If there’s one thing I get resistance to when coaching clients, it’s keeping a food journal. Back when I was a Weight Watchers member drop out (x4), I despised keeping a journal. I came up with every excuse in the book to not have to use that dang sliding points finder and write in my log.
- It takes too long (bull, I’ve journaled on and off for years and it’s possible to do it in minutes a day)
- I don’t need a food journal to lose weight (there is tons of research that proves tracking works)
- I know how much I’m eating (have you ever tried to recall what you consumed at the end of the day? Try it, good luck.
Looking back, I ate a lot of Weight Watchers products because the points were conveniently listed on the packaging (very clever of them), but that stuff was seriously PROCESSED. Listed below are the ingredients in Weight Watchers Smart Ones Sesame Chicken.
Warning: NOT real food!
Bottom line, I was making excuses because I didn’t want to do it. I was tapping into my inner emotional child by pouting and proclaiming, I don’t need no stinkin’ journal!
If the picture above confuses you, you really ought to watch The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. What an awesome flick. But I digress. Back to journaling.
There are options when it comes to tracking your food. Journaling can be arduous and time consuming or quick, easy and effective.
Many trainers, coaches and dietitians will tell you that you have to keep a DETAILED food journal – exact portion sizes, calories counts, carbs, etc. Then, take all of that information and plug it into on online tracker like Loseit or Fitpal. I did this once and it took FOREVER! Time is not the only problem here – let me explain.
My ultimate goal is to free my clients from the relentless tracking of carbs, points and calories and instead encourage them to listen to the wisdom of their own bodies. This is a fundamental step towards liberation from the diet mentality and an unhealthy obsession with food.
I teach my clients to look inside for answers by honestly feeling their emotions (not stuffing them down with food) and by learning what true physical hunger and satiety feel like. If we pay attention (and eat real food), our bodies will tell us what to eat, how much and how often.
If my own clothes start to feel a little snug, here’s what I do. I propose you give it a try as well, BEFORE signing up for Weight Watchers for the 5th time.
Use a whiteboard, a piece of notebook paper or a document on your computer, whatever is easy and convenient for you, and write down the following – the time of day and what you ate. That’s it.
The simple act of writing down this basic information creates awareness and awareness is the key. Tracking works because we’re forced to face the music, the raw data. It’s easy to blame your weight gain on a slow metabolism or hormones when you’re ignoring the fact that you’ve been eating a bag of Doritos (1,680 calories) and 2 liters of Coke a day (820 calories). Yes, it’s an extreme example, but you get the point.
Stop hiding from the truth and write it down. You might be shocked by how much food you’re consuming in a day. Pay close attention to the quality of your choices as well. How much of your fuel is produced in a factory? How much is from nature?
Tracking is a very effective tool, but ultimately, you’ll also need to address why you’re eating when you’re not physically hungry – and that’s a bit more complicated. A coach comes in handy here (that’s me). If you think you could benefit from nutritional counseling and/or assistance discovering the why, feel free to shoot me an email. Let’s chat Chickadee!