Weight loss is hard.  No one said it was easy.  This year, my New Year’s resolution was to lose 20 pounds and become more active.  My exercise routine was pretty sporadic last year, and was definitely not enough to amount to any sort of weight loss.  I decided that to make the change I need this year; I had to truly focus on physical activity.  So I started a physical activity journal.

I know what you’re thinking: “Write things down?  There’s not enough time in the day to workout, let alone write it down!”  But I knew the only way I could make this permanent change in my life was to take the extra time to write it down and hold myself accountable.

There are many different ways to journal.  Some may prefer using an electronic gadget like a PDA or iPhone.  Others may like to enter their physical activities into their Outlook calendar on their computer.  Me?  I’m pretty old-fashioned.  I have a day planner where I log all of my activities.  The kid in me still likes to draw happy faces next to the days where I do a really good job.  I often draw rain drops to express my frustration with Seattle’s weather (and a day that lacked outdoor activity).  I look forward to writing in my journal.  I love adding up how many days I exercised at the end of each week.

Studies have shown that tracking activities like food intake and exercise can be one of the most effective methods for behavior change and goal achievement.  In a study conducted by Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research, participants that kept a food diary five days a week and turned it in at the end of each week lost twice the amount of weight than those who did not keep a journal.  And what’s more important is that they kept the weight off.

So, why is journaling so important for weight loss success?

1. It can be incredibly motivating to track your progress.  For example, my running schedule has been going so well that I started wondering how fast I run.  This prompted me to begin timing how fast I can run my first mile.  So, now I list my “mile times” in my journal.  I’m on such a great roll now; it would be disheartening to stop.

2. Journaling is the best way to track your successes and failures, as well as learn from your mistakes.  It’s very easy to get busy and miss a few workouts.  Two days turns into three, then four, then five.  And before you know it, you’ve missed out on a whole week.  But keeping a journal helps you stay on track, and can actually motivate you to continue.

3. It can be extremely rewarding to keep a journal of your physical activity.  You can look back at previous months and see all of the hard work you’ve done.  No one is going to be more proud of the challenges you overcome than you -- so what better way to remember all the good you have done than by writing it down!

Well, I’ve shed 13 pounds since I started my physical activity journal in January.  I look forward to exercise and entering my activities in my journal.  I can’t imagine an empty journal at this point.  I’ve come too far to stop now!