6 Tips For Successful Weight Loss Journaling

As difficult as it may be to write down what you put in your mouth and how it makes you feel, study after study has shown a direct correlation to journaling and weight loss. Why? A journal holds you accountable, promotes awareness, understanding, even forgiveness. Journaling also forces you to be mindful of your dietary decisions, track your exercise and tune into what emotional triggers may be lurking.
The good news is your journal isn’t going to judge you. This is a friend who is always available, listening attentively to everything you have to say, and doesn’t give you any lip.

Jot it Down And Lose Pounds

Journaling is a tool I use successfully with many of my clients. They know themselves better than anyone else, what they feel, think, crave and fear. After just a few days and certainly a few weeks of journaling you will start to connect some serious dots.
You can achieve even greater success with your food journal if you include and embrace your emotions. By recognizing certain patterns, you are able to zero in and make specific, positive, healthy changes. 

All you need is a little inexpensive notebook and pen, or you can use the notes section in your phone. 

Here are 6 things to consider when keeping track in your journal:

Keep it simple.
Don’t get hung up on measurements or calories. You know 2 donuts for breakfast are a no-no. (double duh!) Jot down what you eat, when you ate it, and how you felt at the time.

Stress.
Whether it’s a crappy day at work, a feud with a friend or financial issues, jotting down what’s bothering you can help get it off your mind. You’ll also see the connection and role stress plays in unhealthy food choices and be able to move toward more positive, healthier decisions.

Exercise.
Write down your goals and create a simple plan to achieve it. Look ahead at your weekly schedule and make appointments with yourself to fit in exercise. Keep track in your journal. Note the progress you make towards your goal, and how you feel after you exercise.

Cravings.
Face your worst craving nightmares and write them down! Taking a peek on paper at what you’re obsessed about eating is an eye-opener. We all know it’s hard to resist cravings. Give yourself credit when you stick to your plan and dodge a bullet.

Buddy Up.
Why do it alone when you can do it with a friend? Find one or more friends on a similar path and help keep each other accountable. The camaraderie is a boost and you’ll help each other stick to the plan. Create a group on Facebook. This is an easy way to stay in touch, motivate and encourage each other. Share ideas, tips, feelings and milestones. Groups create a collective energy that will help fuel your success.

Progress.
Use your journal to recognize and track your progress. After a few weeks you should be more connected to what you’re thinking and feeling and how it affects your food-making decisions. By tuning into your patterns you’ll be more aware of what’s working for you. Most importantly, love yourself. Embrace the positive changes you’re making. Give yourself props for keeping a journal and remember, you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.

5 Simple Stress Busters

5 Simple Stress Busters:

Tackle stress head on! Learning to manage stress better will help you live a healthier and happier life; feel younger and have more energy; enjoy your job, family and friends more; and focus your attention on the things in your life that are truly important.

1. Get moving. This is a no brainer but you have to do it! Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress, lose weight, elevate your mood and feel good. Walking is a great way to get started. If you’re exercising now boost up your routine and challenge yourself for even more stress busting benefits!

2. Clean up your plate. Eat healthier, fresher, cleaner food. Just making a few simple adjustments can make all the difference in how you feel throughout the
day. Eat less packaged foods and more fresh foods and cut down the sugar. This will give you more energy, help regulate your mood and you’ll feel lighter!

3. Get more restful sleep. Good sleep is key to helping reduce stress. Proper sleep can boost your cognition and memory. A nice slumber also helps reduce hormones that cause us to retain belly fat and bad or insufficient sleep can make you cranky and want to overeat!

4. Create balance. Is your day is jammed packed with errands, chores, work, and no downtime? Take a few minutes to examine your daily routine and modify it for better stress control. Making time to do something you enjoy can help you relax!

5. Chill out. Meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery and yoga are all relaxation techniques that encourage you to relax and decrease stress levels. Once you've learned these techniques you can do them on your own at any time throughout your day.

Have a Healthy day,

Laura 

The Connection: Stress and Weight Gain

The Connection:  Stress and Weight Gain

by: Laura McDonald

 How does stress make me gain weight?

Being “stressed out” is more than an emotional state, the body understands stress physically, and one of the ways your body deals with stress is by hoarding and storing calories, primarily in the form of fat around your belly.

This has much to do with the way we’ve evolved over centuries.  In the wild our adrenals* immediately kicked into fight or flight mode when faced with danger...being chased by an animal, for example.  Adrenaline and cortisol are released into the blood stream, giving us that superhuman strength and burst of energy produced from carbohydrates and fats. Our bodies would then stop this extra production once the threat was gone. This adrenal response can be life-saving and necessary to survive a true crisis, but in today’s modern society the problem is that this sequence of events takes place whether the threat is real or perceived.  Women are inundated with stress that doesn’t let up, a low grade constant level without any recovery time.