Must do: Food Journals

If you want to improve your eating habits and lose weight, you absolutely must keep a food journal. Why?

Well for one it will keep you accountable to yourself. It is surprising how having to write it down will actually stop you having it in the first place.

Secondly, you can use the entries to target where you are going wrong. Sometimes we just don't realise that we are eating too much or too little, both of which can slow our fat loss down.

Thirdly, you can use your journals with a partner or coach (say me) and review each others' entries each week. Knowing that you have to show someone else, can help a lot too.

You wont need to keep the journal forever either unless you want to. I know some people love to record everything (not thinking of anyone in particular) But keeping the food journal for a few weeks every now and again can help break you out of those habits. Habits like having to have something sweet before bed or for afternoon tea. These really are just habits-you aren't really hungry. And remember, your body doesn't reward you for being 'good' all day and then having rubbish later as a reward. It is all calories to your body no matter when you eat them or how 'good' you have been the rest of the time.

This tactic is going to play a major part of the FitterFaster Greatest Loser Competition. I am going to ask you to record your intake at the Forum at least every second day to make you accountable. Believe me, this really really works. I do it if I start to get off track and it brings me right back into the good habits again.

Start on your journal right now. You don't need heaps of detail like how many grams of carbs or protein or whatever. Just record what it is and the serving size. The time you ate it is also important. Oh and you have to record everything-that one square of choccy, that spoonful of icecream, that couple of tastes of tea as you cooked it!!

Start now in a blank notebook, or go to fitterfaster.ning.com/ and start a new discussion called "Jo's Food Journal" (insert your name instead of mine) then each day, you can add to the discussion. How's that for keeping accountable-it will be there for all to see. This will work for you. Try it even for just one week!

Jo

I'm waiting to see who does this