**8. Self-monitoring of behavior change program**

Self-monitoring refers to regular keeping or tracking of components of behavior; for example, patients who intend to lose weight could keep track of daily minutes of exercise undertaken [49]. It is important to encourage patients to keep diaries of their behaviors so that they could relay progress in the subsequent or follow-up consultation [44]. It may be difficult for patients to remember their activities or behavior during follow-up visit if they are not recorded leading to inaccurate and invaluable. The moment patients agree to be on behavioral intervention and monitor their

behavior, it becomes essential for healthcare providers to emphasize on the specifics of the plan. For example, the patient wants to monitor the physical activity behavioral intervention and discuss when during the day he/she can exercise. How will the patient remember to observe and record the behavior? Recording the behavior soon after its occurrence led to accurate data [44]. Although patients may be tempted to omit unhealthy behaviors or exaggerate healthy ones, healthcare providers should encourage patients to be completely honest to maximize the usefulness of their selfmonitoring program. For self-monitoring to be most effective, healthcare providers should ask patients to bring their self-monitoring book to follow-up visits. These will help in reviewing the behavior together with patients celebrate successes, discuss challenges, and co-create plans for next steps. The process of consistently tracking one's behavior is sometimes an intervention itself, with patients often sharing that it created self-reflection and resulted in some changes [50].
