Now that you’ve chosen your journal and gotten it home, here is what you need to do to set it up.
1. If it is an electronic journal, read the instructions. Get the right batteries and be sure to insert them correctly. Find out how to power the unit on and set any passwords. Set up any necessary connections between the unit and your computer, if necessary. If it is a software program, load it onto your system.
2. If you bought a commercially-prepared weight-loss journal, take some time to skim through it. Read all the introductory information to make sure you understand how it is intended to be used.
3. Consider when you will be writing in your journal. While you may want to log in your meals as soon as you’ve eaten them, it’s best to also set aside a few minutes each day for an overview. When will this time of day be? The beginning of the day may be good because you are refreshed and ready for new challenges. The stresses of the previous day will have had a chance to subside. However, the end of the day is also good because the day’s events will still be fresh in your mind. Anytime is good but it is best if there is a consistent time each day.
4. Make some baseline measurements. Some good measurements to consider: Weight, height, body mass index, chest, waist and hip measurements, upper arm diameter and calf and thigh diameter. Also record the size of a shirt and a pair of pants that fit you well right now. You may need someone to help you take some of these measurements. For example, chest measurements are best done by someone else because they can make sure the tape is straight.
Some important things to consider when taking these measurements: Make sure you weigh yourself and measure your BMI at the same time of day each time. Weight and body mass can fluctuate wildly over a day. If you’ve just eaten or drunk something (or if you’ve just used the bathroom), your findings could vary by as much as two pounds. Also, be sure to weigh yourself only once each day.
Here’s a note about measuring BMI (body mass index). This is a measure of how much body fat you carry. There are many electronic scales on the market that will do this. Consider buying one of them. If you don’t, you can still measure it manually:
1. Weigh yourself, for example 150 lbs.
2. Measure your height in inches. (For example, if you are 5 feet, 7 inches tall, that equals 67 inches.)
3. Multiply height by itself. For example, 67 times 67 (which is 4489).
4. Now, divide your weight by your height squared: 150 divided by 4489 equals 0.033415.
5. Multiply that number by 703 and you get 23.43, which is your BMI.
In general, BMI numbers between 18 and 24 are considered healthy. Those between 25 and 29 are considered overweight and those 30 and above are considered obese.
While it is acceptable to weigh yourself daily, once a week is considered to be best. Because weight fluctuates so much from day to day, it may be difficult to see the overall trend. If you do weigh yourself every day, pick one day each week in which to compare your weight from that same day the previous week.
5. Once you have these baseline numbers measured and recorded, figure out where you will do your journaling each day and where you will keep it when not in use. You may want to create a cozy corner in which you can relax while you are filling in your journal. Or you may want to set aside a pocket of your purse or briefcase especially for your journal so you will always know exactly where it is.
6. Until you get into the routine of journaling, be sure to schedule a time for journaling on your calendar. Behavioral experts say it can take up to six weeks for a new activity to become a habit. Writing it on your calendar will prompt you to keep up.
7. One trick to keep you motivated is to find a picture that motivates you and stick it to the inside cover or create a bookmark with it. For example, if you want to get back to your wedding or graduation weight, use a photo from those days with you looking at your best.
Or, if you have a class reunion coming up, put a picture of “the dress” inside where you will see it. Instead of a picture you could use the invitation to your class reunion or to that upcoming wedding. Seeing that deadline looming is guaranteed to keep you motivated.
If you don’t want to use a photograph or an invitation, perhaps you can find a funny or inspirational cartoon. One woman, Sue, used a cartoon showing two versions of the Mona Lisa she found in a pasta sauce ad. The traditional version was labeled, “original”. The other version, showing a very pudgy model was labeled “chunky”.
“Seeing that every day kept me going,” Sue said. “I knew what would happen if I slid back to my old habits.”
8. If you have a goal in mind, write it on the first page of your journal, inside the front cover or on the bookmark. Seeing that goal every day will also help you stay on track.
Once you have your journal set up you can set it aside until it is time to use it “for real”.
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