Benefits of Self-Monitoring

Written by Anna Santoro, Mayo Clinic dietetic intern 

Establishing healthier habits related to food intake, physical activity, and weight management requires the development of lifestyle changes to allow for long-term weight management. In order to establish healthier habits and maintain accountability, it is important to monitor and track your progress toward a specific goal. Self-monitoring can also allow for adjustments to be made to one’s eating and exercise patterns and allow oneself to ‘get back on track’ towards meeting an established goal or aid in the development of a new goal.

Since weight loss is related to reducing energy intake and increasing energy expenditure through physical activity, self-monitoring can aid in weight loss efforts as it allows for the development of positive behavior changes. When engaging in self-monitoring efforts it is important to choose a method that is most suitable to one’s individual needs and can best monitor progress towards a specific goal.

Below are examples of ways to self-monitor food intake, physical activity, and weight:

• Track food intake and physical activity using a journal.
• Use a smartwatch to track physical activity.
• Use a mobile application (ex: MyFitness Pal, Lose It).
• Make a checklist for everyday that daily goals are met.

Utilizing these self-monitoring techniques will help YOU make lifelong behavior changes needed for weight loss and can be beneficial in meeting desired goals!

What ways are you using self-monitoring on your weight management journey?