There are innumerable benefits to giving up diet mentality, but there are challenges to achieving this freedom, too. 

One such challenge that I frequently hear from my coaching clients is, “How can I gauge my progress toward my health goals?”  We live in a society that loves to measure and quantify everything, including our own behavior.  Measuring was easier (in some ways) when my clients were dieting; they could judge their progress by assessing:

•  How many pounds did I lose?
•  How do I look?
•  What do other people think of my weight?
•  Have I had enough will-power?

But upon dropping diet mentality it becomes harder to quantify. Though it may not always be necessary to evaluate progress towards better health in a quantifiable way, thinking about how to do this has proven very helpful to some people.

Measuring Your Progress

When moving out of diet mentality, many people still want to have some ways to measure their positive steps.  Ideally, I would love for my clients to let go of the ‘measurement mentality’ and take a more organic approach.  However, I do realize that at some stages of change, measuring can be a tool for mindfulness. 

With that in mind, here are some things my clients have tracked:
•  How many meals were mindful?
•  Did I eat when I was hungry?
•  On a scale of 0-10, what is my energy level?
•  Has my self-talk been more positive?
•  Did I find a way to move?
•  Did I take care of my emotional needs?

Any or all of these items could be developed into a check list or journal entry, depending on your personal goals, and you could use them daily to raise you awareness. 

Once again, as with any form of judging your behavior, you must take care to be gentle.  This is not an opportunity to berate yourself if are not “advancing” as you expected or hoped.  Becoming a mindful and intuitive eater takes practice and is a long process.

However, realizing your progress, or lack of it, can help you dig a bit deeper.  If you are struggling, what is going on?  Are your goals too lofty?  Are you expecting perfection?  Do you need to revise and experiment with something different? 

Interestingly, you should also reflect if you are consistently improving.  Spend time considering if you have your own permission to back slide?  Do you trust yourself to get back on track after a lapse?  Understanding not only the answers to these questions but the way you conceive of them and their relevance to you can help you on your journey by enhancing your self-awareness and opening the path to a more mindful and healthy life.

Community Dialogue

I would love to hear if you are the “measuring” type – and, if so, what you do to measure your progress.  How do you prevent it from becoming a measurement of your worth?  Please join our community and comment in the section below!

Sara Armstrong is the owner of Zoi Wellness Consulting. In addition to wellness coaching, Sara specializes in health education seminars, diabetes prevention and management, Health for EVERY Body, and worksite wellness design. You can email Sara for a free wellness consultation at sara@zoiconsulting.com.