Bonus - The Power of Journaling

Faye Casement Author

May 26, 2024 |

Reasons why I feel journaling is a powerful tool for weight loss and other tips.

I don’t know about you but when I was a kid I always wanted to write a diary. 

I would get given books and start it off…"Dear Diary"…

Back then it probably would have been “Dear Diary I saw my crush today” or “Dear Diary zyz teacher today told us off” You know the kind of thing. 

I would perhaps make it about 3 days and sack it off!

Anyway, I digress!

I started my current journaling practice in October 2020.  I dabbled a bit for the year before but I really started to build consistency around then.

So why did I personally start my journaling practice?

2 reasons:

• I used it as a tool as part of my weight loss journey where I have lost over 65lb
• I recognised that I needed a way to consistently process my thoughts and feels to help with life in general

It has been game changing for me and so I am sure it could be for you too.

Journaling is something that you make work for you and that is my first reason why it is so powerful!

You have control, you can decide how you are going to do it, when, why, the method and content unless you buy a specific one which I will come on to.

You make it what you want for whatever you have got going on in your life and what you are working on.

This is super powerful as it means you have a tool for all occasions!  It does not judge you.  It does not answer back.  You can literally just pour your heart and soul on to the pages.

Some of you may worry about this?  What if I open the flood gates?  What if I find out things I don’t want to know or think about?

My answer to that would be.  If it is there your brain will already be thinking about it.  Probably when you least want to e.g. 3am or in the middle of a meeting with your boss!  So it is better out than in.  At least if you get it out of your head you can start to reduce the impact it has on you.

So what could journaling include?

If you are trying to lose weight like I was you may want to include things like:

• Goals
• Daily intentions
• Reasons why you want to lose weight
• Food plans and intake
• Things got in your way that day
• Thoughts
• Feelings
• Ideas
• Recipes

Trying to work on getting a promotion at work maybe you would include things like:

• Visualizing where you want to be
• Why you want the promotion
• Goals/targets
• How you are going to get there
• What will you do that day to get one step closer
• Assessing the days stats etc

The options really are endless.  If you have a specific thing you want to work on and need ideas why not join the Wellness4Women group and we can all chip in with suggestions.

So why else is journaling powerful well this is where my Triple-A- Way comes into it. 

So, for those who don’t know the Triple-A-Way is Awareness, Action and Accountability.

Journaling can help you with all three so winner winner chicken dinner!

It can help you to get awareness as you take it out of your jumbled thoughts and on to somewhere you can see it. 

You then can decide what you are going to do about that information which is where the action comes.

The pages also and your musings will help you to keep yourself accountable as you can be truly be honest with yourself!

Powerful stuff right!

Anybody convinces they should hit up Amazon for a diary yet?

I bought a lovely set of blank A5 rainbow coloured one which I am working through just as a FYI.  See them here (not affiliate link FYI)  

So what do you actually need to start a journaling practice?

Simply anything you can write on or in!

I tried GoodNotes on my I pad, I bought apps, I bought notebooks, I bought planners, I bought more notebooks and planners but now I just settle for a good on blank notebook and nice pens…always have to have a nice pen me!  Reach out to me on messenger if you want to know my app recommendations.

I recommend you find a comfy place to write and try to build a good routine. 

I have my little spot that I go to every morning before work as this really works for me.  I sometimes journal in the evening also if I feel particularly full of thoughts but again when you do it….where…are all things you can try out and experiment with . 

It does not have to be perfect but just keep having a go and find what fits with your life and try to form a practice.

Some of you may be slightly concerned about people seeing what you write which could be the topic of a whole different topic or something you could get coaching on but if you are really worried there is always a way.  You can write and destroy your writings as there are no rules to say your writings have to be kept or looked back on.   You could also consider using an app or a written journal with a lock.

The other thing to consider is the type of journaling you want to do

As said above you are in control here but basically a journal to me is anything that helps you process your thoughts and feeling that is some kind of physical form.  A shopping list or a list of foods you love is a form of journaling if it helps you to process your thoughts about food or to plan your intentions.

I will offer you some musing though:

1. A blank notebook or electronic notebook/app

Pros:  It is blank you can make it whatever you want to.  My current journal is a mix of these things:

• Long form where you write more like a story
• Daily prompts
• Lists
• Ideas
• Doodles
• Though downloads
• Self-coaching models

In the past I have tried just long form and I have also tried sticking to the same thing daily prompts.  They all worked how I wanted them to at the time and if they didn’t or I got bored I changed it up.

For me as I get bored easily changing it out really helps.  Other people may find that doing

2. Bullet journals

Something else I tried was bullet journaling.  I loved the idea of this. If you have not seen it pop bullet journaling in to YouTube and loads will come up.  I also have a ton of pins on it on my Pinterest boards.

Again, with these you can make them what you want to, it is like building your own diary where you draw in things like monthly, weekly and daily pages and you can have tracking pages etc.  You can make them minimal or if you are a creative you can make them in to stunning works of art also.

Bullet journals as the name suggest though is more about organsiation and trackingand can be kept for posterity but this does not mean they are not a powerful form of journaling if this is what you need and the building of it can be a mindfulness practice.

3. Art journaling

I love art and anything craft based.  Sadly though I am not super talented unlike my daughter.  Wow! If I could show you some of her work!

But if you are a creative art journaling is a great way to express yourself and a way to calm and work through your thoughts.  Designed to be kept of course but you could also combine the piece with some sort of written analyse and journaling too.  This year I signed up for Life Book 2021 with Willowing Arts and loved it (www.willowing.org)  Go Check her out!

4. Journal prompts

Not so much a type but a bolt on I guess.  Journaling prompts are great, you can find ones you can use daily or you could find ones on specific topcs.

Again, as above I have a ton of ideas on my Pinterest boards you could go grab or you can make your own of course.   

At the moment in the Wellness4Women Facebook Group I am running a Christmas Challenge - The Countdown4Christmas which is in effect a journaling challenge!  There is free training to go with this also so go check out the courses page (if you are reading this in December 2021).

5. Bought planners/journals

There are a ton out there and for all sorts of uses.  I have tried my fair few in my time.  It is a standing joke with a couple of the ladies in the Triple-A-Way membership as a few of us have self professed “Planner Addiction”.

This is where my words of caution come in.  If you have “Planner Addiction” you are liked to get sucked in to a rabbit hole trying to find “the perfect” planner!

Reality is we will never find it!  Why? 

Because our want and needs change and then “shiny new thing syndrome” kicks in.

It is a little like my views on weight loss.  Mass produced things are built with the masses in mind and one size does not fit all.

If you find a planner that works for you fabulous if not maybe craft your own on Canva using the bits you do like.

In the Triple-A-Way membership, for example, I supply a planner which helps my members to journal about the day, week and month for example but then give additional add ons like sleep tracking, period tracking so people can pick and chose what they want/need to use.

My belief really is whatever you do it is your life, your weight loss and that has to be your way for it to really work for you.

That’s it folks for this week.  Any questions drop me a messenger.

Want to get started on losing weight for the last time? Then check out the Triple-A-Way Membership HERE.

Also come join the Wellness4Women Facebook Group where you can catch up on the free training that accompanied this blog, resources, useful tips and to connect to a community of women just like you!.

Want quick access to all the info:  Linktr.ee

Come follow me: 

Facebook - @triple.a.way_weight_loss

Instagram - @triple.a.way_weight_loss

Pinterest - @triple_a_way

Tiktok: @TripleA_life_weightloss

Categories: : Journaling, Weight loss, Wellness