrition & fitness goals.

1) Personal Accountability

Personal accountability is being accountable to yourself. Me, myself, and I. You. 

See the first step to achieving what you set out to achieve is believing in yourself (cliche bomb) but more importantly, holding yourself accountable to the actions necessary to achieve said goals. 

If you aren’t ensuring your actions align with what you say then you will have a misalignment. This misalignment creates a subconscious lack of confidence which obviously acts as an obstacle. Make sense?

So the first pillar and the first one you need to establish is personal accountability because it really does start and stop with you. 

2) Social Accountability

Now onto the second pillar of your accountability temple. Social accountability - as the name implies - is about your social circle. 

They say you are the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with in day to day life. Well whether this is true or not, it’s easy to see why those around you have a true influence on you (for better or for worse). You are influenced in some way or another by those around you, so you want to make sure it’s in a positive way.

That’s where social accountability comes in. It’s being accountable to someone you truly don’t want to disappoint. Someone who will call you on your BS because they want the best for you. It’s about complimenting your own driving forces with the influence of those close to you. 

I’ll explain soon how to harness this pillar but for now start thinking about: “who do I deeply don’t want to disappoint?” & “who’s got my best interests in place?”. 

3) Professional Accountability

Uno. Dos. And now tres. Let’s talk about professional accountability (aka Expert Accountability). 

This is the final pillar and the one that truly generates results and makes the magic happen - complimenting the first 2 non-negotiable pillars like a cheat code in a game. 

So what is it? Well it’s simple. Professional accountability is working with an expert who knows how to get you from point A to point B. Someone who has been there and done that. And more importantly, helped others like you achieve the same results. 

If you are reading this post then you are obviously working on your nutrition and therefore a dietitian (or Sports Dietitian) would be the accountability partner you need. A dietitian is a nutrition expert and can therefore take out the guesswork and provide clear guidance and direction to help you reach your peak.

Think of it this way:
You are the climber.
The map is the nutrition plan & blueprint for success.
The dietitian is the Sherpa (your coach and mentor). 
​The summit is achieving your ultimate goal & 'forever solution'. 

Without professional accountability (whether it's a dietitian, PT, physio, or a psychologist), you may be doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. Or you may be overwhelmed by doing it all on your own and risk giving up. Or you may even be doing the wrong thing/s all together. Neither of those are ideal situations as you would agree.  

But should I?

Now I know you might be wondering, is this all necessary? Will this work for me? Do I really NEEEEDDD this? Should I get external accountability? 

Well no but you don’t need pizza in your life yet imagine life without it [insert any food you love if you are a hater who dislikes pizza]. 

Accountability enhances your efforts and therefore should be a prime consideration for you. Heck i’d argue you that without it you are purposely trying to limit your potential.

Let me be more blunt. A common theme among many of my current clients and those who have worked with me, has been that the accountability that coaching provides was the most important part of their journey & a vital part of working with me. 

Aka accountability and success goes hand in hand like spaghetti and meatball. 

They say that being accountable to me as their dietitian helped them get through the hard times when giving up seemed the way to go and also ensured they had direction. Without direction and the right guidance you may find yourself in no man's land which I can assure you is not conducive to reaching your peak physique. 

Need I say more?

But how?

Ok now that you understand the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of accountability, let’s cover the ‘how’. 

How can you yourself harness these accountability pillars to your advantage? 

Personal Accountability 

The best way to get personal accountability is to establish your true ‘why’. The purpose behind what you are doing. The deeper driving force. Why do you truly want to achieve what you’ve set out to achieve?

Answer that and then remind yourself of it daily and you'll notice a change in your mood and your actions. And if you are feeling extra inspired then you may also want to add on a weekly reflection to think about your actions & whether or not they align with your goals. 

Social Accountability

Getting social accountability is a matter of finding an accountability partner and then deciding on how you will foster that relationship. Find someone you deeply don’t want to disappoint (remember my earlier question?), then tell them your goals. 

Finally, to add the cherry on top of the sundae you want to decide on how you’ll action this accountability. Weekly chat? Telling them when your actions are not congruent with your mission? Simply updating them on your progress? Doing it together?

Doesn’t matter. You decide. It just needs to be enough for you to stay on track because you know someone is keeping you accountable one way or another. 

Professional Accountability 

Seeking and gaining professional accountability is simple but nerve racking. Afterall, you’re seeking the help from a professional and making an investment in your future. So I'm going to keep it simple so you stress less about th process.
​

1. Decide what you are struggling with
2. Determine the expert who can help with this
3. Find someone who you resonate with
4. Send them a message & ask for help
5. Invest in yourself 
6. Succeed

Easier than expected? It should be. Getting help is important so don’t let fear hold you back. Just take the action needed to get it and embrace the process.  

Click here if you want to chat with me about working 1:1 (yes shameless plug I know but I also know i can help so sorry not sorry. Look forward to hearing from some of you action takers).

Conclusion

So there you have it, a blueprint of accountability so you can start harnessing the secret sauce and achieving more with your nutrition. Hope you now have a clear idea of the different types and how to get it for yourself.

I’m curious, are you lacking the accountability needed to succeed?
Feeling like you are missing out on what my clients are harnessing?

Well don’t feel like you need to stay where you are. I want to help so if you are ready to achieve more with your nutrition and overcome your barriers to reach your peak potential...then we need to chat.

Your nutrition & fitness goals deserve to be achieved more effectively without the stress and guesswork of navigating the noise in the nutrition & health space these days. 

Send me a message at theclimbingdietitian@gmail.com & say ‘PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY’. I’ll know you read this post and are ready for me to coach you personally 1:1 to your best results yet.

And if you want to learn more about me and my Flexible Macro Approach then check me out at:
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Instagram: @theclimbingdietitian
Facebook: The Climbing Dietitian
Youtube: The Climbing Dietitian
Podcast: The Reach Your Peak Experience

Talk soon!
Aleksa
Sports Dietitian & Nutrition Coach

P.s. If you are ready to take action now and are brave enough to invest in yourself sooner rather than later then you can CLICK HERE to apply now and see if you are the right fit.