Sugar Free Harvest

I have read over and over that to be successful at any health related program it is important to determine your current situation, write out your goals, and then track/journal your success. Doesn't that sound easy and logical?

Of course if we have nothing else going on in our lives then this should be a breeze. The problem is that we are all busy and adding one more thing to do can seem overwhelming. I personally say that I am going to keep a journal and it goes great for a couple of days, weeks, or maybe a month and then I lose track, I travel, or I just haven't made it a habit. I have had to learn to not be too hard on myself and just keep recording past the days that I missed.

What works for one person will not necessarily work for another person. But at the end of the day I know that when I keep a food and exercise journal I feel like I can accomplish short and long term goals, I am more likely to realize when I have gotten off track, and I can hold myself accountable.

I have tried many different programs (even emailing what I have eaten to my sisters or to myself). I wish I could say that I stick to each system I start. I have learned over time that I enjoy having my journal online, but what ever journal method you pick it is worth it to try find one you will stick with, don't be too hard on yourself if you miss several days or weeks just keep going, and try to see it as a long term habit that you want to make.

Food Journal Ideas and Websites:

1. Notebook Journal - If it is important to just keep track very quickly of what you eat and you don't have access to a computer very often then I would recommend this option. You can always input the data into an electronic source like excel, word, or Internet journals.

Pros - You can take this anywhere you go and immediately write what you eat. Whatever method you choose I would still recommend using a paper notebook, Blackberry, iphone, or maybe even text yourself so that you remember what you ate when you are out or traveling.

Cons - It is handwritten data, which is more difficult to analyze over a long period of time.

Several Websites that discuss Notebook Journals. Lose Weight with Writing. How to make a Food Journal.

2. Excel or Word Document - If you have access to a computer you can input what you eat each day and track your progress. You can create tables, columns, and rows that correspond with what you what to keep track of in your journal. I kept my journal on a jump drive so I could put information on it whether I was at work or at home. I currently use google documents.

Pros - You can create graphs, search, or more closely see trends in your habits. You can easily color code items.

Cons - You either have to remember at the end of each day to put the information into the computer or you have to keep a paper journal and then transfer the data. You won't have all the details such as nutritional information at your fingertips.

Google Documents for excel and word online. If you don't have Microsoft on your computer you can download openoffice word and excel type products.

3. Downloaded programs or Internet sites for Food Journals.

Pros - This option is the most powerful and comes with all the bells and whistles. You can access this on any computer anywhere you go. Plus it will have nutritional information at your fingertips.

Cons - Can sometimes cost money depending on the program. There is a learning curve with a new program and it might have more information than you personally need for your goals. It might take you more time to track your food and it might not be necessary for what you are trying to achieve.

Here are some online suggestions for Food Journals:

a. Diet Power - $30 one time fee. I really like this program. I have used it for years, but then I recently got a new computer and I haven't uploaded the software. I love how it tracks on a graph your sugar and it can show you how much sugar you have eaten in the past week or month. Plus you can add your own food or recipes so you can track what you normally eat.

b. ediets - $Free for just the basics. You can sign up and track your food without paying for a program. Use the nutrition log to track what you eat. I used this website for a couple of weeks, but I didn't end up sticking with it since I already downloaded Diet Power and found that to be more powerful for what I wanted to track. The good news with both programs is that you can define your own foods so you can input sugar content.

c. fitday - $Free. I haven't used this one.

d. My Calorie Counter - $Free. I haven't used this one, but I might look into this one now that I have found it when I was doing this article. I will update this after I try it out.

e. My Food Diary - $9 / month. Again I haven't used this one and I don't think I will try it. It is the most expensive of the group since it is a monthly fee, but I would still look into it. Again it all depends on what works for you and what keeps you interested in keeping a journal.

f. The Daily Plate - $Free. I haven't used this one.

g. Free Online Food Diary Summary - I also found this website that summarizes these food journals.

I believe you can you can achieve so many things in life by the simple act of being honest with yourself and keeping track of what you do in your life. Good luck with your journals and let me know how it is going!