Behavior analysts analyze data over periods of times. This tactic is a foundational skill for any practitioner or health coach out there.
Consider this chart below.
Because my clients and I collect data every day, over long periods of time, we have the privilege of understanding how the environment supports or inhibits any health and fitness goals.
Such data displays are useful in coaching sessions as we can understand various fitness trends.
Let’s take a look at three standard analyses.
Yearly trends
How does an exercise routine shake out every year? This client started out slow in 2021, but following intervention the frequency of lifting days stayed consistent through the summer of 2022.
Seasonal trends
Which patterns, if any, are discernible that coincide each year? February and March showed decent success in both 2022 and 2023.
Monthly trends
What does the last 3-6 months look like for our goals? April 2023 looks promising as the past two months produced 9 strength training days each month. As this client’s coach, I can share that we removed my many barriers and made minor changes (e.g., deciding on a gym, and figuring out which exercises to target) to produce this recent success.
