Rules of Weight Loss: Accountability

Weight loss begins with extreme accountability, and by this I do not mean that you need to “blame” yourself or “feel” guilty for the overweight or obese situation you are in. Yes, it is in fact largely your fault and you need to own it (if for no other reason than no one else is), but we don’t want to focus on our past failures. Instead, we want to focus on future success and put in a framework that both eliminates the problem and prevents it from happening again.

Accountability simply means taking measurements (biometrics), recording them and watching them like hawk.

These are the biometrics you should watch and the interval at which you should take and record them:

• Weight (Daily)
• Waist Circumference (1 / week)
• Blood Pressure (1 / week)

Why not body fat %? Mostly because the simplistic machines for ascertaining body fat % aren’t very accurate and also because the three measurements are easy to attain and are all that are really necessary. (In other words, track body fat % if you can and want to, but not to the exclusion of any of the three biometrics listed above.)

Create an Excel spreadsheet. Track your progress. And create some simple charts to show your progress. Nothing looks more stellar than seeing these numbers fall, day after day, week after week.

Some notes about these biometrics:

• Weigh yourself daily and continue doing so even after you reach your goal weight. This is the strongest reinforcement possible as it makes you face every single day the consequences of following a reasonable diet or deciding not to.
• Belly circumference is the measurement of your belly at the belly button. Optimal measurements for men are less than 40 inches. Optimal measurements for women are less than 37 inches. Having a belly girth above these numbers increases your chance of mortality.
• Belly circumference measurement is also a buffer of sorts. Sometimes, if you are eating at or near the level of calories your body needs to operate and build muscle, your weight may not fluctuate much. However, if your belly is getting smaller, you can see that you are making progress in the battle against being overweight or obese.
• A simple blood pressure wrist cuff is inexpensive. It may not necessarily be the MOST accurate measurement of your blood pressure, but it gives you a baseline. Your blood pressure should be around or below 120/80. If you are consistently between 120 – 140 / 80 – 90, you should be concerned. If you are consistently 140+/90+, you should be very concerned (and probably on blood pressure medication and you should go see your doctor ASAP). As you lose weight and body fat (especially the body fat around your midsection), your blood pressure should start to head south too.
• Take these measurements at the same time of day. I prefer to take them in the morning, right when I wake up.

Consider weight loss as a kind of biological debt-repayment program. Not only are you going to have to suffer a bit to get out of the situation, you’re also going to have to develop a strategy to manage your biological finances going forward to ensure that you do not end up in the same mess again.