Dear Diary
by Pam Brooks

New Year’s Resolutions came about for a good reason. The new year gives us a fresh start on achieving the goals that are important to us. Most of us feel the need to make some changes in the new year. We are armed with fresh determination to achieve our goals. Foremost on many minds will be the challenge to get fit and stay fit in the upcoming year.

I’ve mentioned keeping a diet diary in previous articles. In this issue, I’d like to further explore the encouragement that daily journaling of food intake and workouts can give you.

The diet diary can be more than a place where you track your intake of calories or count your fats. In childhood, most girls discovered the magic of keeping a diary — a safe and wonderful place to write and keep your best secrets. That magic is still available to us in the grown-up world. You can conjure it up to help you get control of your eating habits and keep you honest in your workout schedule.

When I want to focus on losing some extra pounds or bump up my fitness routine, I often use a diary to help me get going and stay on track. You can use it to plan your food intake ahead of time so you are conscious of your food choices before you eat. You can write down your thoughts, frustrations, or insights about your progress. You can pat yourself on the back as you count up the good results you’ve had so far or the great loyalty to your gym workout you’ve displayed. Staple a photo of yourself when you were most fit. Cut out inspirational snipets from magazines. Make it your personal place to express the things that bounce around inside your head and clutter your progress.

An empty book that is pretty is an extra boost to keeping your diet diary current. One with a lock is even better. It works best if journaling is the only purpose for the book — shopping lists or to-do lists are better somewhere else. That way the magic and the lure of the diary stays clear and uncluttered.

Good luck — and remember to try and write as if no one but you will ever read your diary. That way you’ll stay honest in your writing, workout tally, calorie/fat counting, (no more, "I ate so much I can’t write it down!!) or whatever method you choose to manage your food intake.

– Pam Brooks