Well I have some great reasons AND even more important is the key reason for even using a diary.

The key is found towards the end of this post.

Here are 5 reasons why a diary can work for keeping you in shape.

1. Writing down what you eat actually make you THINK about what you are eating! (Now that’s important if you are one of those people who graze on ‘auto-pilot’ without thinking about the consequences of what is going in your mouth).
2. You have a record of your week’s nutrition – and you can check to see if you have actually eaten a balanced diet of REAL food – no junk, no diet shakes.
3. Hopefully, you will have a record of what WORKS so you can do it again!
4. If it didn’t work, you can go back over your week’s nutrition and pinpoint the trouble spots. The trouble points in your day or even the trouble spots in your week.
5. Keeping an exercise diary will help you keep on track and also show you your progress!

That’s just the first part of why keeping a diary is so good.The next part is the real KEY!

The REAL benefit of keeping a food/exercise diary is in the reflection.

Ask yourself these 6 KEY questions:

1. What did I do that worked?
2. Why did it work?
3. What do I need to do in order to repeat that success?
4. What did I do that didn’t help?
5. Why did I do that?
6. What action plan do I need to put in place to fix the problem?

You will be surprised to note that these simple questions can be applied to any area of your life. It is the reflection and action that truly makes ‘diary’ worthwhile. In education terms, we call this a ‘reflective log’

Try it out and see what happens.

Now that’s a lot! Our brain cells are 80-90% fluid and our muscles are 60-70% fluid. We all know that our bodies can survive for long periods without food, but we simply can’t survive without water.

So how much should you be drinking? The simple answer is probably MORE than you are drinking now.

There are two schools of thought about exactly how much.

1) Drink enough water to allow you to pass clear urine. (Beware-vitamin supplements will affect this)

2) Drink 1 litre of fluid for every 25 kilograms of bodyweight.

(That’s without exercising- when you exercise-you need more water)

The second one allows you to get a ball-park figure on just how much.

The first- well it’s a bit of a guessing game.

I’ve tried both ways and for my money, the second way helps me to stay hydrated. How come? Well, it’s easy. If I weigh 60kilograms, I know I have to drink approx 2-2.5 litres of water. 1 litre is about 4 standard glasses.

If I drink 1 glass before and after each meal – that’s already 6 glasses.

Then 1 at morning tea and 1 at afternoon tea – that’s 8! Hey presto- 2 litres already. I find this approach better than the “look and see the colour” method! Why? It’s systematic. I’ve tried the other way, and I just don’t seem to drink enough.

So – give both ways a try and see what works for you.

Don’t wait until you are thirsty! It’s too late!

Whatever- make sure you drink enough – and try to drink pure water- not the chlorinated stuff that so many city water supplies have.

Then something happens – we wobble, and fall off. WHY? I’ve done a lot of thinking on this one because over the years this has happened to me too!

So here’s my take on it. There are two kinds of sabotage: ‘Self Sabotage’ and ‘Well-Meaning Friends Sabotage’


FIRST: SELF SABOTAGE – Why do we do it?

1. Lack of planning for healthy eating
I don’t know about you, but if I haven’t planned to have healthy snack food in the pantry or fridge, you can bet I will reach for unhealthy stuff!

AVOID this by CAREFUL PLANNING:

• plan your meals
• plan your snacks and
• have those snacks already in the pantry or fridge for the day-easy!

2. Lack of planning for regular exercise
If you don’t have your workouts planned- you are much less likely to do them! For me- it’s the cardio workouts that tumble if I haven’t got them planned into my day. All too easily one day goes by and then the next and before you know it, a whole week will have gone by!

AVOID this by PLANNING your exercise (whether it’s cardio or strength) and WRITE it down when you’ve done it.

For some, early morning is the most convenient time – this really will get you up and going and research suggests that it’s the best time of the day for fat burning.

PLAN to do something you LIKE! Even better if you do it with a friend as long as your cardio workout has enough intensity. (more on that next time).

3. Lack of belief in your program
This is a funny one and can sneak up on you, especially if you are one of these people who just keep on searching for ‘new’ programs. Before you know it you will become overloaded with (sometimes) conflicting information.

AVOID THIS by using a reputable nutrition program, getting with a reputable strength training program (find a REGISTERED Personal Trainer) and STICK WITH IT. BELIEVE in the program, and don’t be diverted. Just remember if the program sounds too good to be true- IT IS! Weight management is not ‘instant’.

4. Tiredness
“I’m too tired/ haven’t got time to cook today” – Woops – then we go to fast food.

AVOID this by having some healthy meals already prepared in your freezer for such ‘emergencies’

“I’m too tired to do my exercise today” Have you said that? We all do! The fact is, exercise will energise us if done properly. Likely as not, you started your exercise program with huge enthusiasm and went too hard too soon – of course you will get tired!

AVOID THIS by starting gently and building up to a good level! I always find that if I tell myself “I will feel more energised after I’ve done this” I motivate myself to exercise.

Daily affirmations can help here too. Try this one: “I look forward to my Huffy-Puffy” cardio every day! Simple but effective.


SECOND WELL-MEANING FRIENDS SABOTAGE

You have to really be on the lookout for this one! Your friends will start off by praising your efforts. They are happy that you have taken your health seriously. Then you start getting real results, your fitness improves and your body shape starts to change.

Now people start making comments – “Wow, you look great! Have you lost weight?” etc.

But then the comments change.

• “You are fading away to a shadow!” Not true (if you are carefully monitoring your goal and aiming to achieve a healthy weight/body-fat loss).
• “Don’t lose too much weight will you?”
• “Come on now, have another helping, you are fading away!” (This is dessert they are offering!)
• “Come on, this cookie won’t hurt you”
• ..and the list goes on.

What happened? Truth is, some people are jealous (even sub-consciously) of your success and don’t want to be shown up!


How Do You Deal With It? PLAN your responses in advance!

1. “You’re so tiny”
RESPONSE: “Yeah, tiny but STRONG!” I managed to change my friend’s comments to ‘ You are so strong” haha! ( and I’m not tiny anyway!)

2. “Come on – have a cookie”
RESPONSE: “They look great but I’m not hungry. I’ll just enjoy the smell of them. Can I take one for later” (then you can give it to a family member, or eat it later as part of your energy in/energy out equation)

3. “I made this especially for you!”
RESPONSE: “Looks great. Thank you for taking all that trouble! Can I just have a small serving though?”

4. (The work-place morning tea) “Come on- it won’t hurt you”
RESPONSE: “I’ll just have a taste”, and DO just have a taste. A small sliver of cake is ok! Just factor it in to your energy in energy out equation. The trouble starts when the small sliver becomes a bigger one – or worse two “small slivers”

Sit down now and write out some of the comments people make to you Then write your response. This way, you will be in a better position to field the sabotage successfully without offending your friends!

WISHING YOU SUCCESS IN ALL
YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS ENDEAVORS!