Happy Monday! Coach Courtney here!
In September, Healthi hosted the 25 Day September Reset Challenge. 25 days of tracking everything! I was up for the challenge, and I completed it successfully! It’s crazy to think that the last day of that challenge was almost three weeks ago! Today I’m looking back at what I’ve learned from the discipline of tracking everyday!
When I first began my weight loss journey it felt like such a chore to track my meals every single day. As a busy Mom, work, school, doctor’s appointments, it felt so overwhelming from the start. It sounds tedious, and logging every single meal was such a task. There were days where I felt there was no way I could accomplish this, it felt like too much and I often found myself wondering how I would ever reach my goals.
Eventually, tracking does become second nature, it does not happen overnight, but it does happen if you’re consistent! When I began the 25-day challenge I implemented what I have learned over the years while using Healthi and I put into motion.
During the challenge I became extremely mindful of some important variables when it comes to tracking.
1. Calories Are Important
Keeping a closer eye on my calories, I was noticing that I was missing the mark. I was either eating too many or too few. While I had my BITES I was either eating too many ZERO BITE foods or too few. Watching my secondary metrics consistently helped me determine exactly where I needed to be each day. Making sure you’re in a deficit if you’re looking to lose is your key to weight loss.
2. Renewed accountability and clear goals
I found it very important to be accountable every day, I posted on my social media what I ate every day, I found a renewed purpose in being accountable and this in turn granted the success I was looking for. I made my goals clear to myself and pursued them. The result was feeling better overall about my accountability and just a great feeling inside. Even if you don’t share with the world what you’re eating, tracking it having it in front of you gives you personal accountability.
3. Junk Food Awareness
It really is amazing how quickly junk food eats up your daily allotment of BITES/Calories. When you’re tracking and you can see it, you know your target. Whenever you consume the foods that are higher in BITES/Calories you will be amazed at how quickly they go and depending on what you eat that is higher these foods usually give you immediate satisfaction, but you usually will find yourself feeling hungrier and craving just a short time after.
4. I felt more organized
In the beginning it was a little difficult, I would often wonder did I track that one single potato chip that I snacked on? However, as I became increasingly mindful of what I was putting into my body, tracking it immediately, it gave me a great sense of structure, organization, and confidence.
I have seen many people within the communities, and even friends and family talk about how difficult it is to keep that consistency up. It takes time, but when you find your rhythm and you embrace that consistency it goes a long way. The key here is patience and consistency. Even if you slip up, acknowledge it, and move on. Always remember, to not beat yourself up over it. Keep Going!
Happy Tracking!
