One of my favorite hobbies is journaling.  I’ve kept a ‘diary’ ever since I was in the 6th grade.  It’s a great way to reflect on the day, jot down ideas, record memories, set goals, and ‘dream’ dreams.  But even more than I like to WRITE in my journal, I LOVE to go back and READ the old entries from various stages in my life.

A few years ago when I was losing weight, I decided to keep a food journal.  My intention was to use it as a way to meticulously count calories and to make sure that I was losing weight… but when I got ‘healthy’ I began to use a food journal in a whole new way.  It became more consistent, less obsessive and a whole lot more enjoyable!

I still keep a food journal and I write down what I eat almost every day.  It’s not like I HAVE to, but I want to.  Keeping a food journal keeps me consistent and accountable for what I’m eating.  And I love scrapbooking- fancy stickers, colorful gel pens, and pretty little journals.  Here are just 5 benefits of keeping a food log:

1. Accountability–  Let’s be real, sometimes we try to lose a few pounds and we think we’re doing a good job… until we hop on the scale a month later and discover that we’ve lost nothing… or even gained a pound or two!  While that can be super frustrating, it’s important to ask ourselves “why?”  We like to blame our ‘genes’ or ‘metabolism’ or ‘hormones’ or ‘thyroid’ or ‘bloating’.  And while all these factors impact the numbers we see on the scale, a food journal can prove that excess calories are very often the true cause of weight gain.

2. Awareness–  I’m ALL about portion control!  While I appreciate healthy foods for the nutrients they provide, ‘balance’ is just as important in my mind.  You can eat a totally plants-based vegan diet and still be far from healthy.  When I was restricting food groups, I’d end up ‘pigging out’ on the foods I could eat.  IT IS possible to eat too many fruits and veggies.  Keeping a food journal and tracking your portion sizes helps to keep you aware of WHAT and HOW MUCH you’re eating.

3. Avoiding Mindless Eating–  Another benefit of keeping a food journal is that it can actually prevent you from overeating (or at least make you think twice about going for that extra piece of chocolate cake or handful of chips.) I remember trying to help one of my friends who wanted to lose weight.  I would regularly ask her what she had eaten that day.  She’d start by mentioning a few things… and then a few more… and then I would remind her of the snack we just had finished!  She would always ‘forget’ what she’d eaten that day!  That’s a guaranteed way to gain weight!  Believe me, if you commit to writing down every little thing you put in your mouth, you’ll probably ‘opt out’ of a few extra snacks!  (Less snacks = less calories!)

4. Evidence–  About a year and a half ago I was sick.  I was fatigued, always cold, I had a rash all around my ears and I just wasn’t ‘myself’.  My mom dragged me to several different doctors.  I  had plenty of viles of blood taken, but no one could tell me what was wrong.  While doctors suggested medicine that could possibly help solve my problems, I decided to do some of my own research.  I took a look at my diet… Long story short, I discovered that my problems stemmed from a gluten intolerance.  With the help of a food diary, I was able to solve major health issues… pill free!

5. Motivation–  Okay, let’s be real, sometimes we just don’t ‘feel’ like eating right.  We forget the successes we’ve experienced and we go back to our old habits.  I find that the best way to GET motivated is to STAY motivated.  Keeping a food journal helps you look back and see what you’ve eaten and how good it made you feel!  You’re more likely to ‘eat well’ if you ‘feel well’ and if you can see that the way you ate really DID make a difference!  And when you look back on a week’s worth of healthy eating, you will see that …”eating healthy (really does) make you happy!”

So what are you waiting for?!  Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, or simply eat better… keeping a food journal is a great way to help you reach your health and nutrition goals!  So in honor of ‘Start Fresh September’ pick up a cute little journal and get started!