An obligation to accept responsibility or to account for one's own actions.
As a teacher, I find myself talking about accountability a lot. Holding students accountable for their own actions. Holding teachers accountable for student learning. Holding parents accountable for student learning and behavior. Everyone is supposed to be held accountable. Right?
Same goes for our bodies. And I'll be the first one to tell you, I didn't hold myself accountable for my own body for a long time.
Direct quotes from me:
"I'm chubby because I love ice cream."
No. You're fat because you eat a pint of ice cream...everyday.
"I try to diet, but I love bread too much to give it up."
And you eat a loaf of bread at every damn meal. Do you love bread more than a six pack?
"I don't work out because I'm bigger and it hurts."
No shit it hurts. You haven't moved more than a quarter mile at one time in over 6 years.
"I'm not worried about my weight. I'm thick"
That is not thick. That is 3 cheeseburgers away from cardiac arrest.
Eventually, I had to face the facts: I was fat because I chose to be fat. And nobody was gonna feel sorry for me. Could I have put my happy ass on a treadmill? Uh, yes. Did I? Uh, no. Could I have said no to trying the McDonald's "McGangbang" no matter how intriguing? Definitely. Did I? Definitely not. Finally. Accountability.
I eventually realized that just as I could be held accountable for gaining weight, I could be accountable for getting fit. So I did. I made myself eat right even when I didn't want to. I forced myself to only eat ONE brownie...instead of 15. When I felt like I had my eating on track, I factored in exercise and, man, did that blow at first. But rather than telling myself all the reasons why I shouldn't get to the box or get out and run, I reminded myself of the one reason I should: accountability.
So. In the easiest, most simple terms: Today is today and there may not be tomorrow. Be accountable to yourself. It's YOUR ass. YOU move it.
