Making a List…

Tis the season for making lists.

Shopping Lists

Gift Lists

Grocery list

Holiday to-do lists

And if you’re a jolly ol’ elf you have a few other lists your checking twice.

As a list maker myself, I have many going at once. If I don’t write something down I’ll forget it. Plus the added bonus of checking something off makes my day feel more accomplished.

List making parallels nicely with journaling. I do not mean Dear Diary journaling. I mean tracking workouts, food, sleep, etc. There are countless apps out you can pick from to help you throughout the day but personally, I prefer the old fashion way and choose write everything down. With the exception of the last month and a half I typically track every workout. As the itch to start training returns I also need to be more on point with tracking my fueling options. I’m finding that with the holiday season in full swing I have to be incredibly mindful of what I take in. The urge to grab something sweet is there. Baked goods magically appear in the office out of the kindness and appreciative hearts of the CPC subscribers. The struggle is real.

Keeping a food journal is a great way to hold myself accountable to all of the food I have or haven’t consumed throughout the day. When training, I found it a great way to tell the story of what I ate, when I ate, and how your body responded. It also show any deficiencies that I had with hydration, certain types of foods, and macro & micronutrients. With holiday parties almost every weekend journaling is also a great way to actually see what you’ve consumed over the course of a day and stay on point with your dietary plan. It’s okay to have a treat here or there but plan ahead and structure your meals to accommodate. You’ll notice that if you diligently track your food you’ll be less likely to over indulge leaving your body, and you feeling better at the end of the day.

Give food journaling a try this week. Pay particular attention to what you’re eating, how you feel before and after each meal, as well as how your body responds when training. Don’t worry so much about precise measurements but the entirety of what you’re eating at each meal. If you find that this works well for you make the commitment to journal more precisely.     

SK