PaleoPlus New Year Tip #6 - Journal

Even though I KNOW that writing about almost anything helps me process it better, achieve more, feel better about the situation, etc...I've been a writer most of my adult life...Just for fun, I did some online searches for the impact of journaling on changing habits and keeping New Year's Resolutions and losing weight...WOW!

Which brings us to Tip #6 in the PaleoPlus New Year series - Journal

Beyond my personal experience - there is a TON of research out there that supports the notion that writing things down (not just making lists...although I am a fan of lists too!) helps you achieve more and has some pretty amazing everyday benefits.

Journaling can:

• reduce stress
• process emotions
• heal mental and emotional wounds
• boost immunity
• improve focus

Think about that.  How many of you have described yourself as a "stress eater" or "emotional binge eater"?  I know I had used those words dozens, if not hundreds, of times.  So, if journaling can help you reduce that stress and process those emotions - it stands to reason that you would be less likely to head for the pint of ice cream or giant bag of pretzels!

AND - if you started journaling today instead of waiting until the first day of PaleoPlus eating - you could sort out WHY you want to be healthier in 2016.  Which of the benefits of eating a paleo diet you are most excited about - improved sleep, weight loss, fat burning, better mood, more energy, less aches and pains.  You would "know your motivation" before you start.  Talk about a spike in results!  You would be focused on the positives of your commitment and not whining about how hard it is to change!  (That sounded harsh, but lately I've been talking to a lot of people who say they'd "Do Anything" to lose weight or feel better...and then they complain and whine and moan about giving up diet soda or dairy or something else and it's wearing me OUT!)

Throw in a little gratitude and a pledge to celebrate your successes, along with tracking your food, your feelings, your struggles and your favorite new flavors and you might just end up being part of the 8% of people who actually achieve their New Year's Resolutions!

Don't feel like you need to go out and purchase a fancy journal or food diary - you can use a spiral notebook or a free blog platform like this one (google blogger is included in the Google+ suite and is really easy to use) or download a journaling app for your tablet or smart phone.  I like to use Journey for Android (Free from the Play Store) because you can add photos and a video and it was simple for me to figure out!  But there are lots of free journaling apps out there - just find one that fits your style and that way whenever you feel like writing - you can!

So, get started today.  If you are following along with the other tips in this series - you can start by writing what you learned when you Did Your Research or how you felt the first time you went to the grocery after deciding to Phase It Out or jot down ideas on who will be your PaleoPlus Buddy.

Don't worry about your spelling or grammar or sentence structure - just write!  Support yourself and your health through this very simple exercise and journal your way to success!