Adding Step Two: Journaling

There are a number of different books that the author, Dr Kathleen DesMaisons has written, the one that I currently own is the 2008 edition of "Potatoes Not Prozac" [as mentioned early in this blog; also see the author's website listed on the sidebar to get a lot of her basic premises].

The program strongly urges us to do one step at a time and stick with that step until it's a habit before moving on to the next step [7 steps total, people sometimes spends months or more on any given one before being successful enough to move on].   

Well, I know I do have a long way to go before I feel comfortable doing the four parts to step one. However, I do think I'm ready to add the next one, which is doing a food journal. This is something that's more than just listing everything that we stick in our mouths; to learn the patterns of how sugar as well as other food types affects us, we need to include how we're feeling when we eat as well as after the meals, too.  

I've gone to Weight Watchers numerous times and have never been able to keep a food list that they strongly encourage...  And I'm not sure how well I'll stick with this journal once I get started with it. But at least now I understand the stuff about tracking what we eat and how our bodies respond--and that in time, I hope to see more positive patterns.  Just the awareness I had with eating more protein each day while in the PHP makes me want to at least TRY this writing bit for awhile and see what happens.  Since I'm aware of at least some of the emotions and responses now, that's what makes me think that perhaps starting the writing now will help me out more in the long run than if I hold off until I have this breakfast thing down pat.

I also want/need to include in the journal any kind of exercise I'm doing; I'm not consistent with the work outs yet but still, I do know that as I do get better with it, it'll help.

Since I'm great at saying I'll start something but not always so good at following up, I do hope that those of you that know and see me on a somewhat regular basis, will ask me how I'm doing with each new step.  A part of me does have some doubts about adding too much too soon--like doing the breakfast thing, working out, writing, plus all of my follow up health care and such, I have a tendency to get overwhelmed and then drop it all.  Maybe by writing [here and in a journal] and seeing positive results will keep me motivated.