by Matthias Deangelo

Created on: May 18, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2009

Whatever aspect of your life you are working on, it's helpful to keep a journal. Weight loss is no exception.

There are many reasons that keeping a journal helps with weight loss.

1. It helps you plan. Keeping a journal helps you create and map out your weight loss project. The inside cover of your journal should include an in depth statement of what your weight loss goal is, your deadline for achieving your weight loss goal, and most important of all, the reasons WHY you are committed to losing the weight. Be honest about how you feel about your current weight and what it is costing you in terms of health, energy, in your relationships, in your own self esteem. Also write about how you will feel when the weight comes off, and what you will gain from reaching that goal. Also, take pictures of yourself in shorts, and bare midriff, front and side views. Paste them in your journal. Leave space for two more photos. Underneath the two photos, write "BEFORE". Then, you will paste your "AFTER" photos in the space you left open. Then keep referring to that inside cover every day to help you stay focused on your goal.

2. It helps you adjust. As you progress with your weight loss plan, you may notice that certain aspects of your diet and exercise program work better than others. Write down your results and then experiment with different adjustments to see what works.

3. It helps record the emotional triggers. Weight loss is an emotional process, which is why it is important to write down why in emotional terms you MUST (not should) lose the weight. Reaching for food is often an emotional release or distraction for us. When you feel the urge to "pig out", write in your journal about how you feel, and why that feeling is making you reach for the food. By understanding the emotional triggers that cause you to reach for food, you can adjust your response and find something other than food to change your emotions. Maybe, you can get up and go for a walk, if it is nice outdoors? Find something else, other than the food to distract you.

4. It gives you something to do. Sometimes, you are just sitting around doing nothing, and that is when it is easiest to reach for food. Sometimes, it's just that simple!

5. It helps you hold yourself accountable. Writing it down, and allowing yourself to see what is happening to you helps keep you focused on reaching your goal. You might lie to others, but by keeping a journal, you make it more difficult to lie to yourself. Moreover, if you have a coach or work-out partner, show them the journal. This will create even more positive pressure on you to keep on track.

6. It creates a record that can help others. Besides the satisfaction you get from losing the weight and keeping it off, you can gain even more satisfaction from helping others. If a friend or family member is working on losing weight, you can serve as their role model and/or mentor. When they get discouraged and don't feel like exercising, or if they feel the pull of binge eating, you can pull out your journal and say: "This is what I did, when I felt the urge to pig out." or "This is how I got myself to exercise." As I said, weight loss is an emotional issue, so the feeling of pride you get from helping yourself, then helping others will be your greatest reward.

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