Thread: How do people use their diaries?

Just wondering how often other people look back on their diaries, read old entries etc.

I know some folk have been writing for ages and i just wondered. I was thinking today I must re-read mine from the beginning, just to see how it's really going.
Or do people just use them as a daily log and once it's written move on?

Just being nosy really!

Not nosy Barb, a very interesting question.

I generally use mine as a way to offload the stuff from my head and move on, but I always know that it's there and I do occassionally refer back to it to look for patterns etc.

For example when I was recently struggling I was able to plot the highs and lows based on my monthly cycle and could use that when I had a number of appointments with the doctor and for a referal to a gynaecologist (sp?).

I have actually always written a diary, on and off, since age 14 and it's actually quite fun to read back and see how your life changes. My diary on here is just the next stage of evolution - before the net my diary was just a static recollection of my life but this is an interactive way and the responses I get always make me think hard! I actually tend to print them off occasionally and put them in a folder so I will always have that record for the future xxx

Gosh, that a good idea, to print them off, I may do that, in fact I think I will do that.

I have a food diary from 2002 and I read it straight through the other day. It really inspired me, I realised that whilst i had not been an angel every day of 2002 I had been good enough most of the time to lose 4 stone!! It really spurred me on to get started again. So, yes I think that diaries are great and I think your use makes really good sense. We do all have patterns that are not immediately obvious but when you write them down you can track them.

I'm off to do some printing!

Love

Good luck with the printing Barb.

I rambke so much that it took me hours to print them off the first time lol x

Hi Barb
I use my diary to offload my worries, woes, celebrations, chuckles etc etc... it's very cathartic for me to just get it all out and out of my head to be honest...

I haven't read back over it at all to be honest but I might have to... lol... I think printing it out is a great idea and might start that process soon...

I used to write a daily journal over the years but never been so diligent as with this.. probably because of the interaction and a real perceived need to keep as up to date as I can so I can look back one day and recall this time in my life with some degree of accuracy.

I hope that answers your question... I am very similar to Sarah regarding this.. lol

Take care and good thought-provoking question!
Good luck with everything
Jennie
xxxx

I love looking back on my early entries when I can now see the difference mentally and physically

Id love to print mine off

Hiya Barb, Mine really was a weight loss diary, but with all the emotions that you face on the way. Not forgetting the mad world of VLCD!!!

I dont go back and read it as much as I should tbh, I used to, but then I sort of got complacent with it.

When I got to goal, in November 2006 I read it all the time and was going to turn it into a personal diary, but Ive never been one for doing Diaries as such, I was always the one that started the diary on the first of Jan, and by the 4th it had gone to pot!!! I wasnt comfy writing about personal things either really unconnected to weight loss as Ive never done journals before, so my diary for a couple of months has just hung there without me knowing what to put in it.

I guess one day Ill have to unsticky it and let it disappear into the realms of cyber world, but not yet, its still there as a reminder of how far Ive come x

Print it out Vicky! A permanent reminder of the fantastic success you have made of this difficult journey. I have started printing mine out (takes ages) to have for the future alongside the daily diary that I handwrite. The diary I wrote in 2002 still makes brilliant reading for me; it reminds me of what I am capable of and how up and down the journey was, thus making my expectations and demands on myself more realistic.
Jennie, your diary has the makings of a real bestseller - something you should really consider if you haven't already. Just think of the number of people you could inspire if you made it available to others in a nice chunky paperback! Same applies to you Starlight, when your journey is complete that is going to be an amazing diary to look back at and a fantastic tool that will keep you where you want to be.

Good to see people still popping on on this thread, very interesting to see how useful diaries are. For me, without my food diary I would have slipped down the slippery slope this morning. I am feeling very nibbly but couldn't bear to write down junk so had grapes instead!!

Its a great idea to print it out, Im going to do it when I get back.

Using it as a tool to aid what goes in your mouth is great, well done on the grapes x