By Holly Sosa
This post is sponsored by Medifast. Thank you to Medifast for partnering with me. And thank you readers for supporting the companies that support this blog and my family.
I’m a list maker. A paper planner kinda gal. For me, something happens in my brain when I put pen to paper to write things down. They retain better, I stay on task, and I achieve more. This is also the case with my weight loss journey. I’ve found that when I plan ahead in a written journal/planner, I stay on track and I am less likely to veer off plan. Today, I’m sharing some tips that work for me during my food journaling each week.
1. Get a food journal or notebook
Purchase a notebook or food journal (I found mine from ErinCondren.com) exclusively for tracking your daily food intake and weight loss. Don’t mix it in with other notes where it will get lost or forgotten. Designate a specific notebook for food journaling.
2. Plan your meals weekly
For some people, this may seem excessive, but for someone like me who needs to closely watch what se eats, it’s a tool. Each week, sit down and plan out your meals. Since I’m on Medifast’s 5 & 1 Plan, this is easy for me. I can choose from the options I’ve ordered for each month and add them into my tracker.
3. Track your water intake
I recently read somewhere that people who drank 16 ounces of water before every meal, lost an average of 10 pounds more than those who didn’t. I didn’t save the article, but I wish I had because it had overwhelming evidence to back this up. For me, tracking keeps me accountable. This is only natural to add my water intake.
4. Create a list of rewards for reaching predetermined goals
Try to avoid setting food-related goals, as those only encourage emotional dependency on food. Instead treat yourself to a pair of new yoga pants or a makeup palette you’ve been wanting. This upcoming week, I have no cheat meals scheduled, so my only goal is to make it through without cheating. I jotted down my goal and a positive note reminding me of this.
If you’re an old fashioned paper and pen lover like me, food journaling could be exactly what you need to keep yourself on track and on plan. For me, and I’m a total planner dweeb, this has been such a helpful tool in keeping me motivated and involved in my weight loss journey.
INTERESTED IN STARTING YOUR OWN MEDIFAST JOURNEY? MEDIFAST HAS SOME DEALS FOR YOU! IF YOU USE MY CODE, OURHOLLY15, YOU CAN RECEIVE $15 OFF AN ORDER OF $150 OR MORE. OR, USE CODE OURHOLLY28 TO RECEIVE 28 FREE MEALS (A $67 VALUE!) WITH YOUR PURCHASE OF $250+.*
*Limit one per customer. The OURHOLLY28 code is limited to new customers only and not valid with prior purchases, Medifast Advantage, or any other promotions or discounts. Both codes expire on 12/31/2015. See website for complete details on program and discounts. Consult your physician before beginning a weight-loss program.
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