Journal Guide
Keeping a journal is an important part of any weight loss program. A journal will help you keep track of not only your food and water intake, but it will also allow you to write down your feelings and thoughts. What inspires and motivates you? This is where you will come to realize many things about yourself that will help you be successful, not only in weight loss, but also in life in general. Journaling will give you accountability and that is what we all need to help us succeed*.
Getting Started
Start by getting a notebook to write in. There are also plenty of free apps you can get online these days. You could also start a journal on your computer as a word document or write emails to yourself. Whichever methods you choose just go for it. Anything will do.
You will want to keep a record of the basic aspects of your diet such as the following:
- Food you eat throughout the day
- Daily calorie intake
- Daily water intake (Eight 8 ounce glasses is your goal)
- Daily exercise (What you did and for how long)
- Weekly weight (Weigh yourself at the same time on the same day without clothes weekly)
- Your goal weight
- Exercise calories burned
- Daily steps taken (Get a pedometer and start tracking those steps. Shoot for 10,000 steps a day. You can do it!)
- Weekly waist measurements (Measure starting 2 inches above your belly button. Make sure the measuring tape is laying flat on your body and not twisted)
What Inspires You
It is important to keep a section in your journal where you can keep things that inspire you. You can write it down or cut stories out of the newspaper and glue them into your book. If you are online you could also copy and paste inspiring stories to your journal. Whatever you do just keep it simple. Here are some inspirational ideas.
- Motivational sayings and quotes from friends or people you read about
- Inspirational articles you find
- Pictures that give you hope and bring you happiness
- Success stories of others
- Pictures of yourself that show weight loss progress
Your Thoughts & Feelings
Document your daily thoughts and feelings about your weight loss progress. Write down everything. Be honest with yourself. Write down good thoughts; like how you felt when you had a successful day. If you slip off the program (cheat), write down what you ate and how you felt before, during, and after eating it. It is important that you read your journal, so that you will have insight into your behaviors and thoughts. This is how you will learn from your past and it will help you make better choices in your future.
*Everyone is different, so results may vary and no amount of weight loss is guaranteed.