Hold Me Accountable

Accountability is the reason that many of us start this whole blogging thing.  It's amazing the power of putting goals out into the world and seeing an interaction of people with them.  They hold you to it.  It's so easy for you to just shy away from a difficult task if it's just you.  But, once you tell someone else, and you have to answer to them about status and progress, well, the game changes.

Enter Mr. 1500.

So, there was a point in time when Mr. 1500 was talking about how he wanted to to lose some weight.  So, I offered to give him some workout videos. Through the process of trying to get him several massive video files, a bet blossomed.

Basically, we have until FinCon to lose as much weight as possible.  We will weigh in at Fincon and the winner gets dinner paid for by the loser, a guest post on their blog, a growler of local beer, and most importantly $1.

We decided that we would track this with weekly weigh-ins and then once we hit October, we'll go dark , we'll stop updating each other, and have a final weigh-in live in front of all our contemporaries.  Sort of like one of our favorite shows, the Biggest Loser.  It's going to be a fantastic evening.  I guess I'll have to figure out how to get a scale to Dallas.

We're a little over a month in, so how's it going?

I think someone is going the wrong way?

As you can see, I'm considerably ahead, and gaining speed.  But, I know he's hungry for a victory (see what I did there!), so I have to keep it up.  I'll have to answer to my 3 screaming fans at the final weigh in!!!

What have I been doing?

Well, Sun Tzu says in the Art of War:

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."

When we decided on this bet, I knew that I was taking a new job.  That new job had a lovely commute that came with it, a 25 mile round trip bike ride.  I hadn't been doing any sort of physical activity up until that point.  I even just recently got a new bike, after my other one was destroyed.  At this point, I can count on one hand how many times I've driven a motorized vehicle to my new office, and I've been there over 6 weeks!

Another thing that has helped me, is being in two competitions at once... one where I am very publicly accountable, and one where I am in a death match at home with the Mrs.

She's even started meeting me on my way home and riding with me.  It's another one of those great times that we get a chance to catch up and rehash the day while we ride along the beach.  Bike rides certainly are something that we are going to continue for the foreseeable future.

We've also been working out in the mornings.  So, we'll get up and go for a run, or do some workout in our free gym, in our garage.  It's very helpful to have a partner, that not only is supportive, but also is trying to beat you at your own game.

We're cooking every night, we haven't really changed our diet all that much, but we are eating less.  I've started going with fruit in the morning opposed to waffles and pancakes.

Beer has been something that we should give up and just can't bring ourselves to.  It's just too good!!!!

I've tried and tried and tried to do these weight loss challenges in the past, and have never really been successful.  I always find myself about 2-3 weeks in saying to myself:

Ehhh... who cares.  It's just for me.  I don't really care.

This is where the accountability comes in.  Now that I've broadcast this to the world I feel more obligated to make it happen.  Our friend at 1500days has blasted it out to his dozens of followers.  And because now, I have people hitting me up on twitter, tempting me with delicious beers.

Thanks a lot guys!!!

Accountability works wonders, Try it

This works for anything that you are attempting to change, including savings rates and cost cutting.  It keeps you honest, it keeps you motivated.  Numbers don't have feelings and excuses, neither does the universe.  Holding your own feet to the fire (or FIRE) tends to make it so you can't back away.  You have to keep going.  It worked for our marathons, just imagine if we told all those people we were doing it, only to shy away?

So, if you're having trouble sticking to your goals, start talking about them.  Let people and the universe know.  You'll be amazed how much more you'll stick to it, when you know that someone is going to ask you about it the next time you see them.  So, I'll have to keep updating you on the progress I'm making with weight loss.  Who knows if we want to expose our budget, but it certainly keeps you interested when you have to answer to someone.

But, in the mean time... Remember: