A Come to Jesus Meeting with my Food Journal Revealed....

I am beginning to see all the inestimable value of using a food journal.  The scale has not been kind to 
me in September.  I started the month at 379 and officially weighed in at 377.2 this morning.  Last Saturday the scale said 375 so I’m pretty comfortable with the idea that I’m somewhere between 375 and 377.  But either way around, neither number is far enough away from 379.  It’s like the scale has not moved this month.

Why?

The good news is that the ‘tape measure’ has moved.  I am definitely smaller, fitting in smaller clothing and fitting better in my current clothing.  There is a BIG CHANGE in how my clothing fits overall.  Yesterday my favorite pair of jeans starting slipping down.  I attribute that to my exercise regime (which STILL doesn’t include strength training).  I WILL WILL WILL get started on that tomorrow.  For real!!!

But why isn’t the scale moving?

I spent some quality time with my food journal this morning investigating that question.  I went back to my most successful week ever, the week of August 26.  What did I do (or not do) then differently?

During the week of August 26 I only had 1 day at or over 30 carbs.  I never had more than 3 carbs worth of chocolate in one day and I only consumed 1 Atkins product (a strawberry shake).

In this last week…EVERY SINGLE DAY has been over 30 carbs.  I have consumed nearly 7 carbs worth of delicious dark chocolate every day and I have had three Atkins products in one week.

I need to get back to basics.

It’s great that the tape is moving but when I look at my food journal there is no surprise that the scale isn’t.  I am letting “legal” carbs creep into my mouth and it has to stop now.

I go to the doctor on October 4 for my annual physical.  That is 11 days away.  My challenge to myself is to repeat the week of August 26^th and keep that going until October 4.  By that time, I should see a difference…on the scale, not just in my clothes.

Score one for the food journal because I think without it I would just be frustrated and not quite sure what I needed to change.  Since I do know exactly what I’ve been eating, I can see exactly what I should change.