Do you keep a weight loss journal?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
August 11, 2007 7:01pm CST
Lately, I've been trying to lose weight and have been having trouble keeping track of daily meals. So, I have been considering keeping a weight loss journal. Perhaps I could track of meals and daily exercise. Plus, I would like to be able to journal some of my feelings about food and such.
Do you keep a weight loss journal? And, has it helped you lose weight? Please share your experience.
4 people like this
8 responses
@DanaMark (807)
• United States
16 Aug 07
My weight loss journals have been mostly just keeping track on a spreadsheet my daily weight and the type of meals I ate. Weight loss experts say we should only weigh ourselves on a weekly basis, but I weigh in every morning just before my shower. I'm always curious how much damage I did with my eating the day before. lol.
I keep a log of all my exercise activities. I note my rounds of golf, hours of tennis, miles of bike riding, times of weight lifting, etc. I have a formula in my spreadsheet which automatically calculates how many days since I exercised last. That helps me keep at it. Otherwise it is easy to get lazy and skip too many days.
I don't know if all that helps, but I like tracking statistics.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
17 Aug 07
As usual, you always have such great ideas. I would not have remembered to keep track of exercise. But, it makes more sense than simply logging calories and food eaten. Exercise plays a really big part in any good weight loss program and perhaps should be more of the focus than simply cutting calories. Before I had my baby, I was more than able to lose weight simply by eating less. However, I think that messed up my metabolism, so now simply cutting calories doesn't work anymore. Perhaps it would be better to burn the calories and lose weight that way. Better for the heart, that is for certain. You have given me much information to think on! Thanks again! Be well.
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
14 Aug 07
I kept a food journal at the suggestion of a nutritionalist I used to see. It did work for me to a certain point but I stopped because the constant having to account for every little calorie made me not eat enough because I was so afraid of going over and watching every little bit. I ended up eating about 640 calories a day whereas I was supposed to be having 1200. Now I don't keep a food journal but when I feel that I am having issues with my weight loss then I write about it in my regular daily journal. When I started on my weight loss journey one thing that helped me was writing a positive journal entry to myself about myself. When I'm feeling fustrated I go back and read that for a little bit of a boost.
1 person likes this
@kristypants (305)
• Canada
13 Aug 07
I'm on sparkpeople.com, and they have a place for you to record everything that you eat. I don't do it all the time, but I notice when I do, and I'm consciously writing down what I'm eating and how much, I eat a lot less.
@cefaz_21 (2596)
• Philippines
14 Aug 07
Before I got married, I was into soutbeach diet and I have a foodjournal,I record all the food I take during that day,including all the liquids..I guess It was a big help in my part.
But now,I am not so serious into losing weight again..I'm motivating myself..so maybe one of this days..I'll have a food journal again.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
14 Aug 07
I did at the beginning when I started my weight loss program in June/July but have stopped writing it all down. Not sure why, got lazy, fell behind, might have to start up again. I never really looked at it or referred to it much LOL doesn;t make sense to have one if i don't write in it much i suppose LOL
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
10 Nov 07
I dont but I have been meaning to. I started a diet about 3 weeks ago and lost 15 lbs right off the bat and now nothing since then. Id really like to start losing again so I think I will start one and keep up with it!
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
12 Aug 07
I used to keep a weight loss journal, but after a few tries and disappointments that my weight did not come out as fast, I gave up. I do not mean I did not expect five pounds a month, but two pounds a week or three seems rather logical. And then when I had a treat, and because of that one treat, I gained back what I lost, I did not want to record that. I would be very good at writing down my feelings about weight loss and weight gain, especially when I can gain about five pounds from morning to night. It also might help me see what kind of food I should avoid, which I suspect is white bread, and whether it is that fact that it is bread, or whether it is the wheat. I think I need more than a journal to help me lose weight, enough money to buy the more expensive food that is good for my health.
