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How to Lose Weight With Trackers

Jun 14, 2011 | By Diane Lynn
How to Lose Weight With Trackers
Photo Credit computer image by Hao Wang from Fotolia.com

Tracking your calories is an important part of weight loss success for many people. A study published in 2008 in the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" found that participants who tracked their daily food intake lost almost twice as much weight as the participants who did not. At first, it may seem time-consuming to enter all the food you consume, but once you find the tracking program that works with your lifestyle, you most likely will enjoy the benefits that tracking offers.

Step 1

Determine what parts of your weight loss experience you want to track. Track just food consumption and weight lost, or expand your tracking function to include water intake, cardiovascular and strength training exercises and number of steps taken. Consider the cost of the tracking systems as you research. Many are free, but some charge a fee to access more detailed parts of the system.

Step 2

Decide whether you want to use a tracking system that enables you to join a weight-loss community where you can make your tracker public for others within the community to view if you desire. It is beneficial to be part of a community while losing weight for both accountability and support. You can share recipes, techniques and struggles.

Step 3

Learn to use your tracking system, either on your computer or through your smart phone, if available. Input the required information after you join. Include your current weight, desired weight, age, activity level and any other requested information. The more information you include, the more comprehensive your tracking and analysis will be.

Step 4

Use the large database to enter foods right after you eat after each meal or snack The sooner you enter your food, the less likely you are to forget certain foods. If a food you eat is not in the database, use the customized food option to manually enter the food into your own personal database. Save the food information. Pay attention to the serving sizes in the tracker's database. If a serving of pretzels is 10 and you ate 20, enter two servings.

Step 5

Run the nutrition analyzer function of your tracker after you have finished entering food for the day. In addition to calories, notice whether you are consuming the recommended amount of fruits, vegetables, protein, fiber, dairy and fats. Most trackers analyze this information automatically. Knowing this information can help you adjust your calorie level up or down the next day. Work on eating a balanced diet that includes many fruits and vegetables.

Step 6

Input your exercise minutes and type of exercise performed into the system. Set goals for exercise that challenge you, but are attainable given your level of fitness. The tracker will use your weight and minutes exercised and provide you with an estimate of how many calories you burned. Include both aerobic and strength training routines in your tracking system.

Step 7

Enter your weight either daily or weekly. Frequent weigh-ins can help you stay motivated when you see yourself losing weight, or can help you get motivated to continue losing weight if your weight loss stalls. Avoid discouragement by looking at your long-term weight graph on the tracker to see your overall progress.

Tips and Warnings

  • Start over if you miss a few days or longer. Stay positive and committed. Keep a notebook in your purse or briefcase to record food that you are unable to immediately enter. Look for a system that offers graphs, charts and tips to help you be successful. Read online reviews of tracking systems if you are unsure. Persevere and avoid discouragement by reading the tracking community's message support boards.
  • Consult with your doctor concerning the proper number of weight loss calories for you to consume.

Things You'll Need

  • Computer

References

Article reviewed by David Fisher Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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