Following the pandemic, people have become more conscious about their health. These choices have been made for several reasons, such as the wish to live longer, be healthier, and feel better. Moreover, it has been proven that keeping a weight loss journal helps people on their journey.
Although losing weight might seem overwhelming, it is mostly about consistency. The key to success on one’s journey is to build healthy behaviors regardless of where they are in their weight loss journey. One technique that has been shown to improve consistency is keeping a weight loss journal.
According to experts, keeping a notebook to record one’s efforts can increase their weight loss by double. Knowledge about the food that is consumed is another factor that matters. When you are aware of the foods that help you lose weight, you can plan your meals accordingly.
Learn how to create a weight loss journal to consistently monitor your journey.
What Is A DIY Weight Loss Journal?
A DIY weight loss journal can give a person a clear picture of their eating habits. A DIY weight loss journal would also allow that person to record information other than what they are eating. What and when a person eats can be significantly impacted by mood, stress, and mental state.
If a person can record their feelings summarized in one word after every meal or snack, they will learn more about their eating habits. This allows them to learn what necessary steps they should take to be successful in their journey of weight loss.
Advantages
There is little to no chance of someone remembering what they ate for lunch about a month ago and how they felt after consuming the food. This is why keeping a DIY weight loss journal would be helpful.
Benefits of a weight loss journal include –
- Providing insight into a person’s dietary routines and behaviors
- Identifying one’s weight-loss objectives
- Heightened awareness of the foods that are consumed when they are consumed, portion sizes, and macronutrients
- Enhance nutrition
- Reduce unconscious eating
- A clearer understanding of eating patterns and habits, as well as their relationship to weight loss and gain
How To Make A Weight Loss Journal
There are numerous format choices available, and there is no correct or wrong method to create a weight loss journal. Any journal that can be kept up will do.
Weight loss journals can be very simple. Any kind of format works whether it is a simple bullet journal, an Excel sheet, an app, a diary, or a blog.
As a person gets more used to managing it, they will slowly be able to record their regular exercises and activities, their emotions/mood, and their regular sleep.
Here is an example of how someone can record their DIY weight loss journal:
| Time & Food | Calories | Mood | Notes |
| 8:00 AM – Banana, boiled egg, and a protein shake | 500 | Happy | – |
| 10:00 AM – Protein bar | 40 | Happy | – |
| 1:30 PM – Caesar salad with chicken teriyaki | 500 | Relaxed | – |
| 4:00 PM – Cupcake | 300 | Tired | Consume less sugar tomorrow |
How To Effectively Keep Notes In Your DIY Weight Loss Journal
Now, that you know how to create a journal, it is crucial to know how to use it effectively. Make a note of when and what the person eats, and how much they consume every day. If the person is consuming snacks or overindulging, they should keep track of any triggers that may have led the person to reach for food.
After a few hours, they should think back on these eating choices and describe how they have affected their emotional and energetic state. An argument with a loved one might make somebody start snacking out of stress, so this is an indication of eating habits having emotional triggers.
1. Utilize It Frequently
A person must continue to be persistent if they want to fully enjoy the benefits of a weight loss journal. Once the weight loss plan has been started, keep detailed notes and do not stray from them.
Take note of the diet, any substitutions that have been attempted, and the approach that has been used to deal with the temptation.
2. Assess The Entries
As the exercise efforts are kept up, a person will gain more weight loss journal benefits. The person will be able to pinpoint the root of their accomplishment once they start to watch the pounds slip away.
If there is a bump on the road, make sure to go through the weight loss journal to see what might have caused it. Assess your notes, think about the positives, and avoid dwelling on the shortcomings.
3. Consider How Far You Have Come.
There will be a record that shows that the person is making better decisions as they move toward a healthier lifestyle that they can sustain in the future, even if they are not able to lose the amount of weight loss that they wanted. It is crucial not to give up and to keep pushing!
4. Optimize it to Improve One’s Health
It should also be about being able to focus on making decisions that will improve your general well-being. Include other healthy self-care practices that have formed, such as drinking lots of water, doing meditation, or doing yoga.
5. Use It As Testimony For Your Doctor
Look at your weight loss journey as a team effort where the doctor is also included. You should let the doctor know in detail about the measures you have undertaken to achieve your objectives.
As the person goes back to the starting point and concentrates on the entries that date up to the doctor’s visit, discuss the advantages of keeping a weight loss journal together.
Conclusion
Hope by now, you have a solid idea of how to make your weight loss journal.
Do not be too intimidated! You have to start from somewhere just like eve.
You can also check: The Dangers Of Visceral Fat – And How To Get Rid Of It
