Hi OwnPace Family,

We are one month into the new year, which means by now we know which one of your “new year, new me” resolutions we have been able to keep and which ones we are struggling with. I’ve been a coach for 10 years now and the biggest struggle we all have is still around nutrition and our eating habits, so our first challenge will be centered around nutrition,

We are going to break this down into 3 phases:

1. Awareness

2. Adjustments

3. Action plan

Awareness:

This is the most important phase simply because “we don’t know what we don’t know”. Awareness is a state of knowledge/understanding but when it comes to nutrition information, we are living in the most confusing times ever. Our 1st focus will be on gaining understanding on our nutrition practices and our food intake. In the past, I’ve had clients tell me how healthy they eat and when we assess their eating habits, they are usually surprised how far off they are from their perceived “healthy’ eating.

By now, you already know where this is heading. To know where we are going, we need to know where we currently are, so just like we set a baseline for our training during the initial assessment, we are going to set a base line for our nutrition. The worst thing we can do is think we are doing the right things but in reality doing the opposite. Far too many times due to confusion in the food industry, certain foods and practices are marketed as healthy while in reality they leave us malnourished and eating foods counterproductive to our goals.

Step 1: Food Journal / Tracking

To get a clear and definitive view of how what we eat impacts us we are are going to be doing a 7 day food journal, This is not the time to try to change your eating to make it appear like you eat healthy, this is the time to be honest with yourself and journal exactly what your eating looks like.

The Why:

A food journal can be a useful tool in this process. It can help you understand your eating habits and patterns, and help you identify the foods — good and not-so-good — you eat on a regular basis. Seeing the details of what you are eating right in front of you can be a very effective tool to help change behavior. The simple act of writing down what you eat can positively impact the food you choose. Research shows that you’ll eat less food and higher quality food, which will promote weight loss and overall health. In one weight loss study of nearly 1,700 participants, those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records.

The How:

There are a million different options and honestly it doesn’t matter how you do it. You can write it down in a journal or you can use any of the apps available. Regardless of how you do it, there are some key things you should track with accuracy and consistency.

• What are you eating? Write down the specific food and beverage consumed and how it is prepared (baked, broiled, fried, etc.). Include any sauces, condiments, dressings, or toppings.

• How much are you eating? List the amount in household measures (cups, teaspoons, tablespoons) or in ounces. If possible, it is best to weigh and measure your food. If you are away from home, do your best to estimate the portion.

• When are you eating? Noting the time that you’re eating can be very helpful in identifying potentially problematic times, such as late-night snacking.

There are some other things to track that may be helpful in assessing lifestyle choices that impact eating such as;

• Where are you eating? Record the specific place you are consuming food, whether it’s at the kitchen table, in your bedroom, in the car, walking down the street, at a restaurant, or at a friend’s home.

• What else are you doing while eating? Are you on the computer, watching TV, or talking with a family member or a friend?

• Who are you eating with? Are you eating with your spouse, children, friend, or a colleague, or are you alone?

• How are you feeling as you’re eating? Are you happy, sad, stressed, anxious, lonely, bored, tired?

The When:

We need 7 days of tracking within the month of February, I like this month because although its not as volatile as the thanksgiving/Christmas/new year holiday season we still have the Super Bowl, valentines day and some award shows which gives us a variety in types of days. so pick your 7 day time frame (your can do more days) and lets journal to get a clear and accurate look at your eating.

Recommended App:

Although there are a plethora of apps available, the one I’ve used and recommend is Myfitnesspal. Below is a video on how to use it.

Overall, Keeping a food journal makes us more aware of our choices and encourages us to be more mindful of not only what we are eating, but also how, why, and when we are eating. It sheds a light on our patterns of eating. When do you skip meals? Are you overeating at night? Do you mindlessly snack throughout the day? It also helps identify certain triggers of unhealthy eating. Are you grabbing that vending machine cookie or bag of chips when feeling stressed or bored at work? Do you eat a late night bowl of ice cream because you’re feeling lonely? You may notice that you are eating more food than you need, but are not getting enough nutrition.

It allows me as your coach to recognize how your food choices are impacting your health which will lead to phase 2: Adjustments. Once you are done with your 7 or more days, send it over to me and we’ll start phase 2.

Until next time,

Olan