Can Habit Tracking Help Me Reach My Goals?

Do I have to track my habits forever?

No. You should, however, track it until it’s easy. Habits tend to get easier with practice. This gives us increased self-awareness and encourages self-improvement.

There might be something you’re already a pro at - take sleep for example. You might have zero problems getting to bed at a reasonable hour and acquire 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Beautiful. 

But let’s say you feel an aching in your hip or shoulder - or have nagging back pain. Let’s commit to 15 minutes of area-specific mobility every day and see what happens. Track the progress. After a month, is your pain better, worse or the same? After two months? Have you been consistent? Have you increased your range of motion? The answers to these questions determine how you should proceed next.

If this all seems incredibly overwhelming, take a deep breath...

Choose 2 habits. Maybe it’s nutrition and sleep. Don’t change anything yet. Simply log your food either in an app or on a piece of paper each day. Write down what time you went to sleep and what time you woke up. This practice alone can give you an honest look at your current habits. From here, we can start to make positive changes. 

In 2009, a study on habit creation showed that habits develop anywhere from 18-254 days with an average of roughly 66 days. The biggest factor that influenced whether or not the behavior would become part of their daily routine? Consistent daily repetition. 

A 2008 study of 1700 participants revealed that those who kept a food journal doubled the weight loss of those who didn’t record their food. 

How should I go about tracking my habits? 

Keep it simple with any one of the following:

• Excel spreadsheet
• HabitShare app and any other habit tracking app like Streaks for iOS users, HabitNow for Android users, Habitify, Way of Life, Habitica, and so on…there's something for everyone!
• Pen & paper or journal

Some final thoughts before you begin tracking…

Be specific with your habits.

Here are some examples:

• Go to bed at 9:30pm vs. go to bed earlier.
• Do mobility for 15 minutes before 5:30pm class on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday vs. do mobility and train 4x per week.
• Log tomorrow’s food the night before rather than "winging it as you go." 
• Drink 20 oz. water immediately after I wake up. 

Having a plan is key. Like Benjamin Franklin said "if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." Being specific helps you generate your plan for success and when you make these habits a priority, you're more likely to follow through.

What happens if I miss?

What happens when you trip and fall? You get back up again. 

Don’t overcomplicate it by feeling guilt and shame or making excuses. Get back to your routine - and remember - your consistency is the thing that’s going to bring you closer to achieving your goals. 

“A lack of self-awareness is poison. Reflection and review is the antidote.” – James Clear

If you’re interested in learning more about building habits, here are some books that I’ve read and recommend:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
• Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven

And a couple of podcasts you can listen to on your morning commute:

• Habit Masters: #126 Why You Need a Scorecard: The Power of Tracking Habits
• Optimal Living Daily: Habit Change is Like Chess by Steve Pavlina on Self-Discipline, Preparation & Tactical Adjustments

Stay tuned for more on why we believe recovery, nutrition, training, flexibility, and hydration are so important.

Stay strong friends,

Coach Abrie

Have questions or comments about this topic or would like to meet with a coach? Please reach out to us! If you found this information helpful, please share it with your friends and family.