When Did We Start Tracking Everything?

Life seemed to have less pressure before we started tracking everything. We didn’t obsess over our calorie intake or how many steps we completed in a day; we simply went on with our lives without the fixation of hitting goals and doing everything perfectly. 

Nowadays, we track basically everything. Food. Sleep. Steps. Exercise. We let technology and computer systems dictate how we go about our days and even how we should feel. 

Imagine waking up one morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day, only to look at your smart ring and see that you slept terribly and should take it easy. Suddenly, your entire perception of the day ahead changes. Despite initially feeling great, you’re now left questioning whether you’re actually as rested as you thought.

The same goes for food. We could finish an entire meal feeling full and satisfied, only to log everything into a tracking app and see that we haven’t reached our protein or fiber goals or that we went a little over our carb intake. What should we do? Continue eating until we reach our goal, even if that means overeating? Or end the day feeling unhealthy for not eating perfectly? 

What about working out? We got there, we did our workout and felt good about ourselves, only to check our smartwatch and see that we didn't reach our active goal for the day. What now? Should we feel like our workout was a waste of time? Should we feel down on ourselves for not going “hard enough?” 

Is that really a normal way to live? 

We used to manage to get through our days long before smart gadgets started telling us how to eat, how we slept, or whether we were active enough. Sure, these devices can be helpful for monitoring our health and fitness, but that should be used solely as a guide rather than dictating how to live our lives. 

Sometimes, we're not going to be perfect. We're not going to hit our protein goals. We're not going to get 10,000 steps in. Some days, we will swap a nutritious diet for something sweet and spend hours sitting on the couch. We won't make it to the gym, hit a new personal record, or get as much sunshine as we should. 

And that’s okay.

 We shouldn't feel ashamed of not logging a perfect day. We shouldn't be afraid to open our apps because today’s numbers aren’t as good as yesterday’s. Not meeting goals does not mean we are failures. It doesn’t mean we aren’t healthy. It simply means that we are humans listening to our bodies that sometimes need a break. 

At some point, the constant tracking can turn a once healthy habit into a new stressor. Instead of enjoying a walk outside, we obsess over the number of steps we took. Instead of treating ourselves to a snack, we’re overthinking whether or not it will set our progress back. Instead of appreciating a good night’s sleep, we’re analyzing how the sleep could’ve been better. 

We started confusing being healthy with being perfect. Even if we do not hit our goals in a day, that does not mean we are not healthy or not on the right track. Health isn't about perfection, but rather about consistency. As long as we keep showing up for ourselves and doing our best, trackers should not dictate how we feel about ourselves, nor control our days. 

Of course, maintaining healthy habits, having structure, and making an effort to take care of our bodies are extremely important. Tracking tools can be beneficial in understanding routines, analyzing health patterns, and working towards personal goals. For some people, they can be beneficial in maintaining a balanced lifestyle. 

However, there is a difference between using this technology as a resource and letting it control our lives. 

Not every meal needs to be logged. Not every step needs to reach a certain number. Not every sleep needs to be analyzed. Not every day needs to be perfect. 

After all, these devices were made to help us live a healthier life, not to live life around them.