Journal to Lose Weight

Most people know that the healthy way to lose weight is to eat right and exercise. The only problem with this is that there are often hidden reasons that stop us. Through journaling, these hidden issues that are sabotaging our lifestyle can be discovered and dealt with. Only then can the healthy eating and moderate exercise be truly successful.

The first thing in the morning, write 2-3 pages in our journal (either paper or computer). Include your feelings about the day ahead, not holding back anything. Are you anxious or excited about your day? Often just doing this will reduce your unhealthy habits, since you now have an outlet to expressing your feelings.

During the day, add what you've eaten and how you feel about each meal or snack. Are you eating out of anxiety, boredom, or just because it was there? What choices did you make and why? How full were you when you stopped eating (still hungry, full, or completely stuffed)?

After a week, look back and analyze your journal entries to discover your strengthens and weaknesses. Write down your findings. How many times a day did you eat? What size were the meals? Were they balanced meals with healthy protein, vegetables and fruits, and healthy carbohydrates? Why did you eat the meals (hunger or another reason)? Are you over eating and why? Are you over snacking and why? Are you under-eating (if not enough calories are consumed during the day your body may go into starvation mode and slow your metabolism)? Do you need to eat more frequent and smaller meals in the day so you don't get too hungry? Do you eat when you aren't hungry and what is the cause?

Now that you have analyzed the journal, write down a numerical list of the changes you want to make. Some examples are: Eat more or less in quantity or size of meals. Take healthy snacks to work with you if you are tempted by unhealthy food there. Find something else to do with your hands if you are eating due to boredom. Find another way to deal with anxiety if that is the reason you're eating. Stop eating when you are about 80% full. After you have your list deal with them one at a time. It takes 6 - 8 weeks to make these changes habits in our lives.