A weight loss journal can be a wonderful tool to help you lose weight. A proper weight loss journal allows you to record everything you eat and drink as well as how much you exercise. At the end of each week, you should have an accurate record of how much energy you have consumed and how much you have expended.
If you record yourself expending more energy than you consume, you will lose weight. It's a simple fact of nature.
"But what difference does keeping a journal make in my effort to lose weight?" you might ask. One of the barriers to success is self-deception. We can't help it. We convince ourselves that we ate less than we really did, or that we exercised more than we actually did. However, when you keep a journal, you take away the temptation to self-deceive. This is why statistics suggest that people who keep a weight loss journal are twice as likely to succeed at weight loss as those who don't. Those who don't use weight loss journals are left wondering where they went wrong, while those who do keep a journal can pinpoint exactly what their problem is - and fix it fast. Fortunately, keeping a weight loss journal is pretty easy, and once you get into the habit of recording, you'll probably start doing it automatically, without a second thought. Remember that you need to record absolutely everything you eat and drink during the day, whether in an online journal or on paper. There is nothing that "doesn't really count." That's just self-deception creeping back in. In addition, write down what you eat as you are eating it - don't rely on your memory to be accurate at the end of the day. If you don't have your journal handy, write what you're eating down on a piece of paper and transfer it to the journal when you can.
A well-notated weight loss journal, with complete records will include: 1. What you ate and drank 2. How much you exercised 3. How many calories you burned 4. How much water you drank
This gives you a much clearer picture of how dedicated you are to your weight loss efforts. It will also highlight what changes you may need to make to get the results you want.
Another benefit of the weight loss journal is that it will show you the times of day you tend to eat more or less. You can then make a conscious effort to eat more filling (but healthy!) foods or reduce portions during those "trouble times."
When you keep a weight loss journal, you take complete responsibility for your weight loss plan, which should help empower you to lose weight faster and in a healthier way.
Deborah is the Health Director for Organic Liaison, has been a Registered Dietitian for over 16 years, counseling clients on nutrition and fitness, and is the author of 200 Superfoods That Will Save Your Life published by McGraw-Hill, Inc. Her mission is to educate Organic Liaison members to achieve optimal wellness through balanced eating and exercise. For more on Deborah - click here.
To contact Deborah, reach her directly at Phitter, a free health, diet, and weight-loss micro-blogging community, focused on getting 'phit.' Register for free, then send a phit to "olhealthdirector"
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Deborah is the Health Director for Organic Liaison, has been a Registered Dietitian for over 16 years, counseling clients on nutrition and fitness, and is the author of 200 Superfoods That Will Save Your Life published by McGraw-Hill, Inc. Her mission is to educate Organic Liaison members to achieve optimal wellness through balanced eating and exercise. For more on Deborah -
