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| Track what you eat right from your phone |
Self-awareness is the key to weight loss.
You’ve heard it before: if you really want to keep track of what you’re eating and how much you’re exercising, you need to write it down. Journaling is not just another thing on your to-do list; it’s a great tool to help you reach your goals! A study done in 2008 found that people who kept a record of their food lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t. Those who kept a journal also exercised more than those who didn’t, accumulating up to 300 or more minutes of exercise per week.
The value of journaling is awareness and accountability. Many people mindlessly eat throughout the day and keeping a journal makes you take a second thought before taking a bite. And, if you do overdo it, you are less likely to repeat the behavior when you see it written down.
As if that isn’t enough, journaling will help you exercise more regularly and maximize your weight loss efforts! When you record your exercise sessions, you will know exactly how long and what type of exercise you did. This will help you set new goals, like increasing the time you spend exercising. Or, maybe you realize that you usually walk for exercise and you need to spice things up with a new routine.
Here are some tips to help you get started with your food and exercise journal:
- Journal as you go – it is pretty easy to find a few minutes here and there to write things down but much harder if you wait until the end of the day and have to play catch-up
- Pack your lunch – if you plan your meals ahead of time and pack food for work, you can write it down ahead of the meal. This will help you stay on track and avoid impulse buys in the cafeteria!
- Find what works for you – you can use a notebook, spread sheet, your HEALTHeME website, or anything else that you have access to throughout the day.
