Hooray for Food Journals–Get Help With Weight Loss

So, your New Year’s resolution for 2016 was to lose “30 lbs.” It’s now February … have you quit yet?

If not, keep going. I have great news to share with you. If you’re thinking about quitting, then try incorporating a food journal in your diet plan before you throw up your hands in defeat. It may sound like stale news, but do you know that keeping a food journal actually helps with weight loss? It takes great effort and persistence to be constantly logging everything that you eat, but it does have its rewards. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land;” (Isaiah 1:19). Take a look at these three benefits of keeping a food journal.

Calls You Out
A food diary holds you accountable for everything you put in your mouth. You don’t get to hide or forget any food-party your mouth went to. We’ll sometimes exaggerate healthy eating habits, but a food journal is very precise. It’s all there to help you identify eating patterns so you can distinguish between, and recognize your strong points as well as where you keep going wrong.

Aids with Calorie Counting
I bet even if you tried really hard, you couldn’t remember the exact calorie count of everything you’ve eaten today. A food journal forces you to pay attention. To maintain a healthy weight, the estimated calorie intake each day for women is 2000 and 2500 for men. And a little less is recommended for weight loss. But it’s hard to know when you’ve reached your quota, if you’re not keeping score.

Keeps You Encouraged
Food journals keep you motivated to work harder. When you can track your eating habits and see your progress every day, you’ll gain more confidence to conquer the scale. You’ll be able to see what you’re doing wrong so you can make changes. And you’ll see what you’re doing right, so you can do it even more. This will encourage you to keep going despite your struggles.

Remember, everything counts … the half eaten bag of graham crackers that your child took home from school, the free sample at the wholesale store, or the mini snickers bar you discovered hiding out in the bottom of your purse. The truth is, they all carry a calorie count—and calories add up. In fact, those little thoughtless snacks can become a big obstacle in the way of you reaching your weight loss goals. So be persistent in recording it all.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

What has your experience been like with a food journal? If you have none, then you should consider starting one!