This is it! You've decided once and for all that, this time, you are going to get in shape and eat better. This time, you will reach your goals and look great in your bathing suit by summer. You've bought the gym membership, the exercise videos, the new work out clothes. This time, you won't fall off the wagon two weeks into that great new program you just started...

But then, inevitiably, it happens. Your schedule is too busy, you have too many social events this week, you're too tired to exercise tonight. You'll do it tomorrow, you sheepishly promise, but then tomorrow comes and you're still too tired.

Most of us have experienced this scenario at least once in our lives. We excell at exercise and eating right for a week or two, before we slowly start to fade into our old habits. But there is a way to stop this cycle and stay on track for the long haul. How can we ensure we stay motivated? The answer is simple, but it's the most important thing you can do to help you reach your goals, and it all comes down to one word:
ACCOUNTABILITY.

That's it. Really. People who make their goals known to others, commit to working out together, and help each other stay on track are much more likely to stick with their exercise program and meet their long-term fitness goals.

Here are some ground rules for you to follow to help you use the power of teamwork to your advantage:
• Make sure the people you team up with are just as motivated as you. You don't want to team up with someone who will only help you make excuses for slacking off. You can find your team among nearby friends, or join an online group. Any way you can hold yourself accountable in a very public way will do!
• Not everyone has to have the same goal. One of you may want to lose weight and another may want to build muscle tone, but either way you will both need to commit to a healthier lifestyle, and you'll still be able to track one another's progress.
• Set an initial measure of progress that you can all agree to. For example, my friends and I started a training program for a 5K. In order to make this training more meaningful, we found a 5K that was being held at around the time our training would be completed and we all ran it together. If your goals are different, that's OK, just make sure you make them public. Perhaps one person will set a goal to lose 2 pounds a week, while another will want to increase the number of pull-ups they can do.
• But don't stop once you meet that initial goal. Now that we've all finished a 5K, we've decided to continue our training and run three to four per year.
• Check in regularly, and write the appointment in your calendar so you don't miss it. For example, if your group has certain weight loss goals, meet every Monday to weigh-in together, discuss workouts, and share food diaries. If you live far apart, meet online, or teleconference a few times a week to update everyone on your progress. It is important that these meetings are not judgmental, so that everyone feels comfortable being honest about their weight, the amount of exercise they've done, diet, etc.
• Be honest. If you don't tell your group about the work out you missed, or the extra slice of cake you had at the company party, they can't support you properly. By that same token, be honest if you've lost weight, even if others have not.
• Cheer each other on, help solve problems, be positive and encouraging. Don't let someone off the hook for not working out, but don't let them give up because of a few mistakes either. When we entered a weight loss contest, I created graphs to track our progress at our weekly weigh-ins - it's so motivating to see the little line on the graph go down each week, and no one wants to be the one who's line starts to go back up! Think of simple things like this you can do to help each other stay motivated.

Don't be afraid to make your goals public. Whether you need to lose 300 pounds, or just tone up a few trouble spots, you are much more likely to stay in the game when everyone knows what you are up to. It's too easy to give up when no one knows you are trying to lose weight, so get out there, get active and find a support group to help you stick with the program!