What we measure, we can change.
People who exercise are advised to keep a log of their workouts. The best results come from documenting change, reviewing variables, and altering things as necessary. Any professional athlete will have a detailed journal of their training.
Tracking measurements gives us feedback: is our current strategy working? It also motivates: visual data showing good results inspires us to continue.
So to lose fat I am going to measure my weight every morning and plot it on a graph. The reaction to this has been largely negative. People tell me that I'll become obsessed with my weighing scales; that this strategy won't work; that daily weight is too variable; that even weight-watchers counsel only a weekly weigh-in.
A surprising number of the naysayers are themselves struggling to lose weight. They are tied into a belief system that stops them from even trying to track daily weight. And this despite that what they are currently doing is not working.
Careful measurement helps us reach many goals. Achieving an ideal body weight is no different.
People who exercise are advised to keep a log of their workouts. The best results come from documenting change, reviewing variables, and altering things as necessary. Any professional athlete will have a detailed journal of their training.
Tracking measurements gives us feedback: is our current strategy working? It also motivates: visual data showing good results inspires us to continue.
So to lose fat I am going to measure my weight every morning and plot it on a graph. The reaction to this has been largely negative. People tell me that I'll become obsessed with my weighing scales; that this strategy won't work; that daily weight is too variable; that even weight-watchers counsel only a weekly weigh-in.
A surprising number of the naysayers are themselves struggling to lose weight. They are tied into a belief system that stops them from even trying to track daily weight. And this despite that what they are currently doing is not working.
Careful measurement helps us reach many goals. Achieving an ideal body weight is no different.
I agree that tracking is a useful tool to help keep us present and 'mindful' of our progress/ journey/ direction. So often we do things without reflecting on effect and efficacy. Tracking is also fun for geeks ;)
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that you have had a largely negative reaction from others about this. I suppose weight can be a conflated with so many other issues: emotional/ self esteem. The risk with tracking weight for some, is the emotional reaction to numbers (it can be hard to just track and not have a knee-jerk or emotional reaction!) . So I wonder if this might have contributed to the reaction of some naysayers you mention above.
I tend to track a lot of things.... However I don't think it is useful for me to track my weight, since unlike you I am heavy because of my bones (not fat) :p ;)
Very best of luck!
MP