Accountability is one of the most powerful forms of extrinsic motivation. While intrinsic motivation will always get you farther and with fewer problems, strengthening it with accountability is an excellent idea to make self-change even easier, particularly if you’ve been living a sedentary lifestyle for a long time.
The easiest way to get accountable from the get go is to set financial stakes. There are sites that can help you stick to your resolutions such as www.stickK.com. You can also simply give a check or cash to your friend and let her spend it or send to a charity or an organization you don’t support (so there’s an even better incentive not to fail) if you don’t keep your word.
Be specific about what you want to achieve and the deadline. The idea only works if there’s no way to renegotiate the contract – you either achieve the goal or lose the money. The pain of losing it once will strengthen your resolve the next time you’re tempted to give up again.
Another way to become accountable from the start is to start exercising with a friend.
A study conducted by Brandon C. Irwin at the Michigan State University and his colleagues has shown that exercising with a partner improves performance on aerobic exercises due to the Köhler effect, a phenomenon that occurs when a person works harder as a member of a group than when working alone[xiii].
However, when you choose to exercise with a partner who’s similar to you in terms of physical activity, there’s a risk you’ll allow each other excuses not to go and exercise.
For this reason, find a more demanding fitness pal, ideally someone with an already developed fitness routine that will push you to exercise. A 2012 study suggests that working out with a slightly better partner makes individuals more persistent[xiv], so for best results, find someone slightly more athletic to help you stick to your new habit.