Day Eight: A Good Tracking System

“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.  For still the vision awaits its appointment time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie.  If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3
Now that I know what motivates me, and that I DO have control over what food I put into my mouth, I need to find a tracking system that works for me!   I need an easy to use system that is not paper-based.   Whenever I try to keep a paper chart or notebook, I misplace or lose the paper/notebook.  Out of sight, out of mind!  I’ve also tried electronic tracking programs such as My Fitness Pal to track my food, and it didn’t work.  While it is an excellent food-tracking, calorie counting app that many people have found success with, it does not work for me.  It takes too much time and is too burdensome for me.  I have no desire to count every calorie, and I don’t want to think about every piece of food I put into my mouth.   For instance, I don’t want to have to look up and input 2 slices of bread (and what kind), 2 slices of ham (and what kind), 1 slice of cheese (and what kind), and how many ounces of condiment I use when eating a ham and cheese sandwich.  I feel so bad for people who must count every calorie!  I can’t tell you the number of times I have started this tracking system, and then stopped using it within a few days. 
I recently came across an app called BeeMinder.  Beeminder is a self-tracking goal-setting app that keeps data points on a yellow brick road.  When you are meeting your goals, the app is free.  When you fall off the road, you have a pre-set amount of money taken out of your account.  I am interested in learning more about this app as a potential tracking system.  Nonetheless, what I am hoping is that my “Jar System” and accountability through writing my blog will be enough to track my goals.