WHY IT MATTERS

This can be in an app like My Fitness Pal, on paper the old-fashioned way, or even a series of pictures on your phone. Studies show that most people incorrectly report their caloric consumption by 20% or more. Are you really aware of what you eat in a day? Take it even one step further and write down WHY you ate. For example: “It was lunchtime,” “I always eat at this time,” “I was stressed,” “I was bored,” “I smelled it and had to have it,” “the kids were eating it,” etc.

This is going to be your single, most important tool in understanding your nutritional behaviors and patterns and succeeding on any plan. Food journaling enables an honest, accurate look at what you are putting in your body. It will show you what you are doing well and what you need to work on. The more detail here, the better. Include accurate serving sizes (to the best of your ability), the time of day that you ate, what else you might have been doing at the time, who you ate with, and so on. All information here is relevant, as it will provide personal insight and start giving you the power to take control of your behavior. We like to use the term “will power” when it comes to weight loss. Will power implies some type of sacrifice or the ability to resist urges. Instead, let’s use the information that we collect to better understand our triggers and come up with strategies that help us avoid the urges!

Knowing that you have to write something down or record it in some format will make you think about what and how much you are eating. For many of us, food journaling alone will lead to smarter choices and behaviors.

This is a personal one here. Use the method that you connect with the most. I like to write things down in my pink, sparkly, wide-ruled journal, which, if you inspect closely, has several food fingerprints on various pages.

In addition to food journaling, remember to:

• Drink your water
• Reduce added sugars
• Stop Mindless Snacking