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Dieting Goal Monitoring: The obesity epidemic has become a nationwide issue, and there are many different ideas that have taken the forefront of working to reduce to prevalence of this issue. A traditionally over-looked, yet highly effective way to manage your weight loss and diet-related goals is goal-monitoring. This simple yet effective tool in helping with weight-loss goals, can help you jump-start, reach, and maintain your way to a healthier life.

Significance/ Intro
Why does goal monitoring matter? If you have a goal to reach, you need a standard to evaluate yourself. This helps you see any discrepancies between your goal behaviors and your current behaviors. Goal monitoring is a vital component of successful weight control. Typically, the more consistent the self-monitoring, the more likely you are to reach your goal, and the more successful you will be in achieving weight loss and diet-related goals.

Reasons why goal monitoring may be necessary
Goal Monitoring is a useful tool to use once a goal is set and a person is in the process of reaching that goal. During the goal reaching period it is necessary to monitor oneself in order to evaluate and make adjustments in order to successfully reach desired goal. Specifically relating to weight and diet goals people can monitor goals as a way to understand personal weight gain and the factors and behavior that may affect ones ability to successfully reach set goals. There is no behavior typical of the obese, and therefore, it is important for each individual to personally monitor their behaviors and environments in order to increase likelihood of achieving goals. There are a diverse number of factors that may impact goal achievement such as environment, habits, access to food, and even a persons social network. These different factors vary for different people and at different periods in a persons life. Goal monitoring can help a person adjust and prepare in different stages and environments of life.

Definition and examples
There are two types of monitoring that assist in reaching your weight loss goals. The first, which should be your main focus, is self-monitoring. Self-monitoring is when you record behaviors that you have targeted as important in reaching your weight loss goals, and take note on how those behaviors affect your body. This is a key step in not only being realistic with yourself, but also in keeping yourself on target for the goals that you have set in place whether they be long-term or short-term goals. Self-monitoring has been proven to be the most effective tool in treating obesity, and without it, the difficulty of reaching your set goals becomes exponentially more difficult. If you can get into a routine with self-monitoring, it can play a role second-to-none in reaching your ideal weight. Implementing these ideas and sticking with them throughout your weight-loss journey is imperative. Once you have reached your target weight, maintaining that weight is traditionally another barrier that people run into, and at this stage most people gain the weight back if they do not continue to self-monitor. This is why self-monitoring is not only vital to losing weight, but also to the maintenance of that weight.

The second way to keep tabs on your weight loss is through external monitoring. External monitoring is when you allow outside things to assist you in reaching your goals even if you don’t consciously choose them to have an impact. An example of this could be the plates in your house. If the only plates you have in your house are 8 inches as opposed to 10 inches you will scoop less food on your plate because the plate is smaller. This is a subconscious effect, but is still impactful when it comes to your weight loss goals. The more positive influences and ways to monitor your weight loss goals that you can have set in place, the more effective you will be in reaching and sustaining your weight loss goals.

Trait vs. State Perspective: Generally people follow one of these two behavior patterns when it comes to self monitoring and the consistency and therefore the success of their self monitoring. The first being the trait perspective which states that people with this trait are relatively consistent over time. Although they may waiver in their self-monitoring from time-to-time, overall they are consistent. The state perspective is one that says the environment has a major impact on the effectiveness of the self-monitoring. The bottom line of both of these is that the most consistent self monitors lost the most weight overall.

Best Strategies
Self-monitoring can be very difficult but by following some of these suggested strategies, research has shown it could lead to successful results. The most important factor in self-monitoring includes constantly evaluating one’s behaviors and comparing them to the target goal behavior. This requires consistent self-monitoring even during one’s worst weeks. When one consistently self-monitors and concludes that their behaviors are not matching their target, be adaptable and accepting to change the present behavior. Try an “if, then” statement; “If I fail at this, then I need to do that.” This changes your behavior so it can match your goals. Next strategy includes the types of goals that you have set and how your self-monitoring will be altered with each one. The two types of goals include abstract and concrete goals. When self-monitoring abstract goals, focus on improving a little more each day and when faced with set-backs, monitor this as how to can one improve and acquire their goal. When self-monitoring concrete goals, focus on documenting your progress, what is working and what isn’t working and self-monitor so you know how to alter and change your behavior.

Other little strategies that one can use on a day to day basis that are more concrete ways to self-monitor include using a scale or using different apps. By weighing oneself frequently, one can have a concrete way of seeing and writing down their progress. Different apps and technology available today include a pedometer, Nike+ App, and the Nike+ FuelBand.

Next is to have a plan and write down everything you have eaten that day in a food journal and how much you exercised in an exercise log. This is a great way of self-monitoring as you can physically see you behavior and makes it easy to make changes and improvements. Lastly, having an accountability partner who is another set of eyes for you can greatly improve your success in self monitoring. Finally, one of the most important things one can do is set themselves up for success by using planned self-regulation which means planning in advance to reduce the risk of on the spot self-monitoring. This will help one avoid challenges or daily occurrences which may deviate them away from self-monitoring.

Possible Risks
It is important to be aware of the potential risks that accompany weight and diet goal monitoring. When choosing to engage in goal monitoring strategies, it is necessary to know the risks and helpful ways to successfully and healthily monitor weight and diet goals. Over monitoring is the greatest risk and it can often lead to fixation, obsession, and exhaustion. These emotions and states often deplete self-control and can result in binge eating. The depletion of self-control is a direct result of the constant monitoring and self-control related to restricting certain foods. Self-control is a limited resource and once a person has used self-control for so long, the resource is used up and monitoring weight and diet goals becomes increasingly difficult. An example self-control depletion is if a person has an extremely hard and long day at work requiring a lot of patience with others, as well as, turn down multiple unhealthy snack options at work then by the time they come home they are exhausted and have used up their self control resource. This person is more likely to eat unhealthy food if they haven't prepared ahead of time for a healthy option. Another common risk associated with over monitoring diet and weight goals is binge eating. This can occur once self-control is depleted and/or the person has deprived themselves of any/all desires, due to emotional or environmental triggers. These binge episodes are followed by feelings of shame and guilt. Frequent occurrence of binge eating episodes is a disorder known as binge eating disorder. There are other eating disorders that are also risks associated with weight and diet goal monitoring. The most common eating disorders include disorders anorexia and bulimia. While these 3 disorders are the most common and known disorders there are various other forms of eating disorders and unhealthy eating habits. When closely monitoring diet and weight goals make sure that it is in a healthy and safe way.