Last week we covered how to set effective short-term weight-loss goals—an approach that’s been clinically proven to increase the likelihood of achieving significant, long-lasting weight loss. Now let’s take a look at why monitoring your progress towards these goals is vital to your success.
Regardless of what your individual end goal is, getting there will involve transforming your behaviour and forming lasting healthy habits, which is no easy feat! But regularly tracking your actions (such as your food intake and physical activity) and their outcomes (such as your weight and body measurements) is key to bringing about behavioural change. There are a number of ways that you can track this information, for example by using our Weight Loss tracker, logging your meals in an app, or wearing a fitness tracker. The important thing is to find a method that works for you and that you’ll be able to stick to.
Consistent tracking leads to greater success
A behavioural research study examining the impact of dietary tracking on weight found that participants who consistently and frequently tracked their food intake lost 7% of their body weight over the 18-month study period. Participants who didn’t track their behaviour consistently didn’t lose weight and actually gained 7% body weight over the same period.
So why is consistent, frequent tracking an effective and essential weight-loss tool?
First of all, tracking gives you a better awareness of your behaviour and habits. This means that you’re more likely to spot any early warning signs indicating that you’re about to stray off course, giving you a chance to correct your behaviour and stay on track.
It can also help you to identify patterns in your behaviour that may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts. For example, you may notice that you always seem to overeat when you’re stressed or that you tend to skip workouts when you’re short on time. Once you identify these patterns, you can develop strategies to overcome them. If stress is causing you to overeat, you could try some relaxation techniques or talk to a therapist. If a lack of time is preventing you from working out, try scheduling your workouts in your calendar or breaking them into smaller chunks of time throughout the day.
If you’d like to start tracking your behaviours, remember to be patient and give yourself time to adjust. It may take a little while to get used to, but it will become easier with practice. And, most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way! Seeing the progress you’re making will help you stay motivated and on track for long-term weight loss success.
Take action ⚡
In our last article, we asked you to write down three short-term goals that will help you achieve your long-term goal—if you haven’t already, why not grab a pen and paper and write them down now? Think about the goals you’ve set and use the following questions to help you decide how you’re going to monitor your progress:
- What information are you going to track?
- Where will you track this information? (e.g. by using our Weight Loss Tracker)
- How frequently will you track this information? (e.g. every day or once a week?)
- How will you stay accountable? (e.g. by working with one of our expert coaches)
By tracking your progress, you’re setting yourself up for success. Next week, we’ll be sharing a crucial and constructive mindset with you: The Church of Fail. Stay tuned!
¹Peterson ND, Middleton KR, Nackers LM, Medina KE, Milsom VA, Perri MG. Dietary self-monitoring and long-term success with weight management. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2014 Sep;22(9):1962-7. doi: 10.1002/oby.20807. Epub 2014 Jun 13. PMID: 24931055; PMCID: PMC4149603.
While we’ve ensured that everything you read on the Health Centre is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.
