Are you tracking your food?

How are you feeling today and what’s new with you? Are you feeling positive so far today? Are you feeling like you could improve things a little more perhaps?

What choices and changes could you make in the next few minutes or hour that will help you stay on course or even get back to feeling well in yourself? Remember not to think too much of the journey as a whole and just to take one day at a time.

Maybe get up from what you’re doing and stretch your legs for 2 minutes. Perhaps you could drink a glass of water or maybe you could call a friend for a catch up and feel the buzz from sharing with a good chum?

So if you’re handy with your iphone or ipad and are up for a challenge ... why not give your daily diet a shake up? Do you honestly know how ,much you are eating on a daily basis and then on a weekly average? Are you currently going with the flow or guessing – are you even in denial?

Perhaps you’d like to give the app “My Fitness Pal” a whirl? Try a fitness food tracking app for just 7 days. Just to make yourself aware of what EXACTLY your food contains each day. How many carbs, fats and protein...don’t get too bogged down with anything else.

Try it and see where you’re going wrong or doing well. It’s the easiest way to track what you are putting into your body. Avocados, olive oil and nuts will shock you – they carry a lot of fat for very little weight.

An app to track your food - can be very beneficial for some people but not always necessary.

If you are someone that says they are always 'eating healthy' but can't lose weight yet you don't actually know how much energy (calories) you are consuming on a daily or weekly basis - then 'eating healthy' just won't cut it.

If you are struggling to see progress even though you are eating well and training, then it's time to take the next step and start tracking your food - this might be for only 1 week to start with.

That 1 week of tracking will give you a good idea as to how many calories you are actually consuming.

My tips to get you started would be:

· Download www.myfitnesspal.com on your phone & register

· DO NOT follow the calories they suggest or recommend you

· Weigh yourself before you start tracking for the week - on an empty stomach, before you get dressed, after you use the bathroom in the morning

· DO eat your normal foods and track it in the app

· Track for 7-14 days consistently

· Weigh yourself after the 7-14 days under the same circumstances

· Add up your daily calories for the 'x' amount of days and take the average

· If your weight has gone UP then you need to reduce your average calories by 10-15% and track for another 7 days under the same circumstances and re-assess

· If your weight has stayed the SAME - again drop your average calorie intake by around 10% and track for the next 7 days then re-assess

· If your weight has DROPPED then continue on that average calorie intake and re-assess on a weekly basis.

It really is a simple concept HOWEVER it's easier said than done and it always always ALWAYS comes back down to consistency as we are all well aware by now.

So while I’m away and out of sight perhaps give this a whirl and see exactly where you are and how much is going in. Write it down or take a photo so we can discuss it upon my return.

Remember to move, drink water and eat to the best of your ability team...we can always push for a little more.

“Distraction is a form of procrastination”

Keep smiling