Is journaling the secret to meeting your weight loss and fitness goals? I read an article through an online news site where one student talked about the success she had after taking a basic English course where she was required to journal her daily activities including what she ate and drank. She said it was amazing to recognize what she was and wasn’t eating right and where she needed to make corrections.
People Don’t Want to Know
I’ve kept a journal of what I eat, drink and the amount of activity I’ve performed. It’s pretty tough to do because if you do it right, you have to face exactly how many calories you consume versus how many you burn. You have to really look at your choices and you can’t just forget those pair of Oreo Double Stuff Chocolate cookies you snuck in earlier or that the daily mocha from Starbuck’s with its 300+ calories is not so easy over look. In fact, at one point, I was drinking three to four of those a day and journaling made me take a long hard look at that and needless to say, I dialed it back.
Good Housekeeping magazine reported that most people who see what they are eating feel more accountable and will consciously make better choices. I know that journaling at the holidays helps me to keep track of not going back for that third or fourth helping while we sit around, laughing and talking all day.
Several years ago, we hosted a Christmas with over a dozen people in attendance. I was making food for days in preparation, breads, pies, cakes, and then of course the huge Christmas dinner that I served Christmas Eve. We were swimming in food. I made a point of writing down every bite I took to keep from nibbling through the preparations and overeating. It was hard and sometimes it made me feel more than a little ashamed of myself because I would go back again and again and I wasn’t really hungry, I was just going for it because it was there.
Being Accountable
It’s amazing what a little bit of accountability can do for your overall fitness. So, do you think journaling your calorie intake and outtake could make a difference in your fitness? Are you willing to give it a shot? Starting August 1st, I’m going to take the hard road and journal every meal, every exercise session; everything and I’ll post it here. I’m going to use those 31 days of August to take a long hard look at my personal choices.
Are you up for the challenge?