Do you want to get to your goals without time-robbing detours? Don’t drive blind.
It’s Saturday. There is a party. There is pizza. There is cake. There is ice cream. Or rather, there WAS. It’s gone now. You ate it. You ate a LOT of it. That was dinner. And you had pancakes for breakfast. And hit a fast food drive-through for lunch. You look at your phone, and notice the nutrition journaling app. The seemingly logical thought follows: “Yeah, I think we’ll skip this today.”
Oh what a mistake that would be! Here’s 5 reasons that’s a VITAL day to record in your journal:
1) Those are the kind of days we need to fully understand, to help better navigate them and mitigate damages
2) Those days have a big influence on your average daily nutrition. You may not need to make as drastic changes as you once thought
3) This flawed thinking gives yourself a giant hole in the foundation of your success, through which you will repeatedly fall
4) The easiest habit to maintain is a daily habit. Every day you skip on purpose increases the chances of you skipping another by accident
5) Self respect breeds better self care. You’ll respect yourself more for honoring your commitment to consistency and transparency, and in turn will naturally take better care of the thing for which you have much respect. (you!)
Remember, the studies show that the very act of journaling itself improved results. (they didn’t separate the groups based on what they actually ate.) So what you record in that journal is, believe it or not, less important than the act of journaling. So don’t be afraid to journal on the days when you slip up. It’s just one more step on the journey to your goals.
Thomas C. Jensen is an exercise physiologist, nutritionist, and a nationally certified personal trainer through both the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Harding University and a member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society. As a wellness speaker and franchisor, he has shared his expertise in health and fitness with diverse audiences. He has been professionally training and consulting clients of all ages and backgrounds, for both health and human performance, for over 20 years. In March of 2004, he launched Elect Wellness, a thriving home-delivered personal training and nutrition coaching company, which has since expanded into an effective franchise system.
