Maximizing Weight Loss and Muscle Gain - The Power of Accountability

That's Fit: What are some toning exercises you think people don't capitalize on nearly enough?

Venuto: It's a misconception that weight training is only for body builders -- it's actually the most important type of training while you're restricting calories for fat loss. The weight training helps you maintain the lean muscle you already have, while stripping off the fat, burning calories and keeping your metabolism elevated.

Some of the best free weight exercises include squats with dumbbells or barbells, lunges or split squats, deadlifts, bench presses, shoulder presses and rows. There are also body weight exercises that can work as the equivalents of the free weight exercises such as chin ups and push ups, but I'd encourage everyone who wants to get leaner to get more serious about weight training.

You can join a gym if you choose, but all it takes to get started is a set of dumbbells and some space in your home. The training program in my book "The Body Fat Solution" can be done without any fancy or expensive equipment at all.

That's Fit: What's the best way to track weight loss and fitness goals?

Venuto: Use objective measures of your progress such as your body weight, circumference measurements and body fat percentage. Measure your results weekly and log them into a progress chart. Monday is a great day for testing and progress reporting because that keeps you on your toes with weekend eating, which is where many people fall off track.

Once you're accountable to yourself you can then get external accountability by announcing your goals to friends and sharing your weekly results with them. A personal-accountability partner is ideal, but there are support Web sites [which have] proven to be surprisingly effective accountability tools.

That's Fit: What if our friends turn into our diet and fitness enemies?

Venuto: Negative people can hold you back from reaching your true fitness potential, but your friends, if they really are your friends, will be your best sources of support if you just ask them. Accountability to others can skyrocket your success rate and the best place to start is with your friends and family. Announce your goals to them, ask if you can share your weekly progress reports with them and ask if they will help keep you on track when you hit those inevitable bumps in the road.

On occasion, some friends start to resent your success or feel jealousy after your progress starts to show. They might tempt you with food or accuse you of being "too good for them." If your friendship with a person is valuable to you, try inviting them to join you. A training partner is great for accountability and getting in shape with friends can make the whole endeavor more enjoyable.

If anyone in your social circle is so unsupportive that they are malicious or intentionally trying to sabotage you, then you have no choice but to get away from them if possible. Fortunately, just one positive person in your life can counterbalance a whole herd of pessimists and critics.

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