Is Journaling Too Hard For You?

Is journaling too hard for you?

     If you think that keeping a food and exercise journal is too difficult, here are three tips to make the experience not only easy, but enjoyable.

1.       Choose a book and pen that you like

2.       Keep it simple

3.       Write every day

     First, choose a book. I have kept journals in many forms over the years. I started out keeping track of my exercise sessions on the computer. I noted how I felt after exercise, and how I felt in general about my programme. I noted generally what I ate, or planned to eat. For me, the disadvantage of this method was that typically I was only able to sit down at the computer once a day. I arranged to do this right after my exercise session. This was not the best way to keep track of what I ate and how I felt over the course of the day.

     My next journal was a form I created on the computer and printed out page by page. The form had the hours of the day printed right on it, so I just had to fill in my activity or feelings in the right space. I included columns for exercise including reps and weights used, and for calories burned or consumed, as well as for recording my physical and emotional reactions. I used this for several years. I printed out a month’s worth of pages at a time, and mounted them in a soft duo-tang binder that was not too difficult to take with me. Since I was self-employed and working from home at the time, I usually did not have to take my journal very far! When I accepted employment outside the home, however, I found that this format was too big to have with me at all times. And your journal will be most effective if you can jot things down as they occur, not as you remember them at day’s end.

     For Christmas, my son and daughter-in-law gave me a stationery set which included a coil-bound notebook about 6 inches wide by 6 inches long, a more manageable size than my 8.5 x 11 inch format. I found it quite attractive, and the quality of the paper invited the use of my nice, new roller pen. The stationery set also included a box of non-stick memo squares, which a removable-glue stick turned into sticky notes. I could take a few of these with me anywhere, jot things down, and stick them into the notebook later.  This is a format that I continue to the present day – an attractive notebook from about 4 x 6 to 6 x 8 inches, and a set of sticky notes. The notebook can go most places; if I absolutely have no room for it, I can use the notes, remembering to put the date and time on each note. When I had used up the original notebook, I shopped at Value Village and Thrift Store to find a replacement – very cost-effective.

     You could use an app on your phone or computer or some other device. These things are easy for recording but not so much for reviewing, and your journal will not help you much if you do not review it regularly. Another thing you could do is use a free wall calendar and a pad of sticky notes, recording your events on the notes and sticking them on the calendar. You could even make your own sticky notes by purchasing a removable-glue stick and cutting up scrap paper to the size that you wish to use – cost effective and environmentally-friendly to boot.

     What to write in your journal? Don’t obsess over it.  I did not find that there was much to be gained by recording the caloric value of every bite – and every step -- I took. Instead, I kept one part of my journal for a “master list” of foods and portions that I was likely to consume, then I just had to record which foods I ate in my daily entry. Keep it simple. Record what you eat and when, when you exercise and for how long, and how you feel physically and mentally/emotionally during the day. Read over your entries every few days and see if you can determine any patterns. If you are trying to lose weight, write your weight down once a week. Easy-peasy. As you go along, you might find that there are more things you’d like to keep track of. By all means, customize your content to suit yourself.

     Write every day! It is essential to write in your journal every day, as each event occurs. Take your journal with you everywhere, or at least take a pad of sticky notes with you if your journal just won’t fit in. Make several entries over the course of the day. Write down what you had for lunch. If you are falling asleep at your desk by 3 p.m., write that down too. Now see if there is a correlation between what/when you eat, and how you feel in a couple of hours. Keep track of your exercise. If you only have time for a couple of 10-minute walks in a day, write them down as they occur. Next time, make an effort to squeeze in just one more minute in each session. The time spent exercising will add up! Write down how you feel after your walk or workout. Hungry? Tired? Relaxed? Happy? A couple of hours later, check in with your feelings again. See if at 3 p.m. you are more energized after a 20-minute noontime workout or after a couple of coffees and a croissant. Then govern your actions accordingly. 

     Follow these three simple guidelines and you will soon find that you have created a journal that is an invaluable aide on your journey toward better health. Find a format that you enjoy and will use. Keep your entries simple. Write every day, as each event occurs. You are on your way to a healthier you!