The "other" weight loss food log.

Stop me if you've heard this ... If weight loss is your goal, one of the most important things you can do is keep track of everything that you eat every day.

Nothing new, right?

Why would you do this, because, as you know, is the key to successful weight loss, eating the right number of calories (and get those calories from appropriate sources) and keeping a kind of log, list, or diary of what you eat every day is the only real way to do this.

While I totally agree with everything above, I feel there is actually a completely different weight loss food log which should be kept.

Most people do not lose weight because of the spiritual aspect of weight loss. Know what to do and decide to start doing it is simple, it is the motivation, commitment and determination to continue to do so, and doing it well, which is the problem.

The type of food log I mentioned above and know exactly what you eat every day is truly one of the keys to making the physical aspect of weight loss happen.

But it does nothing for the mental aspect.

That is why I propose that anyone who has ever had a diet setback due to a lack of willpower or motivation to start tracking a second log …

A log of everything you did not eat.

Everything you wanted to eat that day, but did not. Each bag of potato chips, candy bar, every French fry, each cookie, every fast food hamburger, each can of soda, every food you wanted to eat but did not because you know that you shouldn't.

Each food in that log is a victory for your willpower.

The next time that your favorite junk food is just sitting there calling with your name on it, instead of eating it, log it, and write them all down. If you have to, you can even have the time to find out the nutritional information of the (calories, fat grams, etc) just to get an even better idea of the junk that you just avoided eating.

If that motivates, you will be even more motivated when you look at this log as it gets smaller and smaller over time as your desire and interest in eating these types of foods gradually disappear.
Not to mention, the actual act of writing down the food/typing instead of eating it could act as enough of a distraction to the desire to eat.

So, although this idea will not actually cause you to lose any weight, it will serve as a way of improving your willpower and keep you motivated. And, without that you probably will not lose any weight anyway.

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