Tracking for Weight Loss

Tracking – what is it and why is it important? 

When we talk about tracking in regards to health goals it could mean a variety of different things. If your goal is weight loss, tracking calories and activity is important. If you have diabetes tracking your blood sugars is important.  

For this post, we will focus on tracking for weight loss and weight maintenance once you have reached your goal weight. The most important tracking, or self-monitoring tools, for weight loss and maintenance are calorie tracking, physical activity tracking, and tracking weight.  

Let’s start with tracking calories. Most people grossly underestimate how much they eat in a day. Think about, do you remember what you had for breakfast this morning? How about the quick snack you grabbed from the fridge or the vending machine in the afternoon?  

Tracking calories helps you get an idea of how much you are consuming each day. It can also give you a starting point for how many calories you need to cut back to start losing weight. Start out by cutting 500 calories a day and it will help you lose about 1 pound a week. This is considered sustainable weight loss, meaning you will be able to not only lose the weight but also keep it off. 

Once you have figured out how many calories you need to cut back to lose weight, you can continue tracking to make sure you are on track. In fact, people that regularly track their intake are more likely to lose weight in the short term and to keep it off long-term.  

Why does tracking calories work? Of course, tracking ensures that you stay within your calorie range but it also makes you more aware of what you are eating. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? Do you really need that snack or are you bored or stressed? 

Speaking of fruits and vegetables it is important to remember to think about diet quality. Just cutting calories isn’t enough to lose weight and improve your health. You have to make sure you are getting quality nutrients, adequate water and fiber to promote weight loss as well.  

You can track calories a variety of different ways. If you have a smart phone using one of the multiple apps for tracking calories can be a great start.  

Tracking physical activity is important for weight loss as well. Just like many people under estimate how many calories they are eating each day, most people over estimate how active they are. Tracking steps can be a great way to start keeping track of your physical activity.  

There are a lot of fitness trackers out there, you can also use a pedometer that could be purchased for about $20 and attach it to your pants. Or if you keep your phone on you most of the time, they have apps that will track your steps if you leave your phone in your pocket during the day.  

Once you have an idea of how active you are, you can slowly work to increase your activity each week. Patients often ask me, what is the best type activity? It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, and the short answer is – whatever you will actually do is the best activity! 

For example, if you hate running but try to make that your physical activity goal, you will dread being active each day and eventually will most likely give up. It may take some trial and error but eventually you will find something you enjoy and it will be easier to stay active each day.  

If you are pretty sedentary, even just a short walk can be a great start for physical activity.  

It is also important to try to be more active throughout the day, versus going to the gym for 30 minutes and then sitting the rest of the day. Being active throughout the day will not only help you get more steps in, but it also is great for your blood pressure and heart health.  

Last, but not least, for tracking is your weight. You will want to weigh yourself 1-2 times a week, first thing in the morning after using the bathroom, even if you have reached your goal weight. This will allow you to see trends and if you are starting to creep up on the scale you can re-evaluate your diet and activity to prevent weight regain.  

Why only 1-2 times a week and not every day? Our weight fluctuates a bit each day and if you weigh yourself each day you may not see any significant changes. This is particularly important when you are trying to lose weight. It can become frustrating if you don’t see a change every day. But if you only weigh once a week you can see your progress.  

So, what do you think about tracking? Have you tried it before? Will you give it a go after reading this post? Comment below!