The Importance of Tracking Your Progress
The famous motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, has 2 profound quotes that can be applied to weight loss.
The first one is, “Failure is a few errors in judgment repeated everyday”.
The second quote is, “Make measurable progress in reasonable time”.
That’s exactly what this article is about. Progress.
In order to get the body you desire, there must be progress. Anybody with some level of common sense will know that you can’t go from flab to fab overnight. You can’t go from being 30 pounds overweight to having the body of a fitness model in 2 weeks.
Yet, many people who embark on a weight loss quest expect miraculous results. They weigh themselves daily. They look at the mirror a hundred times a day, turning from side to side trying to get a flattering angle, etc.
They then fret and complain and feel dejected that nothing is working. They do not see results. It’s all just too much work and no pay off. It’s just a matter of time before they lose hope and give up. This scenario happens to thousands of people daily.
The first thing you should do when embarking on your weight loss journey is to take photos of your body while in your underwear. Take a frontal photo and a side profile photo.
Next up, use a measuring tape to measure certain parts of your body such as your waist, thighs, arms (around biceps) and belly.
Get a blank book that will be your weight loss journal. Record down the measurements and date they were taken. This book will be your bible. You will write down exactly what you ate for the day and what you did during your exercise sessions. You’ll also write down how you felt for that day and during your workout.
This book will serve as a record of your progress. You will only need to weigh yourself once a week. Use the measuring tape to measure your body after 3 weeks. You will also take photos of your body once a month to see the difference.
It is so important to track your progress. The photos and measurements will show you exactly how much progress you’ve made. Do NOT rely on your memory. Most people can’t even remember what they ate 2 days earlier.
Losing weight is a very gradual progress and you will not realize it because you’re seeing yourself daily. You may have noticed that people tell you that you’ve lost weight, but you don’t realize it yourself. That’s because it’s so gradual.
The training records will also show how much you have improved and more importantly, what more you can do to challenge yourself. Maybe shave off a few seconds from your timing? Add a few reps to your set? Increase the weights in your resistance training? Your journal will guide you.
You will also record down slip ups or bad habits that may have crept in. These are the errors in judgment that you will work to eliminate.
Losing weight is a slow process. Like Jim said, you must make measurable progress in reasonable time. By tracking your progress in the journal, you will know that you’re on the right track. As long as you’re losing weight, keep doing what you’re doing.
If you’re not, examine your diet and training to see where the hitch is.
If you’ve gained weight, you really need to study your journal to see where you’ve slipped up.
In this way, you’ll always have a point of reference and will not lose your way in the fat loss journey. Track your progress religiously and celebrate all progress, however humble or small. That’s how you get the body you’ve always wanted. You do not need to be great to start, but you must start in order to be great.
(638 words)