The road to effectively changing behavior should include self-monitoring systems. Self-monitoring is a powerful tool which increases self-awareness, and which mirrors various behaviors. Forms of self-monitoring might include keeping a physical activity log, or a food diary. There is tremendous value in doing either or both of these. The longer the duration of self-monitoring, the better, as more will be revealed. Problems revealed can be addressed and solutions created for them. We cannot change what we do not acknowledge, so self-monitoring opens the door to improvement.
I kept a food diary for an entire year (as a fitness professional). I carried it with me everywhere I went. Interestingly, I never thought of myself as a soda drinker but that is not what was mirrored back to me in my own, personal food diary. Every one to two days a diet soda would magically appear. Of course, this was only one small revelation, but it definitely brought to light how dishonest we can be with ourselves when it comes to our health and fitness habits. Seeing that on paper helped me to acknowledge what I was doing, and a chance to do something different.
Food diaries and activity logs should not be feared or negatively looked upon. I have worked with clients who have turned theirs over to me for assessment and professed to fearing horrible judgement over what I might find. I think there should be a sense of gratitude for every problem that rears its ugly head in self-monitoring. I feel strongly about this as I think many previous failures with behavior change happen because they fall just short of rigorous honesty. Who knows when someone might be just one problem away from a major break through? What if the one problem that surfaces is the one that creates the biggest opportunity for change?
Self- monitoring can also be an important form of positive reinforcement and a source of motivation. Sometimes, reflecting back gives us the best snapshot of where we are vs. where we were. Seeing positive improvements and growth fuels further behavior changes and paves the road for long term success.
