Journaling can make a
huge difference in your
journey to a healthier
you!
We all struggle with eating healthy. It’s a
never-ending battle of willpower, cravings, and
convenience that tempt us daily. It can leave
us feeling a little frustrated. It doesn’t have to
be this way, however. There is an easy way
that you can take control using a food journal
to record your meals.

Simple, yes, but
unbelievably powerful.

Benefits
Keeping a food journal has
many benefits, from
encouraging weight loss to
improving nutrition to figuring
out food intolerances. A food
journal can also help you
recognize emotional issues
dooming your fat loss efforts.

Food Choices
The simple act of writing down
what you eat can positively
impact the food you choose.
Research shows that you’ll
eat less food and higher
quality food, which will
promote weight loss and
overall health.

Fat Loss
You WILL lose weight. Because we generally
don’t think about what we eat. We often eat
according to habit or craving. No one is holding
us accountable for what we are eating. One of
the big perks of keeping a food journal is that a
lot of the mindless eating that doesn’t serve
any purpose beside satisfying boredom will
cease.

How do you
feel?
Being mindful of how you
feel before and after you
eat can help identify the
true reasons why you eat.

Mindful
Keeping a food journal
makes us more aware
of our choices and
encourages us to be
more mindful of not only
what we are eating, but
also how, why, and
when we are eating. It
sheds a light on our
patterns of eating.

Patterns
When do you skip meals? Are you
overeating at night? Do you mindlessly
snack throughout the day? It also
helps identify certain triggers of
unhealthy eating. Are you grabbing
that vending machine cookie or bag of
chips when feeling stressed or bored
at work? Do you eat a late night bowl
of ice cream because you’re feeling
lonely? You may notice that you are
eating more food than you need, but
are not getting enough nutrition.

Food Groups
A food diary will allow you to spot at a
glance any shortchanged food groups that
could be potentially depriving you of
important nutrients. You may also notice that
you’re eating more processed foods and fast
foods than healthy, nutrient-dense foods.
Keeping a food journal can help you plan
balanced meals comprised of all the food
groups, thereby improving your health.

It can be satisfying to look back at your journals and see
that you did a great job at the end of the week.

How do you
Feel?
Record how you feel physically after eating, in addition to what you eat, to
help pinpoint food intolerances. If you consistently feel bloated, nauseous or
have diarrhea an hour after drinking milk or eating ice cream, you could be
lactose intolerant. Similarly, if you have digestive discomfort after eating
bread or another wheat-containing food, you could be gluten intolerant.
If you have a chronic disease, such as diabetes or hypertension, keeping a
food diary can help you avoid problematic foods and stick to your special
eating plan, such as a low-sodium diet.

Triggers
Also note the time of day, where you were
and if you were alone or eating with
others. Certain people, such as friends,
family and co-workers, may be causing
you to over-eat. It’s a good idea to note
your emotional state, too. You could be
eating out of boredom or to cope with
stress rather than because you’re hungry.

Stay up to date
on your journals
Don’t wait until the end of
the day to fill out your food
diary when you could forget
or misremember some
details, write down foods
and drinks as you consume
them.

Are you eating for
other reasons?
Usually one of the most surprising
realizations in your first few days of
journaling your meals is that you don’t
always eat because of hunger. In fact, a
lot of the unnecessary happens when you
are stressed out, bored, or eating is being
triggered by an external cue or the
environment (dining out).

Accuracy
Often people think they are eating enough
food or drinking enough water but they
aren’t reaching their goal weight and always
feel dehydrated. After keeping a food diary
for a few days the truth turns out to be a
little different. We tend to inflate the good
parts of our diet and play down the bad
stuff. Getting a more accurate picture and a
heightened sense of awareness will help
you repair your diet moving forward, and
this starts by properly recording your food
intake.

The most obvious and most important is writing down everything you eat and
drink. The key is to be truly honest and not just record the healthy foods. Being
honest helps makes journaling more effective as a learning tool to create healthier
habits that will promote your overall health and well-being.

Portion Size
Include the specific amount of food
that is consumed, such as a cup of
non-fat yogurt or berries, a tablespoon
of cream of wheat, 4 ounces of grilled
chicken. Depending on your goal, it is
imperative, at least as first, to measure
your food to see how much you are
actually eating. The amount of food we
consume is often what escapes us
because we may be eating mindlessly.

Time
Noting the time of day that you ate
something helps to identify your
pattern of eating. For example, you
can see if you’re skipping meals or
going too long without eating, which
leads to unhealthy eating later in the
day or night. This can help you to
establish more balanced eating
strategies to improve your eating
habits and health.

Place
Another factor that helps you identify
your patterns is tracking where you
eat. Are you rushing and eating in the
car or mindlessly eating in front of the
TV? How often are you dining out or
eating at fast food restaurants? Are
you sitting down and eating at the
dinner table or standing at the counter
while multitasking? Identifying where
you eat can help you make mindful
changes that affect the quality of our
food choices.

Hunger Level
This is a valuable factor to include in a food
journal that allows greater awareness of why
you are eating and how much you are eating.
Many people eat outside of true physical
hunger and eat beyond feeling 75% full. This
mindfulness eating strategy can help you to
stop eating when you are satisfied, not full, and
to choose to eat only when your body really
needs it.

Feelings
Being mindful of how you feel before
and after you eat can help identify the
true reasons why you eat. You’ll learn
what can trigger unhealthy eating
patterns such as emotional eating at
night or raiding the vending machine at
work due to stress. Once you identify
the emotional connections to eating,
you can work towards meeting those
emotional needs in more effective and
healthy ways.

Accountability
Recording everything
you eat provides
regulation and
accountability for what
you put in your mouth
and it helps your coach,
have an idea of what
you eat, when you eat,
and where you eat.

Eating Balanced
Meals
Journaling will point out if you need more
variety. For example, you may need to eat
more vegetables, carbs, or protein can then
easily make changes to your meal
composition for increased energy and
balance.

Success Attaining Goals
Recording what you eat can also make you reconsider what you put in your body. This can
lead to decreased caloric intake and weight loss. It also reveals if you eat larger portions
than you need. If you continue to journal for an extended period of time, you will notice the
changes in your food intake and you will be able to monitor the progress you made towards
reaching your health goals.

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Disclosure
I support my clients spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Anything discussed in a course, live video, presentation, educational material, the group, through private message, email, phone or other
communication is said to be just suggestions and each individual is responsible for one's self, actions and must follow any and all doctors advice they have been given first and foremost. I am not a medical doctor,
dietician or nutritionist. I do not hold a degree in medicine, dietetics or nutrition. I make no claim to any specialized medical training, nor do I dispense medical advice or prescriptions. My goal is to help my clients
make gradual, lifelong changes that enable them to achieve their health goals and meet their ultimate vision of well-being. I am in the process of obtaining several certifications and have NASM certified coaches
helping with guidance, plans, fitness and nutritional information. By being in this group or purchasing coaching services, you confirm that you have read and agree to each statement below and that you wish to
proceed:
1. I understand that the health coaching services I will be receiving are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition and are not intended to be a substitute for the advice,
treatment and/or diagnosis of a qualified licensed medical professional.
2. I understand that my Health Coach may not make any medical diagnoses or claims and is not a substitute for my personal physician.
3. I understand and agree that I am fully responsible for my well-being during my coaching sessions, and subsequently, including my choices and decisions.
4. I understand and agree that I should consult with my personal physician prior to making any significant changes to my diet and/or lifestyle.
5. I understand and agree that if I am under the care of a medical professional or am currently using prescription
medication, I should discuss any dietary changes or potential dietary supplement use with my doctor and should not discontinue any prescription medication without first consulting my doctor.
6. I understand that all comments and ideas offered by my Health Coach are solely for the purpose of aiding me in achieving my defined goals. I have the ability to give my informed consent, and hereby
give such consent to my Health Coach to assist me in achieving such goals.
7. I understand that the care that I receive during my health coaching sessions is separate from the care that I receive from any medical facility in that the health coaching sessions are in no way intended to
be construed as medical advice or care.
8. I acknowledge that I take full responsibility for my life and well-being, as well as all decisions made during and after the duration of my health coaching sessions.
9. I understand that my Health Coach will keep my information confidential and will not share my information or
communicate anything that is said in the privacy of a coaching session to a third party unless expressly authorized by me or legally compelled by law, process or order of any court or governmental
agency.
10. I understand results are not guaranteed, it is suggested to full heartedly give the advice your full 100% try over a period of time(one month minimum).
11. NO REFUNDS. by payment and agreeing to these terms your payment is not refundable. Payments are automatically sent each month and due by the 7th or removed from the program re-entry may
have a fee and or re-entry may be postponed until the next enrollment.
12. Food journals will be reviewed twice a week at random if they are not full and complete no evaluation will be communicated until next check.
13. I hereby release Katherine Hood or any other individuals in this group, individually, from any and all liability, damages, causes of action, allegations, suits, sums of money, claims and demands
whatsoever, in law or equity, which I had, now have or will have in the future, arising from my past or future participation in, or otherwise with respect to the health coaching services.