It feels really good to start 2013 with a weight loss. For more years than I care to count, I have started the New Year overweight and very unhappy with myself, always vowing to not go through another year like the last. This past year (2012) I achieved success and I want to share it with you! As many of you know I am a journaling fiend and I have many different journals going at a time. I actually feel lost if I go for a bit of time without putting pen to paper in one of the many. Today, I am going to tell you about turning journaling into a way to eat healthier and lose weight and it is truly the easiest and most effective way I have ever tried (and succeeded at)!
I found myself at a bit of personal crossroads at the beginning of 2012. I was once again celebrating a birthday and starting a new year and was overweight and very disappointed in myself and wanting to get completely off my diabetes medication. It was the same old story, month after month, Monday after Monday. Until I was looking for free apps for my new iPhone. . . . . and found MyFitnessPal. It instantly connected with my journaling soul and I am happy to say 43 pounds later I have journaled my way to weight loss!
Now I realize that this is not the “miracle pill” that everyone wants for weight loss. It takes commitment, effort and consistency but for those of you who are looking for an easy way to keep track of the food that goes into your mouth and the calories your body burns this is a great way that is virtually at your finger tips all the time (if you don’t have a Smartphone you can put it on your computer). This is where the journaling part of me kicked in. It soon became something I did several times day, logging into my “diary” as they call it and logging my foods for the day. It amazed me to learn how unhealthy some of my favorite foods really were and of course portion size began to play a huge roll in staying within my calorie goal.
Journaling my way to successful weight loss has been the most satisfying thing I have ever done. Why don’t you give it a shot, what do you have to lose after all . . . . . . maybe just a little weight?
just to help some ppl along, its not a miracle pill but an aid to weight loss, i had been dieting for months and some exercise but i just cant seem to lose weight if i do lose its usually water weight and i just gain it back in a day or 2 and fluctuate up to 246 with water and can lose it in less than a week i weigh about 242 im 5 11, 24 yr old male and have a diet of about 2200 calories a day about a 500 calorie deficit. maggie #77 said it best but usually any weightloss 7 pounds or less can easily be identified as water loss, im not saying that it doesnt work as i have just started taking it 3 days ago. so just give it 2-3 months to work if it doesnt then your down some money but if it does work dont u think it would have been well worth it. sorry for the grammar, by the way in the last year or so starting in september of last year i had broken to a new low and started a water fasting diet; dont eat for 5 days and then then eat a little the next day. then start all over and in january I ended up fasting for 3 weeks no food in the house what so ever just water and i lost 30 pounds all of it water gained it back in 5 days that was the biggest mistake I ever made I’m lucky I didn’t end up in the hospital, i’ll hit u guys up in about a month and tell u how it’s going and i’ll give some variables as well. I know what it’s like to be obese and it’s something no one should have to go through.
Well done Tammie, that’s really interesting. I’m a big fan of journalling and so pleased to hear someone else has several journals going at once!
Look forward to reading more!
Rosemary
Thank you Rosemary. I appreciate your stopping by and commenting today!
Tracking the progress makes those little steps look like the changes are working out. Otherwise, we may become discouraged, declaiming nothing’s happening.
You are so right Roy. That is why I love journaling so much, something concrete to see! Thanks for commenting.
CONGRATULATIONS, Tammie!! I just signed up and want to give this a shot!! BTW, love your blog and look at it several times a week. You both have done a tremendous job with this!
Thank you Rhonda for the Congrats. I appreciate that and thanks for visiting. I am so glad you do and that you like it!
I have never commented on one of our own posts before, but as a friend (and not as a CHS partner) I want to say how very, very proud of Tammie I am. She has had so much self control because I KNOW that, like me, she LOVES food. And hopefully, just hopefully, this year will me MY year to drop some weight! Way to go Tammie. Love ya girl (even though there is less of you!)
Thank you my friend and partner.