Most of us made some type of 2016 goals – I know I did. And many of those who made resolutions have to do with fitness and/or nutrition. If I told you one way to highly increase your chances would help you to stay on track, and even likely cost you less money, would you try it?

Whether it’s to workout four days a week, lose X amount of pounds, adopt a more nutritionally sound diet, or just to stick with a plan, having a group atmosphere in one way or another will benefit you tremendously.

Going it alone can be tough, but having a few others for support can not only help you stay committed to your goals, but also have a little more fun along the way. Using group accountability to get fit could help you immensely in the long run.

In fact, one of the top acknowledgements from the ladies in my online boot camp programs is that they enjoyed the group accountability and support SO much along the way. And there’s a reason that this social relatedness can play such a key role in your aspirations.

How Being Social Could Help You Stick to Your Training + Nutrition Plan

1) Your community acts as your teammates.

Playing volleyball all my life, I relate a lot of things back to sports. In a team atmosphere, you’re all working for one common goal – to win. The same goes for being part of a group for your health goals. You’re all interested in bettering yourselves in one way or another, and will cheer, encourage, support, and hold each other accountable along the way. Having this sort of support system is ha-yuge.

2) It builds community.

Humans are social creatures by nature. Approaching your goals solo can have an isolating effect, while being part of a group build a sense of tribe or community. You take interest in others’ lives, and vice versa that reaches outside of just workouts and what you ate.

3) It holds you accountable.

For my online boot camp ladies, they’re not only held accountable to me, their coach, but we also have fun daily check-ins and deliverables where there’s a conversation between the community. Having your buddies to report back to can help you fit in your workout, push a little harder, and make food choices that are in line with your goals.

4) Friendly competition.

I also have check-in challenge prizes every so often in my programs. Depending on the challenge, this helps my clients hit their workouts, their goals, push a little harder, and celebrate each others’ victories. It provides a sense of working together for a common goal, but also provides a chance to stand out and be a great example or motivation.

Now, there are also a few cautions with being part of an accountability community. While it’s ok to share your struggles, it’s important that the overall tone of the group stay uplifting and positive. Sometimes sharing your excuses or reasons why you didn’t hit your workout or nutritional goals can have a reassuring effect. It’s important to support each other, but also important not to divulge in a string or pattern of complaining.

This is one reason I have consultations with everyone in my groups – to make sure we’re all on the same page. If every shares one common trait – commitment – then we’re good.

I will be opening up sign ups for my February online boot camp next Monday! We’ll be focusing on metabolic resistance training and taking a macronutrient-based approach to our nutrition, and if you’re motivated and believe you can commit to a 6-week program, I’d love to work with you in it. If you’d like to see if it could be a good fit for you and your goals, email me at yourtrainerpaige@gmail.com or leave your email in the comments, and I’ll be in touch with you shortly! XO

Have you ever been part of a fitness or nutrition community? How did it influence you and your goals?