Keeping A Weight Loss Journal

If you're planning on losing weight, the recommended rate to lose is about 1-2 lbs a week. Any more than that can pose numerous health risks. But as the scale slowly makes it's way towards your goal, it sometimes can still be discouraging when you don't see actual results. That's why it's recommended that you keep a weight loss journal.

A weight loss journal is similar to a scrapbook. It tracks every aspect of your weight loss journey. It can be a simple folder with pockets, or a three ring binder. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you may even wish to keep an actual scrapbook and log your journey to better health for reference. Any way you choose, the weight loss journal is meant to keep you motivated during those times when it's difficult to see progress. Just be sure to have blank paper to keep your notes, and pockets for pictures of your progress. If you're the technical type of person, you can even keep everything in a computer folder.

In your weight loss journal, take a “before” picture. Write down all your measurements at the time you begin your weight loss program. Be sure to measure your chest, bust (women), upper arms, forearms, waist, hips, upper thighs and calves. Measure again every month and take another picture wearing the same clothing as the first picture and in the same pose, with the same background. Subtract the new measurements from the previous so you can see your progress. This is important since you may not be able to visually see your progress. Also, log all your food intake. Depending on which path to weight loss you choose, log your carbs, points, calories, fat grams or all food eaten and at what time. Record the date on all entries.

It's also recommended that you log all your exercise and calculate how many calories each activity has burned. There are many online resources that can tell you how many calories are burned for just about any activity, even when it's not a “workout”. Make notations of your resting heart rate, if you broke a sweat as well as any aches or pains you may have. Keep track of any and all accomplishments since sometimes we don't realize we are indeed making progress. For instance, you many not notice any change in your appearance but may notice a lower resting hear rate which is an indicator of progress. Another example is if you are able to stretch further than before, or don't get as winded doing something that before would leave you breathless. Those accomplishments are huge! They are indicators that your body is beginning to function more efficiently which will help in losing weight.

Once your weight loss journal is established, it really doesn't take much time at all to maintain. It can be small and fit in your purse, or even entered into your hand held electronic organizer. The point is to keep track of all the information so you can see your progress. And taking note of the journey towards better health can be just as rewarding as reaching the goal.

FREE Weight Loss!!

So you want to lose weight. And flooding our televisions are advertisements for costly programs, clubs and pre-packaged foods. But what is someone to do if they're on a tight budget? We are in the middle of a recession after all and many budgets do not allow for such programs. But fear not! Below are some suggestions that not only helped me just lose 10lbs in 3 weeks (and still losing), but many of the ideas are free. Yes that's right free! All it takes is determination and an adjustment of the mindset. Try any or all of these and see how much weight you lose.

1)Eat smaller portions- Seems easy enough right? But exactly how do you stick to it? After researching the cause of obesity in America, it seems that other countries eat smaller portions. And smaller portions equal smaller people. In many countries, a standard dinner plate is around 9". In America they can be up to 11". To start eating smaller portions, replace your dinner plate with a salad plate. And don't pile the food high either! I have weaned myself to a saucer for my portions and I still feel great. Limiting my portions has taught me to make every taste count. Which means, no empty calorie food which will cause me to be hungry in an hour. I have effectively trained myself to make better choices such as proteins and vitamin packed vegetables. For snacks, I choose fresh fruit to satisfy my sweet tooth instead of pastries and baked goods. Since doing so, my palate has become more sensitive meaning processed foods have a "weird" chemical taste that I now find rather gross. Cost: FREE

2)Drinking water with your meal will cause a sense of fullness which will help you to eat less. Besides, water helps keep you hydrated as well as a myriad of other health benefits. Cost: FREE

3)It takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it's full. So I started giving my brain a chance to catch up. No matter what I'm eating, I'll stop when I've eaten ½ then have some water. Then I'll wait about 10 minutes. If I still feel hungry I'll eat more. This way I can stop when I've had all I need and won't have the opportunity to overeat or gorge myself. Cost: FREE

4)One of the hardest weight loss sabotaging habits to break was the consuming of sodas. Joan Collins was asked why she never drank diet sodas. Her response was because she had never seen a thin person drink one. That statement sat on my brain for years before I came upon a personal trainer who explained that it's the carbonation that actually prevents weight loss. While diet sodas may not cause weight gain, they will keep you from actually losing. To break my soda habit (used to drink a 2 liter of regular cola each day!) I switched to diet first to stop my weight gain. Then I would drink a glass of water for every glass of diet soda I drank. I slowly went down to ½ glass of soda for every 1 ½ glasses of water. Eventually I replaced the soda altogether with pineapple, orange or apple juice. Cost: approximately $2.00-3.00 USD per gallon of juice.

5)Cut out fast foods. Yes they're tasty, yes they're convenient. However with all the easy to fix foods available at the market, there's no reason why a quick, healthier meal can't be made at home for a fraction of the cost. There are also a lot of cookbooks available that focus on low cost meals in minutes. And when you think about it, sometimes the line at a fast food place can take 15 minutes. You can easily make a healthier dinner for you and your family in the same amount of time for a lot less money.

6)According to sleepdeprivation.com and many other experts, inadequate sleep can cause weight gain. "Leptin and Grehlin are hormones that help the body control appetite and weight gain and loss. Leptin suppresses appetite, while Grehlin increases appetite and may prevent a person from losing weight.
When lack of sleep becomes a chronic problem, levels of Grehlin increases, causing greater appetite, and levels of Leptin decrease. Regardless of diet and exercise, it's possible that some obesity is caused, or made worse, by sleep deprivation." For more information, go to their website or simply do a Google search for "sleep deprivation and weight gain". So get in your pj's, grab your fluffiest pillow and sleep away the pounds! Cost: FREE

7)When you've had a good night's sleep, get out and walk. Any walking is better than no walking. Either by parking your car further from the entrance at the mall, taking the stairs instead of elevator or just walking in your neighborhood, there are many ways to get walking. With so many professions putting us behind desks and on computers, making and taking time to be active is more important than ever. For some suggestions on being more active, check out http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2271507/fun_calorie_burning_fall_activities_pg3.html?cat=5
Hey, walking just may help you get that good night's sleep! Cost: FREE

8)Another low cost way to lose weight is to calm down. In today's time, stress levels are at an all time high and according to experts, this leads to weight gain. Taking time to reduce stress can keep cortisol levels normal. According to www.webmd.com"cortisol works on a different timetable. Its job is to help us replenish our body after the stress has passed, and it hangs around a lot longer. It can remain elevated, increasing your appetite and ultimately driving you to eat more," For ideas on naturally reducing stress, visit http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2488399/most_popular_tips_for_naturally_reducing.html?cat=5

Losing weight need not be expensive or difficult. It only takes determination and a willingness to adjust our mindset. Try one of the suggestions or try them all and see just how much you can lose!