Research Shows Self-Monitoring Works

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Studies have examined the effects of using paper diaries and electronic lists to self-monitor dietary changes on weight loss. While there was no significant difference in weight loss by type, those who weighed themselves on a daily basis showed superior results. By making it easier to compare food intake and exercise results, electronics make it easier to track your progress, adjust your goals and remain motivated in the journey towards sustained weight loss.

By personalizing an individual's menu plan and focusing on nutritionally sound foods, as well as gaining mastery over one's own behavior, permanent weight loss success can be attained. Research suggests technology-aided self-monitoring of dietary changes is not only useful in tracking weight loss progress but may be crucial for achieving your long-term weight management goals. Online support also can help provide personal accountability.

How to Track Your Weight Loss Journey

There is a learning curve to self-monitoring your weight loss plan. Basically, daily tracking will get easier the more that you do it. Listed below are four benefits of tracking your food, weight and daily exercise:

1) Understand What You Are Eating – To better understand what you are eating, you need to know how many calories you are consuming, from what sources, and the ratio of macronutrients in daily menu plan to achieve you wight loss goals.

2) Helps Prevent Overindulgence – When you fill half of your plate with vegetables, eat protein at every meal, be mindful of mealtime, and add soluble fiber, you will feel satisfied and avoid overeating.

3) Tracks Your Fitness Progress – Be patient but get started and over time you won’t even realize that you are having to track your fitness progress as it will become a natural part of your daily routine.

4) Allows You to Plan Ahead – Tracking what and when you eat allows you to plan ahead and the better you get at planning ahead the more empowered you feel as you take control of your daily menus.

Self-Monitoring and Self-Regulation Are Important

In the past, weighing once a week was considered optimal, but to obtain a more accurate measurement of changes in weight, researchers now suggest that more frequent self-monitoring of weight can improve your outcome. Recording your weight on e-scales have been demonstrated to be extremely accurate and better match the results taken on calibrated clinical scales and do not require the data to be recorded in a paper log to encourage a good self-weighing frequency. Research has demonstrated that both men and women who engage in more frequent self-monitoring actually lose more weight during his or her weight loss journey and regain less weight after they’ve reached their individual goals.

At Metabolic Research Center, we understand that self-monitoring and self-regulation are important components and can be key to successful, long-term weight loss success. Visit MRC today to learn more about our personalized plans.