Metrics are the key to improving. Improvement is about getting better and it is a very relative process. To measure whether there is growth you need to use the right metrics to make sure the improvement part is taking place. Today we’ll go over three steps that will help you think about progress a little more standardized.
This summer I will be going to Puerto Rico. This past November I got a car. The sudden shift to driving all over instead of cycling has taken its toll on my body. I still eat like when I was cycling around all over so I have gained bad weight. I will say while I focus on weight loss, other people struggle to gain weight and this example is not meant to stigmatize anyone. It’s my story.
Weight loss / better health is a project that shows off why metrics matter. I can assure you of one thing, if I had been getting on a scale at regular intervals over the last 5 months, I probably would have caught wind of the weight gain before my clothes started getting tighter in the bad ways. Tighter in the chest feels good, tighter in the belly, less so.
Here’s how to not get caught off guard by life.
Step 1: Identify key performance indicators for success
A KPI (key performance indicator) is C-level jargon for a metric that matters. They are the stats that will determine if your project is a success or failure. While you can set out to accomplish anything, to measure progress you need meaningful KPIs.
Your main KPIs that determine if your project is a win or loss. These KPIs will be impacted by the actions you take, which should also be measured with other KPIs. Your action KPIs will drive the results of your main KPIs forward.
For weight loss / other health goals it could be:
Weight (Main KPI)- Mine is too high. I need to lower it. When I get to my target weight I will be in a much healthier range. This is the main stat that determines if the project wins or loses. For most businesses this is revenue. Your main stats are the results of other efforts.
Calories in (Action stat) - Since weight loss can be boiled down to burn more calories than you consume, watching how many calories you intake could help affect weight. It can at least help you identify where your struggles are.
Calories Burned (Action stat) - You can use a FitBit get a calories burned number. It may not be perfect, but if you burn 2500 or 5000 calories it will be a clear indicator of how active you were in a day.
Water consumed (Action stat) - If you drink more water it’s good for you. Water weights and salt contents and all that good stuff.
The idea is once you identify the stats that matter to your success, you can start to move towards your goals. These stats measure actions you can take to influence the outcome. They only work when you pay attention.
Step 2: Keep track of your progress at regular intervals
To make sure I don’t lose my sanity, I will check my weight every 3 days. This is something I can monitor and start to notice if I’m slipping or grinding proper. Now that I’m aware of the 3 main actions I can take, I can start to focus on an action plan.
If you are really about it, you’ll create a tracker. This will force you to stop and face your reality as you go. As much as we all wish we could just will ourselves into better habits, we can’t lie to data. Write down how you are doing with each action stat, and track it based on the need.
As I live my life my FitBit will automatically tell me how many calories I burned. All I need to do is open the app whenever I fill out my tracker, and write in the appropriate numbers. This is wonderful and easy. The FitBit also has a water tracker I never use. I could use it to track my water intake and then all my data is recorded as well.
I’ve never really used the water one.
The real one I should try for is calories eaten tracking. FitBit also has a whole system to log food and get calorie counts. I’ll be real, I don’t plan on using it. My current status is eat less dessert, don’t drink anything but water, smoothies and coffee (black) and try not to eat 4 people’s worth of food at once.
I know based on how I feel the next day how eating went and there are obvious things I can fix. Now you’ve heard the hubris side of me, if I still can’t lose weight I know I will need to track everything with more detail. Failure will create and force that accountability in me. Success will prove it unnecessary.
I will get down to tracking everything with meticulous detail if in a month I lose no weight. For Now I want to see if I can lifestyle choose my way to a better body.
Step 3: Adapt when needed but don’t lie to yourself
Once your train is in motion you need to be honest. One of the biggest pitfalls I think that faces people trying to form new habits is their willingness to lie to themselves. Some people will round an 8 to a 10 in their head and believe that new number. Others will just fill in trackers even if they don’t do the work.
End of the day this exercise is about making sure you achieve your goals. In my case, dropping 20-30 lbs before filming a music video in Puerto Rico. If you are lying on your stats or recording false numbers in your head, you won’t be able to predict accurately. You’ll start over/under estimating your potential and increase the likelihood of disappointing yourself into giving up.
Now if you are doing everything right, maybe you are missing another piece of the puzzle. So if I increase exercise, restrict calories and increase water but still don’t lose weight, I need more help. At that point I need to either research new methods to move forward or go pay a personal trainer to help me.
I may not know the best way to exercize. Someone giving me a meal plan may overcome my biases in the grocery store. You also may be measuring the wrong things and a new expert may show up and be like, why aren’t you measuring sleep? The main takeaway is if you are honestly tracking your stats and doing everything right, but still not seeing progress, you’ll need to adapt somewhere.
I hope this little foundation helps you plan and stay motivated. I need that motivation myself.
Live Long and Prosper Everyone
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