{Originally published on Cranky Fitness}

Since this is Cranky Fitness, what are the chances you’re going to be reading some incredible new weight loss method guaranteeing permanent results?

Yep, you guessed it: pretty much zero! However, it’s time again for Crabby to climb up on her soap box again and offer…

Advice about Self Improvement that You Already Know.

Today’s question: What’s the Secret to maintaining weight loss (or any other self-improvement achievement) for the long haul?

The answer: Accountability.

Yawn. There’s nothing sexy about Accountability.

Making a commitment to Accountability is sort of like getting married to Mr. Rogers, or Eleanor Roosevelt, or Walter Cronkite. Accountability is not Hot and Hip and Hilarious. You’re not going to have the rollicking good times you’d have going out to party with Blissful Ignorance, I’ll Start Tomorrow, Hell–Why Not, or “LA-La-La I Can’t Hear You.” But you’re also not going to wake up in some scuzzy stranger’s seedy apartment with your underwear on your head, reeking of White Russians and Kentucky Fried Chicken Nuggets and hating yourself. Accountability will cut you off and call you a cab before you self-destruct entirely.

Accountability doesn’t have to be quite as dull as you think, however. Mr. Rogers (did he have a first name?) and Eleanor and Walter probably had a few tricks up their sensible cardigan sleeves for keeping things interesting, don’t you think?

(OK, enough of that analogy, lets scrub those images right out of our heads!)

So here are a few tips on how to make Accountability your life-long partner. (You can still have an occasional sizzling fling with Reckless Irresponsibility too, as long as you don’t let it get too serious).

1. Best Basic Accountability Tool: Write Everything Down
Not forever, but when you need to. It works, damn it. Keeping a journal or blog record or spreadsheet or whatever is a huge a pain in the ass–but it’s the quickest and most effective way short of solitary confinement or a coma to get back on track when you’ve strayed.

2. But Accountability Can be Flexible!
Once you’ve gotten back into mostly reasonable eating and exercise habits, you may be able to ease up on the obsessive record keeping. (Or not!)

Accountability can mean mentally counting calories, weighing weekly, or keeping to a workout schedule–or doing nothing at all but observing that your pants still fit.

The trick to easing up, though, is having some ‘trigger’ events to let you know it’s time to get serious again. When those pants start to get snug, you can’t just blame the dryer and go out and buy a bigger pair. Promise yourself you’ll drag out the gosh darned food diary again if you can’t zip ‘em up anymore.

3. Fight Accountability’s Natural Enemy–Perfectionism!

There is a whole post on this here but it’s impossible to stay accountable if you’re afraid to be imperfect. YOU ARE GOING TO SCREW UP. Everyone does. The people who are successful know it, acknowledge it, and stay accountable.

Even the amazing Roni recently lost control over a sleeve of girl scout cookies. Did she pretend it didn’t happen? No, she said, whoops! And then she got right back on track. She didn’t hide the information from herself–or from her blog audience.

4. Know Your Cycle
Not your menstrual cycle–although that’s helpful too, especially if you’re big on retaining water. But some people do best with a steady approach and frequent check-ins, while others can tolerate more variance in how much effort they put into healthy eating and exercising. While “yo-yo” dieting is generally a bad idea, many people find that they can get a little sloppy over time, and then they feel a natural desire to self-correct.

Do you have this self-correcting tendency? If you don’t, then you have to monitor how things are going with much more rigor, and check in more frequently so as not to let things get out of hand.

But say you’re the self-correcting type, and you’re going on a two week vacation. Perhaps you go totally bonkers while you’re gone, eating all kinds of crazy-ass junk the entire time and having a blast. But then you come back and say: Yeeesh, enough of that, I feel Disgusting! And you go back to healthy eating and exercise with renewed vigor because it just feels right.

Are you this kind of person? Some of us are, some of us aren’t. The trick is to figure out what works for you. If you enjoy periodic all-bets-are-off bouts of absolute naughtiness, and can recover from them, don’t feel like you have to structure your approach like everyone else’s. Staying accountable means staying accountable to your own goals, not someone else’s.

5. Have A Three-Way
Or invite even more folks to the party! By inviting friends or blog readers or whatever to watch you and Accountability going at it, you add a level of commitment to the process that can help keep you on track. (But warning: by involving other people, you will also increase the temptation to lie or cheat rather than embarrass yourself in front of them. This is counterproductive! If you find yourself fudging, then stop sharing info. Honesty to yourself is more important than keeping others in the loop).

6. Recognize that “Accountants” are Often Considered Freaks
People who keep food diaries; who refuse a piece of cake at the office party; who order their dressing on the side or track how many miles they ran before work can be regarded as “obsessive” or “fanatical” by others. Even if you work or hang out with people who have totally unhealthy lifestyles, it’s tempting to look to others to decide what’s “normal.” And counting calories or tracking your 10k times? Not “normal.”

But face it: in our society, it’s “normal” to order and eat a 3,000 calorie meal for lunch at a restaurant; to go from dawn to dusk and back to dawn again having gotten no exercise at all. It’s normal to pack on more pounds every year and feel crappier and crappier but do nothing about it except feel miserable.

Be proud of your Freakishness! Go ahead and take Mr. Rogers as your date to the company Christmas party and don’t let anyone give you any crap about it. After a few decades, you’re going to realize that Mr. Rogers is actually looking pretty hot.

Editor’s Pick by Jacqueline from Fitarella: Senior-Whiner-in-Residence, Crabby McSlacker takes fitness writing to a whole other level with posts ranging from recipes to Porn for New Moms. And since I’m a mom, that likes porn, recipes AND fitness I am her fan for life! I love this post, it is a great reminder of our responsibility to ourselves and our health. Read more Cranky Fitness and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any of their Skanky Fitness tips. Read the original post, as well as reader’s comments about their “inner freak”.

Tonight I put on my Express size 5/6 jeans again.  I didn’t have to struggle, suck it in, or lay down to get them buttoned!

I never dreamed I would be able slide into these again. Since February, I’ve lost twenty pounds.  That’s a lot, considering that I wasn’t fat to begin with.  However, those twenty pounds were necessary, because now I definitely look better, feel healthier, and am more comfortable with my body.

Want to know my secret? Five simple words:  “I love my beautiful body.”

Think about it!  A person who loves their body will take care of it.  If you were to body-sit for a loved one’s body, wouldn’t you do everything it needs, to make sure you return it happy and healthy?  You’d feed it the most nutrient-rich, yummy food you could find, and you’d give it lots of exercise, and you’d never say things like, “You’re so fat,” or “God, if you could just lose fifteen pounds…” Hell no you wouldn’t say that!!  If you were body-sitting, you would be kind and gentle, giving it everything it needed and telling it good things!

So, why is it that we don’t care for our bodies the way we know we need to?

I believe it’s has everything to do with how we think of our bodies. Instead of loving them, we put negative energy into our selves, wishing we could just lose (fill in the flaw)… or saying we’re not good enough until (fill in the ‘what am I lacking’)… Guess what!  Thoughts like that affect our bodies.

You are what you think! And by changing the way I thought, I was able to bring forth to the outside of my body what it was that I thought from the inside of it.  I wrote it in soap crayon on the tiles in my shower.  I wrote it on my mirrors.  Every time I turned the clasp on my necklace, I whispered, “I love my beautiful body.”

Eventually, I began to believe that.  The power of your thoughts is everything.  In order to break habitual thinking, or any habit for that matter, you must change that thought you express into something that is contradictory to what you have previously thought.  For instance, when I quit smoking, I changed my self-perception into, “I am not a cigarette smoker.”

At first it was a struggle.  “I love my beautiful body” conflicted with the original self image I had; it conflicted with the, I’m fats or I’m not pretty enoughs.  That confliction is why I needed the reminders to change my thinking through out my day.  I needed the necklace clasps and the soap crayons.

If you want to be beautiful from the outside, you must express beautiful things from the inside.  Do not criticize your body; love it and care for it.  Nurture it.

If you take care of your SELF, then everything else just falls into place.

Editor’s pick from Jennifer at Playgroups are No Place for Children.  I stumbled across Ash’s site and was intrigued by her uplifting and positive spirit.  A recent college graduate with a B.A. in Psychology, she has obviously been very busy, positively so, and maintains two blogs, Into the Rabbit Hole and Shine!.  You can read the original post here, but be sure to check out both sites to gain some insight into her positive thinking world.

A silly post for all the things I’d like to see invented for the active, athletic mom that I am.

1. I am an avid exerciser and need to wear my heart rate monitor when I run. HOWEVER, I always get nasty welts/blisters/chaff burns from the combination of the strap and the jog bra. The bra must be moisture-wicking, BOMB proof, and does not chaff my arm holes either. As yet, my best bra (CW-X extra Firm hold) does not solve the HR monitor strap problem.

2. A cup holder for my Mountain Bike. We do a lot of riding around town on the weekends and I’d surely would appreciate a way to cruise home with my speciality drink held securely on my bike. No spillage allowed.

3. Flash cards. I need flash cards that are laminated, BOMB proof (nobody can destroy them) for weight training. I have the equipment, I can carve out the time, but, I need routines written down and illustrated for me. Something I could grab and go do! Preferably the cards would come with multiple routines with various levels from beginner to advanced.

4. A DateBook. I need a datebook that has a calender, blank pages to write down all the food I put in my mouth, tracking of my workouts, as well as space for grocery lists, to do lists, etc.. It needs to be stylish looking on the outside- but very functional on the inside.

5. Stylish clothing for bike commuting that are also incredibly functional. My Lole top worked great today because I realized it had a pocket in the back for my cell phone. However, my really cute skort shorts were too short underneath- which lead to my inner legs to rub on the saddle- ouch!

6. Misters. Kid friendly misters for those hot rides around town in the trailer.

7. Ice packs that go around the neck to lower core temperatures while exercising.

If you could invent anything, what would it be?

If you’ve seen something like what I’ve listed here please feel free to comment so that I may go check it out!

Editor’s Pick by Women’s Diet and Fitness: Fitness for Mommies posts go from amazing giveaways to fun time with the family, there is always something interesting going on over there! Make sure to stop by and check out her original post and then subscribe to her newsletter!

1. Enter Mother’s Market. Spend upwards of twenty minutes aimlessly walking around the store, feigning interest in various items while, in reality, you are too shy to ask the cute dude with dreads about the Neti Pot.

2. Locate a very tall Swedish man with a skinny plumber’s butt and ask for assistance locating the Neti Pots. Loudly knock over an organic tissue box display with your stroller.

3. Find and purchase Neti Pot.

4. Return home. Sit on couch. Take Neti Pot box out of the shopping bag.

5. Stare at Neti Pot box.

6. Repeat #5 several times.

7. Make dinner.

8. Finish dinner. Sit on couch.

9. Repeat #5.

10. Place Neti Pot box on the couch next to you, barely touching your leg. Pray that the physical contact alone will unleash the magical healing powers of the Neti Pot.

11. Realize magical Neti Pot diffusion isn’t happening. Decide to open the box.

12. While opening the box, notice the term “nasal douching” written on the side. Gag forcefully. Repeat #5.

13. Quickly get over your fears when your sinus cavities remind you that YOU WILL DIE IF YOU DON’T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE MUCUS.

14. Prepare Neti Pot with the warm water and salt. (1/4 teaspoon to 8 ounces water is the recommended amount. I used a little bit less, thanks to your comments.)

15. Read the directions 5,000 times and obsessively worry that your head won’t be tilted properly.

16. Lean over the sink, tilt head and stick the Neti spout into your right nostril, creating a “seal”.

17. Pour water into your right nostril. See nothing coming out the other side. Wonder where the water is going. Tilt head upwards to look in the mirror. Salt water now gushes down your throat. Choke. Scream, “I’M DROWNING! HELP MEEEE!”

18. Realize you are, in fact, NOT drowning. Collect yourself.

19. Try again, this time tilting your head properly. The saltwater flows directly out the other nostril! You are amazed! This is the coolest party trick ever!

20. Feel equally happy/horrified about the expelled contents of your nose.

I’m here to tell you – don’t be scared of the Neti Pot! There is definitely a little bit of a learning curve when it comes to the tilt of your head (not tilting downwards enough can cause the saltwater to drain in your throat), but once you have that down, it’s really easy. I’m definitely a fan. Now, if I only had bought one a week ago, I probably wouldn’t be dealing with my newly-diagnosed sinus infection of mammoth proportions. Oh well, at least I’ll know next time.

Editor’s pick by Catnip at Catnip and Coffee. I love to read Sarah’s posts, she’s funny, she’s sweet, she’s smart, and she really knows great hair! You can find her writing at her personal site, Whoorl, and giving great advice at Hair Thursday. For an extra dose of Whoorl you can follow her on twitter. And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to her feeds!

First the tip (please to file under seriously does she think we’ve never heard this before? and then cross reference under no, People, but I am hoping to trigger an Ah Ha! moment in you).

Goal setting.

It’s that time of year my MizFit friends.

While many of us set fitness goals in January the greater number of us launch full fledged workout attacks/diet revamping & newer loftier fitness goals as bathing suit time approaches.

(brief aside. two things. first? MizFit does not condone this and actually adores the I dont give a crap care attitude. second? I actually overheard a conversation at a local park between two mothers where they were discussing dropping their carbs in anticipation of the community pool opening. Really, People, please to promise me that you shall never become that obsessed. It’s all about health: feeling better, living longer, living healthier.)

Whether your goal is rocking the tankini with confidence or running in your first race the most important things is setting S.M.A.R.T. goals (here’s where you hit print):

It’s really quite easy to do and, just as with our trunk stocking last week, sets you up for success with regards to goal achievement.

By way of example lets use my goal of incorporating more yoga/meditation time in my life.

S. Be sure your goal is specific. Quite. I will start doing my Rodney Yee yoga dvd 3 times a week at 715 pm whilst wearing my boxers and a tank top (yes, Im kidding, but you get the idea. details are key.)

M. Measurable. I will know my goal is accomplished when I do the above.

A. Attainable. The ole notion of setting ourselves up for success. For example, I shouldn’t plan to have a yoga studio opened by mid-April.

R. Realistic. The goal should be one you are both willing and able to work toward. In my mind it should also be something you believe you can achieve (hello Law of Attraction!).

T. Timely. Set a timeframe (please to see “R” above) so that you have a sense of urgency or, as I like to say, a fire lit under yer arse.

My goal would then look like: I will be doing my Rodney Yee yoga dvd a minimum of 3 times a week at 715 pm whilst wearing my boxers and a tank top starting April first going through the summer.

Easy? Yes, in theory. Hard? For sure—-to put into practice.

Make sense? Confused? Hit me up in the comments.

Now, before we go and get too serious, organized & goal-driven I must share with you my guilty pleasure.

Im turning myself in.

I HEART the Warner.

Her show Workout? Im obsessed with the drama, nicknames, the tear jerking, the client successes, the birthdaycakeicingthick make-up worn in the gym by the trainers no less, the dogs, the dating—all of it.

Love.

season three starts April 15 and I already have my DVR ready (and am stalking trying to secure an email interview with Jackie. Any six degrees of Warneration out there?).

Anyone else care to out themselves (*drums fingers on desk*)?

Proclaim your Jesse/Rebecca/Peeler love?

I’m waiting.

Editor’s Pick by Women’s Diet and Fitness.com. I have been a fan of MizFit for quite some time now and I have never read a posts of hers that didn’t either educate me or make me laugh or BOTH! Her posts are by far the best way to start out your morning! You can read her original post HERE and make sure to subscribe to her posts so that you’ll never miss out! I know I don’t want to!

The Fit Bottomed Girls are all about enjoying all that life has to offer, and sometimes life offers dessert. And the FBGs love us some dessert—and not just the fat-free type. Unfortunately, over consumption of mouth-watering desserts can get in the way of maintaining a fit bottom, and most of them aren’t exactly easy to make anyway. Have you ever actually tried making a Martha Stewart dessert? I did it once in college, and after a whole day in the kitchen, while staring at a smug photo of Martha with her perfectly frosted lemon cake, I began to feel inadequate in all areas of my life. (If I can’t get this dang cake’s icing smooth, how will I ever find a job, let alone start a solid career?!)

The FBGs are here to help (and hopefully save you from any of the above-mentioned self esteem snafus). We have a recipe that is so easy even the baking-impaired can succeed. And I personally guarantee its deliciousness. The muffins may not win in a taste test with Martha’s desserts, but you can make them in less than 30 minutes and maintain your sanity.

For the Punk-in Muffins (“punk-in” has a double meaning here, acting both as slang for “pumpkin” and as a verb: punk-ing desserts Ashton-Kutcher style), you take a regular box of spice cake mix and mix it with only a 15-oz. can of pumpkin. If you can find a reduced-sugar spice cake mix you get bonus points.

Two important points to remember:

1. Only mix the cake mix and the can of pumpkin together. Do not—and I repeat do not—add eggs, water, oil, etc. The batter will be thick, but it’s right. Girl Scout’s honor.
2. Do not use a can of pumpkin-pie filling. Get the plain, pureed, boring regular can of pumpkin.

Mix the two ingredients together well, and spoon batter equally into 12 regular muffin tins lined with paper or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Eat and enjoy guilt-free. Each big muffin has about 180 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat, and is filled multiple grams of pumpkiny spicy goodness.

And if you’re feeling extra adventurous, try the same base recipe with different flavors of cake mix. Lemon cake mix creates a fun, summery orange sherbet flavor, and any type of chocolate cake mix is delicious. You really can’t taste the pumpkin with the chocolate, and it’s super fudgy and moist. I made these last weekend during an intense chocolate craving. You can see the deliciousness!

Trust in FBG. Punk out that dessert. —Jenn

Editor’s Pick by Women’s Diet and Fitness: Not only do The Fit Bottomed Girls test drive the latest workout videos for you, but they have that funky attitude that just keep you coming back for more great fitness tips! This is one blog you want to make sure you subscribe to and don’t forget to check out their original post!