I took the plunge of keeping a journal on this board. I was a bit nervous at first with the thought of my personal feelings "out there" for the entire internet community to read. But I got over those feelings quickly!
Let me try to give answer your questions from my point of view:
Do those of you who keep diaries find they help you stay honest with yourself?
Keeping a journal sure does make me stay honest with myself. First of all, what you will find when you start journaling on WISH is that this wonderful group of WISHers start posting encouragement to your journal. You will start to see that not only are you writing this for yourself with your progress, success, failures and feelings but you are encouraging and inspiring everyone that reads your entries! The process is just awesome! Journaling also helps to keep me cheat free because I know I'll have to record everything I eat for that day and I don't want to have to disappoint myself.
Do they help with motiviation?
I would have to say that yes, I am definitely motivated by my journal. I love acquiring exercise clippies, weight loss clippies and the applause and encouragement from those that post responses to my journal. I have tried many different weight loss programs before but there is something about the combination of my journal on this board, the encouragement I receive, the South Beach Diet and my exericising with the FIRM that has come together and given me success like I have never experienced before when I tried one or more of these methods by themselves. I do admit that sometimes I feel journaling is more a bother or a chore than motivational BUT then I go to my journal and see the comments from my WISH buds and remember why I keep a journal.
What information do you record in them?
I record whatever my feelings are that day. I also record my weekly weigh ins and if I'm part of any challenges. My daily exercise routine and my water intake. Plus I give a "shout out" to all people that have encouraged me.
Do you record information daily?
I sure do. I find that it's too hard to go back after a few days and try to remember what I ate or how I felt. It's so much easier to stay focused on my eating and exercise plan for some reason knowing I have to record it in a daily journal.
What are your reason for keeping one?
I keep a journal because so many people that I know that have long term weight loss success kept or keep journals. I like being able to go back and see the progress I have made. Not just the physical changes with the numbers going down on the scale but also the emotional changes that I know I would not have even detected if I had not written down my feelings.
I will say that a journal, especially one on the internet, may not be for everyone but I know I owe my success so far in part to keeping one and the support and encouragement I have received has been priceless! Hopefully I have given back to others that keep journals even a small portion of the hope, encouragement, inspiration and comraderie that they have showered upon me.
Please let us know if you decide to start keeping one so we can cheer you on!
