Just try and say that five times fast! And when you’re done, start doing it, as all kinds of diet programs vouch for the success that writing down your food intake can bring. Bodybuilders do it, Jenny Craigers and Weight Watchers do it, and now there are programs cropping up that are nothing more than journal support groups. How does writing it down work? Let’s take a look.
When you need to get something done, do you write a note to yourself? Of course you do! So why not put at the top of that list “lose weight” or “maintain weight”? Isn’t that just as important as picking up the dry cleaning? In fact, why bother picking up the dry cleaning at all if you can’t fit into it? Making healthy weight management a “to-do” sets the wheels in motion.
So now you are cruising along, you’ve started your program, and things are going great. You’re motivated, you are feeling lighter, and you are looking forward to reaching your goal. Wanna know a secret? Professional athletes of every sport take the time to write down DAILY what they did that day to develop their skills, how they felt, how they slept, and yes, what they ate. Why do they do this? One, because their trainer teaches them and tells them to, but two, because they know that by writing it down, they are creating awareness for themselves as to what is working and what is not. Even athletes have a strong inner-critic; in fact, that inner critic is probably what drives them to great success. But the difference between you controlling the inner-critic and the inner-critic controlling you, is writing it down, analyzing the situation, and closing the book until the next meal, allowing you to focus on other important areas of your life.
There is a reason why CEOs have an accounts payable department. If every CEO could just write checks willy-nilly, rather than having to ask AP for a check, he/she would easily overspend the cash flow. A successful dieter needs to be their own accounts payable, and before they “spend” their calories on something they are about to eat, they need to ask themselves “can I afford this?” . Use your journal as a “check book”, to keep a check on your food choices. If you don’t like doing it, well, experts say you are probably the person who needs it the most. Need more encouragement? It’s free, and it works.
