Record Keeping and Motivation

Keeping records of your weigh loss and your weight loss goals are important. Keep track of what you eat, how much activity you get each day, and weekly weight. It may seem tedious and time consuming but record keeping does facilitate weight loss. Most successful weight losers cite self-monitoring as one major reason for their success. Self-monitoring will help you in several ways. Firstly, it allows you to see patterns and habits you currently have. Once you identify negative habits, you can target these behaviors as part of your goals. Secondly, you will adhere better to your programs if you write things down. You can be accountable to your records (or someone checking your records). This will also help you avoid over-eating or missing workouts. Record keeping also helps you track your progress. It is very motivational to be able to see how far you have come, especially as behaviors (which can't be seen like you can observe pounds lost) are concerned. Finally, records are good for problem solving. They can help you assess and break through plateaus or help avoid high-risk situations.

Besides keeping records, you should be aware of your motivation. Obviously, writing down your goals should serve as your initial motivation. But staying motivated is hard. Most people see their high level of motivation begin to trail off as their diet and exercise program continues, and especially if they hit frustrating plateaus. If this happens, think about the positive lifestyle changes you’ve made and give yourself credit for them. Try not to lose the momentum you have gained since you began your lifestyle makeover. It is also helpful to look at other benefits you’ve received besides weight loss. Do you feel better about yourself, have more energy, or maybe a decrease in blood pressure? Another way of keep yourself motivated is to create visible signs of your progress. For instance, if you enjoy numbers you could post a weight graph or body measurements in areas around the house. Usually the bathroom mirror or the refrigerator door is the most popular locations for posting data. You can also record activity milestones by logging your exercise mileage towards a particular vacation spot. You might even consider taking an actual vacation to this location when you reach this exercise goal. By providing a visible record of your accomplishment not only helps you stay motivated but allows others to congratulate you for the progress you’ve made. Another way to maintain motivation is to change up your eating and exercise routine. Or try these tips:

-Are you tired of eating the same foods? Why not try a new recipe or a food that you haven’t eaten before.
-Don’t go to the gym and do the same workouts every day. Take a new class, get a personal trainer, or change up your strength training routine in some fashion.
-Get involved in a friendly competition. Challenges could range from cooking a particular healthy dish to who can do the most push ups. You could even write a $5 check every week. If you lose weight, you keep the money. If you don't lose weight, then the money goes to charity. It's amazing how much harder you will push yourself when you have an incentive.