Medical Review by Jennie Stanford, MD, FAAFP, DABOM
Summary:
- Weight loss can be challenging, but tracking key metrics like diet, activity, and weight helps you see improvements and maintain your motivation.
- Focus on meaningful metrics. Keep a food and drink log, track your workouts or steps, and measure both your weight and waist circumference. Research shows these practices support better weight loss outcomes.
- Set short- and long-term goals. Breaking your plan into smaller steps makes it easier to stay consistent.
- Celebrate progress & adapt as needed. Recognize your achievements to stay motivated, and don’t be afraid to adjust your goals or contact a healthcare practitioner for help if setbacks occur.
Tracking your weight loss progress can help—as long as you know how
Weight loss can be challenging for many reasons—some people struggle with motivation, while others give up because they aren’t seeing results quickly enough. But being able to chart your progress can help with both of these challenges.
Tracking a few key metrics can show you how much you’ve improved over time, even when it isn’t obvious from the outside. This can also give you the confidence or reassurance you need to stay on track with your weight loss plan and keep going.
Below, we explore practical ways to track your progress, set meaningful goals, and maintain your motivation for losing weight. We’ll also show you when to reach out to a healthcare provider if you feel like you need additional support to reach your weight loss goals.
Choose the right metrics
Self-monitoring can lead to better weight loss outcomes, but some kinds of information are especially valuable. Tracking the right metrics can help you focus on meaningful progress instead of focusing exclusively on the number that shows up on the scale. Here are a few important areas to focus on:
Dietary intake
Recording your diet is often useful for tracking weight loss progress. The CDC recommends keeping a daily log of all the things you eat and drink, along with the calories they contain.
There are several different ways to do this. Some people choose to write everything down in a traditional journal or notepad, while others use electronic tools like smartphone apps. Some research suggests that using a device to record your food and drink intake can make you more likely to keep up the habit in the long term, which could promote weight loss by helping you stick to your diet.
What to track:
- What you eat and drink
- How many calories each item contains
How to track it:
- On paper (journal or notepad)
- In an electronic device (website or smartphone app)
Physical activity
Research shows that people who consistently monitor the amount of exercise they get experience more weight loss, have less trouble exercising, and exercise more often. Writing down your workouts in a paper diary is enough to give you these benefits, but using fitness trackers can also help.
Research shows that wearable activity trackers improve levels of physical activity, as well as body composition and overall fitness. Some of these devices can also provide some data on other metrics, like blood pressure and cholesterol—but this data typically does not translate into significant health differences.
What to track:
- Number of workouts per week (with exercises performed)
- Physical activity (step count, active minutes, etc.) if using a fitness tracker
How to track it:
- On paper (journal or notepad)
- With a wearable fitness tracker
Weight & waist circumference
Research suggests that while weighing yourself regularly won’t be enough by itself to help you lose weight, it can support weight loss when combined with other methods. Weight loss programs that involve self-weighing tend to be more effective than those that don’t.
As for how often you should weigh yourself, studies have shown that you’ll get the best results from doing it on a daily basis. That’s probably because daily reminders can make you more likely to stick with habits that are effective at helping you lose weight.
But the number on your scale isn’t the only useful measurement of your health. Research also recommends measuring your BMI (body mass index) and the circumference of your waist. Critically, looking at both of these measurements is a much clearer indication of obesity than either measurement by itself.
You should also keep in mind that it can be easy to make mistakes when self-reporting your BMI. That’s because people tend to over- or under-estimate their height and weight. If you have accurate measurements of your height and weight, the CDC has links to several BMI calculators—but you may also want to check in with a professional healthcare provider who can help you get an accurate measurement.
What to track:
- How much you weigh
- Your BMI and the circumference of your waist (both is more helpful than either alone)
How to track it:
- Use a scale (for weight)
- By using your height and weight in a BMI calculator (for BMI)
- With a tape measure (for waist circumference)
Set short- & long-term goals
In addition to tracking the metrics above, the CDC recommends breaking up your weight loss plan into different steps with short- and long-term goals. Using a multi-stage plan with specific milestones can help you identify and follow through on actions that support weight loss.
When you’re working with a healthcare provider to create a weight loss plan, it’s important to make sure that the steps involved specify where, when, and how you’ll approach each part of it. This can help you in making more consistent and meaningful changes.
Examples of long-term goals related to weight loss might include exercising more, or choosing different foods. To do this, your short-term goals might include tracking your workouts and calories burned at the gym, or writing down everything you eat in a food journal for a period of weeks or months.
Celebrate progress & stay flexible
Acknowledging your achievements—big or small—can create a positive feedback loop that reinforces your motivation. Research shows that satisfaction with weight loss outcomes is linked to ongoing changes in people’s behavior. In other words, letting yourself feel good about the progress you’ve made might keep inspiring you to lose weight.
Just remember, weight loss isn’t always linear. Setbacks happen, and it’s important to forgive yourself when they do so that you can move forward and recommit to your goals. If your current plan isn’t working or you’re having trouble maintaining it, working with a healthcare provider might help.
Track your weight loss progress with help from Lemonaid Health
Tracking your progress and staying motivated can both be important for weight loss success. By focusing on meaningful metrics, celebrating milestones, and getting help when you need it, you can build healthy habits that last.
Lemonaid Health can help. Connecting with our US-based medical practitioners gives you a way to have your questions about weight loss answered by experts, and create a personalized weight loss plan that may include appropriate medication in situations where it’s clinically indicated.
Remember, progress is more important than perfection—and having the right tools and support makes it easier to stay on course. If you’re ready to take the next step, Lemonaid Health’s online consultations can help you create a tailored weight loss plan that fits your lifestyle. Get started with us today and take a step closer to reaching your goals.
