Keeping a Journal
Results from weight-loss studies show that journaling has positive effects on weight reduction…so why not give it a try? Buy a notebook small enough to carry around in your handbag or briefcase. Before you begin, promise yourself not to get on the scale everyday. Choose one day a week to weigh yourself upon waking. Don’t be disappointed if the scale does not decrease right away, that will come. Factors, such as salt intake and your body’s fluid status can alter your weight. Also, if you are toning up and building muscle, the scale may not decrease as much, even though your body is getting leaner. Take out a tape measure or use your old clothes to measure the inches you are losing on your waistline, thighs, and hips. In your journal record:
- Date
- Answer the question: How do I feel today?
- Times of meals and snacks
- Amounts of foods and beverages consumed
- Hunger Scale: Rate your hunger at the time of eating on a scale of 1 to 5
(1 = not hungry and 5 = starving)
- Exercise
- Record weight once a week
- Record any thoughts associated with eating
Week1
Track everything you eat and drink—everything, along with your thoughts and feelings. Don’t worry about whether you are making good or bad food choices; that will come later, and remember that no one is judging you on what you write, except yourself. At the end of Week 1, review your entries. Praise yourself for journaling, and ask yourself how you might make healthier choices the following week. Start Week 2 with a single goal, perhaps to drink more water everyday (strive for 8 glasses daily), while cutting out sugar-filled drinks and reducing or eliminating alcohol. Keep in mind that 8 ounces of wine has about 200 calories, and 12 ounces of beer has 120.
Week2
Continue to journal, but this time review your entries daily. Patterns will start to emerge allowing you to pinpoint success areas and trouble spots. You may find yourself eating from stress, boredom, or exhaustion. You may notice that you skip breakfast, then binge eat from starvation.
Week3
Chose another goal, such as eating complex carbohydrates instead of simple ones. Aim for “whole grain everything,” from cereal to pasta, with whole wheat crackers in between. Whole grains fill you up faster and they are infinitely healthier. Evaluate your entries everyday. Make written notes to yourself to avoid junk, fast, and greasy foods, sugar, trans fats, and saturated fats. Remind yourself to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, filled with nutrients and fiber.
Week4
The real work begins. Now that you are in the habit of writing things down take it one step further and really think about what you are eating. Tab a page of your journal to record the amount of servings you should be eating from each of the six food groups daily. Refer to the Sample Serving Sizes chart to design meals and snacks within your calorie range.
