Want To Get Into Shape? Get A Team

Copyright (c) 2011 Monica Shah

Last week I attended a lecture on teaching skills. The lecturer discussed the difference between collaboration and cooperation. According to her, cooperation is when you work together with someone else for support and knowledge, but you are mainly working on your own project. Collaboration is when you are actually working on a team to produce a product together.

This set me thinking about the times that I have been successful - accomplished a big goal or delivered a stellar project. In almost all of those instances I was either cooperating or collaborating with a team of supportive, intelligent individuals.

Right now many of you are trying to create or maintain a healthy eating and exercise routine through the new season, which can be hard to stay focused. But I assure you, the benefits of eating well and working out in the summer are many: increased energy during the longer days of summer, less emotional ups and downs, looking great in your summer clothes, and setting an example for your family during the Summer.

So what is my healthy shortcut to your busy summer? Create a team and collaborate or cooperate!

If you plan on cooperating then you merely need to announce your intentions to everyone you know. For example, this summer you are going to stay in shape and eat healthy by working out three times a week and reducing your intake of white sugar products to twice a week. Then allow those around you to help you stay accountable and offer their advice during difficult situations. Or find an expert to help guide you. You also need to be willing to follow their guidance and be totally honest with where you are at and what you are doing.

If you plan on collaborating then you may want to get one or more people involved and create a communal goal. Here are my suggested steps for forming your own fitness and health group/competition:

1. Find one or more individuals that are committed, dependable and would like to get healthy and fit.

2. Pick a period of time that you are going to work together - 3 months is a good start. Pick a start and end date. By setting goals you will be able to measure your successes.

3. Determine a celebration that all of you can look forward to after 3 months of sticking to your goals. For example, my team and I are planning on going to a family beach house in Florida for a weekend in February. Perhaps it is just a trip to the day spa for pampering. Be creative.

4. Create rules. Each team member may decide to pick out his/her own routine or you may decide to do the same routine together. Either way, you'll create rules for how you are going to stay accountable to your routine and what happens when you don't. For example, perhaps there are monetary consequences to the person who doesn't stick to his/her promise. You can then spend the kitty during the final celebration.

5. Find a set time to check in every week. Either by phone or by e-mail, the team should report how they did the past week and what the plan is for the upcoming week (you could create a conference call at a regular time each week, or just use three way calling).

6. Create periodic rewards for the team. Perhaps it is a home-cooked meal or a shopping trip, but there should be a bonding experience that the team can enjoy as a result of becoming healthier and working together.

7. Enjoy your closer friendships and a healthier you! If you make it fun and rewarding you will stick to the plan easier.

The key is to get started, if 3 months is too far out for you create a time period that works for you and your team. Don't sit and delay any longer, get up and make it happen today!


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Monica Shah helps busy professional women with weight loss and healthy living by giving them simple steps that work no matter how busy they are. Monica put all of her secrets on her "fast track to weight loss and healthy living" MP3. To get the free MP3, please go to http://ow.ly/3NPQ2