Weight Loss Monday - Record It!

Don't start your weight loss journey today.  Isn't that great news? 

Actually, everyone is partying through the holidays with a count down to January 1 to start the New Year Resolution of losing weight.  But don't wait for a date, get a jump on everyone by starting now.  What successful losers know is that there is prep involved. 

You need to be ready and prepped just like any other journey.  Packing this bag is fairly simple.  First gather up a small notebook, a tape measure, bathroom scale and a writing utensil. After reading through this and knowing what you'll be doing, an app might be a better fit than a notebook. (My Fitness Pal and Lose It are free and easy to use.)  It really doesn't matter as long as you can record throughout the journey.  Be it a steno pad, a loose leaf binder, a spiral notebook, or an app, it must allow you space to record and make notes. Since it must be able to go with you everywhere, you might want it to fit in your purse or briefcase.

This is your weight loss journey log and it is guaranteed to help you be successful.

Write down the date and the amount you weigh.    I know it's difficult to step on the scale and look, but no one else will be seeing this, only you.  Be brave.  This is for your health!

Take several measurements and record these on this first page of your weight loss journey log. At minimum these measurements should be chest/bust, waist, belly button level,  and hip.   Waist and belly button level are different.  I do this in front of a mirror to determine where my waist is and then where my belly button actually is.  

Good additions to these measurements are upper arm and upper thigh.  But note which side of the body you are measuring and at  what point.  For example, I always do my right side, 6" up from my knee for my thigh measurement. 

In your in your weight loss journey log, write these as a column and then add up.  Scary big number, huh?!  Great, because it's only going down from here. 
 
Record what you eat.   And this is when the notebook becomes as important as your cell phone. Just as you go nowhere without the phone, so this notebook must go everywhere.  Do not rely on memory for this next step - it will fails us every time.

Everything you eat must be recorded.
When you eat must be recorded.
Where you eat must be recorded.

The above is the data that will unlock your weight loss success.

Do nothing else this week, except the above.  Don't worry about what you eat (well, don't overindulge), but get in the habit of recording.