Dear Coach - I hate Keeping a Food Journal! Why Should I?
Dear Coach:
I am in a weight loss support group and one of our assignments is to keep a food journal for every single thing that we eat or drink. I’m so busy I don’t have time for this. It’s annoying and I don’t see how it will help me. In fact, it feels as though I’m having to focus more on food than I ever did by having to keep this journal. But the group facilitator insists. She says that if one person doesn’t do it that will disrupt the unity and support structure for the entire group. What do you think?
Stressed out from writing
Dear Stressed:
Here may be some good reasons why your group facilitator is so insistent:
1. Denial runs deep (food “vagueness”) becomes a way to hide what you’re doing. Many people do this also with money – not keeping track of cash spending and/or not keeping up on what’s happening with their accounts. It’s just the same with food. If you don’t log it you can pretend it didn’t happen or doesn’t count. There’s no arguing with a written documentation of your actual activities.
Try to remember what you did three days ago - mean in detail. Can you? Life goes so quickly, and we are often not “present” in the present moment. As a result, many details fly right out of our heads.
2. Another truly important reason is that you may begin to see patterns that will help you stay away from "dangerous" feelings, people and situations – i.e., ones which seem to be triggers that stimulate you to use food to manage stress or to “stuff down” anger.
You may also find patterns in what’s called the “food-mood connection.” Have you noticed how after a certain type of food you feel more tired or perhaps you get a lift, only to crash? Sugar will do that and often, when you’re using sugar to pep yourself up all day, every day, the result is blood sugar imbalance (precursor to reactive hypoglycemia or type II diabetes) and there are people who become depressed because of the spiking and falling of their blood sugar.
Finally, food allergies may be tracked through keeping a food journal. Often the very food you crave is the very one your body needs to stay away from. Often you can tell what you’re allergic to if you get a slight itching or rash or feel flushed. Some people get clogged sinuses or coughs. Still others become weak or lethargic. It is important to get a good diagnostic of food allergies by your health care practitioner, but it will really help him or her do their job diagnosing if you have kept a thorough food journal.
3. Finally, and equally important are group dynamics. You are not just in this group to get support for yourself. You are a part of a team – a “mastermind,” if you will. The other participants are relying on you and your participation playing “full out” with them. If you don’t you are actually letting them down, as well as missing out on an important piece of the puzzle for yourself.
Have you ever been in a group setting and learned a great deal from someone else’s story or experience shared in the group? Well don’t you think your story has value? Don’t you think that others can learn and be helped by the sharing you do?
You may wish to examine why you are having such resistence to such a simple exercise. Ask yourself just how committed you are to really conquering your overeating and stress-eating issues? If it truly is a priority and if you are really committed to living differently then give this a try. Often we can be our own worst enemy. Sometimes the key is to surrender to a process and give up control to trust that there may be answers you hadn't thought you could find.
Good luck, and I hope this has answered your question.
Warmly,
Dr. Chris
Dr. Christina Winsey is a life, health, weight-Loss and addiction recovery coach, a certified addictionologist and holistic chiropractic physician who specializes in non-drug addiction treatment. She coaches clients around the globe by telephone and provides alternative addiction coaching and treatment in her office in Sarasota, FL. Learn More at and
I am in a weight loss support group and one of our assignments is to keep a food journal for every single thing that we eat or drink. I’m so busy I don’t have time for this. It’s annoying and I don’t see how it will help me. In fact, it feels as though I’m having to focus more on food than I ever did by having to keep this journal. But the group facilitator insists. She says that if one person doesn’t do it that will disrupt the unity and support structure for the entire group. What do you think?
Stressed out from writing
Dear Stressed:
Here may be some good reasons why your group facilitator is so insistent:
1. Denial runs deep (food “vagueness”) becomes a way to hide what you’re doing. Many people do this also with money – not keeping track of cash spending and/or not keeping up on what’s happening with their accounts. It’s just the same with food. If you don’t log it you can pretend it didn’t happen or doesn’t count. There’s no arguing with a written documentation of your actual activities.
Try to remember what you did three days ago - mean in detail. Can you? Life goes so quickly, and we are often not “present” in the present moment. As a result, many details fly right out of our heads.
2. Another truly important reason is that you may begin to see patterns that will help you stay away from "dangerous" feelings, people and situations – i.e., ones which seem to be triggers that stimulate you to use food to manage stress or to “stuff down” anger.
You may also find patterns in what’s called the “food-mood connection.” Have you noticed how after a certain type of food you feel more tired or perhaps you get a lift, only to crash? Sugar will do that and often, when you’re using sugar to pep yourself up all day, every day, the result is blood sugar imbalance (precursor to reactive hypoglycemia or type II diabetes) and there are people who become depressed because of the spiking and falling of their blood sugar.
Finally, food allergies may be tracked through keeping a food journal. Often the very food you crave is the very one your body needs to stay away from. Often you can tell what you’re allergic to if you get a slight itching or rash or feel flushed. Some people get clogged sinuses or coughs. Still others become weak or lethargic. It is important to get a good diagnostic of food allergies by your health care practitioner, but it will really help him or her do their job diagnosing if you have kept a thorough food journal.
3. Finally, and equally important are group dynamics. You are not just in this group to get support for yourself. You are a part of a team – a “mastermind,” if you will. The other participants are relying on you and your participation playing “full out” with them. If you don’t you are actually letting them down, as well as missing out on an important piece of the puzzle for yourself.
Have you ever been in a group setting and learned a great deal from someone else’s story or experience shared in the group? Well don’t you think your story has value? Don’t you think that others can learn and be helped by the sharing you do?
You may wish to examine why you are having such resistence to such a simple exercise. Ask yourself just how committed you are to really conquering your overeating and stress-eating issues? If it truly is a priority and if you are really committed to living differently then give this a try. Often we can be our own worst enemy. Sometimes the key is to surrender to a process and give up control to trust that there may be answers you hadn't thought you could find.
Good luck, and I hope this has answered your question.
Warmly,
Dr. Chris
Dr. Christina Winsey is a life, health, weight-Loss and addiction recovery coach, a certified addictionologist and holistic chiropractic physician who specializes in non-drug addiction treatment. She coaches clients around the globe by telephone and provides alternative addiction coaching and treatment in her office in Sarasota, FL. Learn More at and
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