Mastering Balance: The Power of Tracking Habits

Achieving a balanced life requires attention to multiple facets of our well-being. It's not enough to have strong relationships, regular exercise habits, financial stability, and a positive work environment while neglecting other crucial aspects. Holistic health means recognizing that our happiness and wellness stem from a well-rounded approach, where all parts of our lives are in harmony. Some areas may be more developed than others, but they all need to work together

I've been struggling to achieve this balance and finding ways to hack my habits has been a huge interest of mine. With a 9-5 job, a girlfriend, and a busy schedule including exercise, food prep, socializing, and travel, my life is very busy. In such an environment, it's easy to get overwhelmed and lose track of essential elements like nutrition, exercise, and sleep. I probably do this, but I'm not always mindful of it.

This is where tracking comes in. By having measurable data, we can stay on top of our most important habits and ensure we maintain balance across all areas. Tracking progress helps us identify imbalances early, allowing us to make necessary adjustments before they disrupt our overall well-being.

I want to focus on three major aspects and try to balance them out. Starting with these three, I plan to share how I transferred the knowledge gained to other areas of my life.

Tracking Food Intake

Maintaining a balanced diet rich in various nutrients is crucial for physical and overall health. Tracking my food intake was essential in understanding what I was consuming and how it affected my body. By recording my meals and snacks, I could easily identify bad eating habits. I noticed I was consuming more processed foods than I liked and not getting enough protein.

This was difficult for me. I've tried tracking dozens of times but always fell behind after the first week. However, I reached a point where I wasn't seeing the results I expected, and I had to do something different.

When I started tracking my diet, I began to think critically about my food choices: "Is this food nourishing me, or is it harming my body?" This mindset shift helped me make healthier decisions. For example, by monitoring my diet, I realized my portions were too large and my fat intake was higher than recommended, while my protein intake was insufficient for someone who exercises heavily. Tracking helped me adjust my diet to include high-protein snacks and reduce unhealthy, ultra-processed foods.

I also discovered a slight intolerance to lactose. Whenever I consumed dairy, my skin became oily and I developed acne. By consistently tracking my diet, I gained valuable insights into how different foods affected my body and mind. This data-driven approach made it easier to maintain a balanced diet and stick to my health goals.

Monitoring Exercise Routine

I consider myself quite active. I love training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and I supplement it with gym workouts for strength and yoga for flexibility. I also enjoy bouldering and roller-skating, and I surf whenever I can, though living in the Netherlands limits my opportunities.

I didn't realize how much my busy schedule affected me until my first BJJ competition, where I realized I needed to strengthen my core and back. Focusing on these areas at the gym led to noticeable improvements by my next competition, five months later. This motivated me to be more attentive to my exercise habits and take control more of how I build my body.

Tracking workouts helped me visualize progress over time and see increases in strength, endurance, and flexibility. Although I initially thought builder selfies were silly, comparing photos from a year ago and six months ago showed a significant difference. That’s why I decided to just get a tape, bother my girlfriend to help me with measures(I think she enjoyed it a bit though) and get some progress photos to help to compare myself over time. 

Seeing the improvements over time are boosting my motivation and are helping me stay consistent and committed to my routine. I monitor the progress and I see the areas I need to further improve. Keeping the goals in mind always helps to know which direction I’m going. For me it’s always strength, endurance and flexibility over just physical appearance.

This was the key point for me. I set a goal, realistic but challenging, I was honest with my current state and I was looking into the future and building a system that can bring me from Point A to Point B in X amount of time. I think I’m still not where I need to be and this is not a constant thing but the journey to achieve it is the thing that matters.

As for what exactly works, it doesn’t matter much. It doesn’t have to be complicated, a simple photo and a measuring tape would work fine. Of course you can be a nerd about it and get all the equipment and fancy things, but remember, in the end anything is better than nothing at all. 

Tracking Sleep Patterns

Sleep is crucial, but it always comes last for me. I usually have good nights of sleep, but I wasn't sure if it was sufficient for recovery after adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Tracking my sleep helped me understand my sleep quality. Small details like bedtimes, wake-up times, and nighttime awakenings became crucial. Even though I didn't always remember waking up, tracking data showed I did. Observing sleep phases helped me understand my actual sleep quality.

I use my Garmin Fenix smartwatch to track my sleep, which provides enough data to identify patterns. By tracking my sleep, I realized I needed to adjust my daily routine to ensure I was getting enough rest. I noticed that going to bed earlier and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule greatly improved my rest. Reducing screen time before bed and creating a calming nighttime routine also helped.

Tracking sleep not only helped me understand my sleep quality but also empowered me to make informed changes, enhancing my overall health and performance. I adopted several lifestyle changes based on information from the internet, such as morning walks, aligning with my circadian rhythm, reducing electronic use before bed, and creating a calm sleep environment.

To conclude, tracking my patterns in all these areas provided actionable insights I would have otherwise overlooked. It highlighted the connection between my daily habits and overall well-being, leading to a more balanced and healthier lifestyle. Making informed changes based on data helped me enhance my sleep, performance in daily activities, and overall health. 

While I don't intend to become an obsessed fanatic who is measuring everything, there is a necessary "programming" period for adopting a healthier lifestyle. After some time, it becomes a habit, and you understand how your actions affect you in the future. With today's technology, it's easy to gather the data needed to improve yourself.