Staying motivated while losing weight helps keep you on track. Don't get discouraged if the scale is telling you that your weight hasn't budged, or if you can't fit into a smaller size just yet. If you're doing both diet and an exercise plan, you may be gaining muscle, which is keeping your weight steady. If you're on a program that could take you several months to reach a target weight, it's normal to have some weeks where you're not losing much. Tracking your progress will help you keep up your good habits and keep you motivated.
Step 1
Make a weight graph. Use a piece of graphing paper and write dates along the bottom, horizontal axis. You can make a line for every day, every two days, or one for every week. Write your weight toward the top of the page on the left side. Fill in the other lines with higher and lower weights. Either every pound or every other pound increments are OK. Weigh yourself at the same time every day that you listed on the bottom, and graph your weight. Draw a line connecting the dots every time so you can easily see how your weight is changing. You can also track this in a spreadsheet, and graph the results.
Step 2
Measure your waist. Some people lose inches before they start to lose pounds. Use a flexible measuring tape to measure your waist once a week. Measure in the same place each time. You can make a graph of these measurements, or write them in a journal.
Step 3
Make a chart. Write down your weight in a notebook every day and your waist circumference weekly. You will be able to see if you are gaining or losing weight and how much progress you have made. If you notice that you are not losing weight or inches or are gaining weight, then it is time to reevaluate your weight loss program.
Step 4
Set specific goals to track your progress, recommend Steven Blair, Andrea Dunn, Bess Marcus, Ruth Ann Carpenter, and Peter Jaret in their book, "Active Living Every Day." You can look back over your goals and see if you have met them. Even if you have not lost any weight, you can feel a sense of accomplishment that you made beneficial lifestyle changes.
Tips and Warnings
- Remember to weigh yourself at the same time every day, while wearing the same or similar clothes so that your weights will be comparable. The American College of Sports Medicine's Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessment Manual suggests that you remove your shoes and as much else as possible to obtain accurate results.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Graphing paper
- Measuring tape
References
- "Active Living Every Day"; Steven N. Blair, Andrea L. Dunn, Bess H. Marcus, Ruth Ann Carpenter, and Peter Jaret; 2001
- "ACSM's Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessment Manual"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2005
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