When working towards a goal, it’s always best to track your progress.  How are you supposed to know if your methods are working if you are not tracking what you are doing?

People who want to eat healthier could keep a journal of their meals or use an app like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal.  This is a great way to make sure that you are eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones.

Someone who is trying to get stronger can keep a journal, either written or on their phone, of their weights and reps.  Doing this allows you to know if you are progressing or not.  It also gives you the extra push to beat your previous weeks.  I know if I did 8 reps of 100 lbs last week, then I better beat it or at least match it this week.

You don’t need to track things like this for the rest of your life.  It’s just a tool to use until these things become a habit or until you reach your goal.  I don’t track what I eat anymore, but I did when I was first starting this way of eating.

It’s beneficial to track not only quantitative information but qualitative as well.  In your food journal write down how those foods make you feel.  For weights, write down your perceived effort and how you felt immediately following and the next day after your workout.

So track your progress to see if the steps you are a taking are leading you down the right or the wrong track.