Hi, Angie here to tell you that Journaling your food is one sure way to keep you focused on your fat loss goals! It totally works for me.

This is the number one motivator for me. I know that once I begin to jot down what I eat, the time I eat, and an approximate amount…I will see quick results.

The idea is to keep it simple. Get a notebook for a dollar and label your days from Sunday through to Saturday at the top of the page. On the left side of the page you would jot down the times you eat. I eat about 5-6 small meals per day.

A typical day for me would read as follows:

Monday – 7:30a – oatmeal and blueberries

9:30a – 2 eggs, 1 pc. Toast

12:00 – ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ sweet potato

2:30 – carrots and almonds

5:30- grilled chicken salad with veggie wrap on side

7:30 – apple slices and peanut butter

I do not get into technical measurements. I know that I eat every 2-3 hours, so I do not eat to feel full, only satisfied. This may take time for you to listen to what your body is telling you. Sit down when you eat. Chew slowly. Be in tune to your body. You will LEARN to know when you are satisfied.

Journaling encourages me to PLAN my meals for the day. I usually wake up having a rough idea of what I will eat for the day. It MOTIVATES me to stay on track because I SEE what I have eaten the previous days and I plan ahead when I will reward myself with a treat or what I call a ‘cheat meal.’

Just going through the process of pen to paper is motivating to me. It is a call to action. There is focus and clarity in that one simple action. This is vision to me. It is a powerful process that can bring you closer to achieving your goals. On the same page I also jot down my current weight and BF%. Personally, I then make a short-term goal of 4 weeks. I will then, realistically, jot down my BF% goal. I try to aim for .5% BF per week. I know I can achieve this because through journaling in the past, I did achieve this! I also know from experience that when I follow a program and eat well 80% of the time, my body will respond positively!

I will jot down my food for at least two weeks. I find that when I commit to this span of time I have then conditioned my mind to eat well, eat at regular times, and reward myself every third day with a ‘cheat meal’ such as pizza and cookies. This is only one meal. My next meal is always healthy again. I find that this kind of schedule of eating well for two days in a row, sometimes three encourages me to stay focused, my ‘cheat’ always feels well deserved! A great feeling compared to guilt.

Have a wonderful day!

Angie Tousignant