The cluttered room is filled with motley compliment of people–those with piercings and funky hair, a few business types with suits and button-up shirts, and a smattering of students. What brings us together is that we all share an odd passion, a desire to record and quantify our daily existence. The meeting is a throw back to grade two–the format is show and tell. Those with something to share have to work hard to wait their turn. The excitement in the room is thick, everyone eager to share, get feedback and find ways to improve.

Topics include fitness, diet tracking, sleep, complete time tracking (social, sleep, excercise, productivity, commuting, reading, etc.) mood and the use of nootropics (over the counter brain drugs). We move on to philosophical and scientific discussions–what can really be understood by the experimenter? And how can we be less subjective and more concrete?

Although this may not be a passion for you, self-tracking can be a valuable tool for improving one’s life–particularly for observing and analyzing things health related. One thing that I have successfully tracked is diet. Over a period of time I listed everything I ate–not because I was or am obsessed with weight and calories, but with the goal of reducing sugar and increasing vegetable intake in my diet.

Here’s what I discovered: the very ACT of tracking changes how you act. For example, as I read and recorded labels more carefully, I started finding sources of sugar in unexpected places–in my bread, condiments. In turn, I made different dietary choices. And as I began to notice and increase the number of vegetables I ate each day, it became increasingly important to have lots of vegetables to write on my list (the good student in me I guess)!

So, the act of recording is a powerful tool in bring about change in oneself.

Here are some suggestions of things that are easily tracked and that can have a huge impact: diet, minutes exercised, days you hold a streak (i.e. exercising or not eating sugar), weight, body measurements (measuring around the waist, butt, arms, legs actually more effective than weighing oneself because fat loss is often replaced with muscle gain). And when you see results you are motivated to keep going.

If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it; what gets measured gets done!

Pick something in your life that would enhance your health and ensure it can be measured. Set a goal and work at it until it is achieved. I’m taking it to the next level in 2011 with my Quantified Tracking Group of Peers!

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