What do you do for accountability and exercise?

I personally like to be outside when I exercise, so doing anything confining indoors has made it difficult for me to stick to something during the cold season--which, of course, is when I need it most! In trying to solve my dilemma of how to exercise without wanting to quit, I decided to go walking at 6:00am while my little ones were still asleep and my hubby (who doesn't mind working out inside) uses the elliptical. I enticed my friend Ginger to come with me as an accountability partner as well as someone to talk to because she's my friend. :) I'm training for a 5K, so I'm walking/running for my exercise. In the Spring, I plan to do it outside on the track of the local high school. I'm taking it one day at a time.

Having Ginger rely on me to help get her to the church gym where we're walking helps keep me motivated to get up, even on the mornings that I can barely pry my eyes open at 5:30am. If it was my husband I was relying on for accountability, I think I'd fail because he loves me and doesn't want me mad at him when I try to justify wanting to sleep more. (He knows me well!) He won't push me like I push myself when others outside of my family count on me to help them. Something else that helps me immensely is having a vision for myself. (That's a future post altogether though.)

Another accountability device for me is thatI've also joined a weightloss support group made up of my best friends. We meet weekly, have a lesson based on this program, report on our successes, and problem solve for our struggles. It's been extremely helpful to me. It helps keep me going and I know that if I falter, that my friends are there to help inspire me to pick myself up, brush myself off, and push myself back on track again. I highly recommend having a weightloss support group of any kind. It doesn't have to cost money, although for some people that is helpful motivation. For me, it's taken a mind-shift to really open my eyes to the core of my issues and get back to my ultimate goals of drawing closer to the Savior and relying on His help to change me so I can help others change themselves. It takes a mind-shift for anyone to succeed. We have to change ourselves inside to really change our physical realities. If you want a deep, thought provoking explanation to why you've been in bondage to (fill in the blank) , here's an awesome video that explains it really well. I haven't been the same since I watched it. Do it! It'll be worth your time, I promise!