7 Day Challenge: Food Journal

The first of our 7 day challenges (because really you can do almost anything for 7 days right?), will be a food journal/calorie tracking.  I was going to use lose it but found I had more friends using myfitnesspal so I switched over because support and accountability is important.  I love that you can set up how many calories you want based on how quickly you want to loose weight.  

I am wanting a slow weight loss so I don't loose any muscle.  You can put in what you want your carb/protien/fat ratio to be mine is set at 40/30/30 based on a book I read for endurance athletes.

 Also if you get online you can put in a few measurements too.  I think tracking measurements and weight is important because the scale can vary so much that you don't always get a clear picture.  

Reasons why food Journaling is important:

It helps with Weight loss:

"Researcher Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, says based on the study results, the number one piece of advice someone should follow if they want to lose weight is, "Keep a food journal."

"It's about accountability, knowing what you're eating and how much, and how that all adds up compared with your calorie goal for losing weight," she tells WebMD.1"

It is important to know how many calories your eating because sometimes our guesses are way off.  It was eye opening to me when I started how many calories I was eating.

It is important to know what kinds of calories your consuming... are they sugar, are they calories from drinks, are they calories from fruits and veggies.

For me it helps if I have a week that I really feel good, and I am tracking my food I can go back and see what I ate (usually it is more fruits and veggies and less junk).  It also helps me to remember what I am eating during and before and after runs so I know what feels good and what doesn't for me during my running.

You think before putting something into your mouth if you have to write it down, so you are less likely to eat mindlessly.

Comment below and let me know if you will be joining me this week in tracking your food/calories  and what method you will be using (notebook, lose it app, fitnesspal app or something else).

1  http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20120713/food-journal-write-it-down-shed-more-pounds