The Gratitude Journal

[Shazza]

Really like this one - Will try this

The Wt. Loss Minute by Linda Spangle, RN, MA www.100DaysChallenge.com
Great idea: Watch for the rainbows in your life
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to overeat on a day when everything goes wrong? But wait! Eating is NOT the only solution. Instead of letting a bad day pull you down, start focusing on the good things around you and use them to overshadow your challenges.
Here in America, next week's holiday, Thanksgiving Day, encourages us to remember and celebrate everything that we are grateful for and appreciate.
Watch for the rainbows
Even in the middle of a really bad time in your life, you can always find a few things to appreciate. Start by watching for positive things that show up when you weren't looking for them.
Label these tiny bright spots as rainbows--gifts that slip in quietly, giving you an emotional boost right in the middle of an otherwise difficult day.

Cultivate a sense of gratitude about the simple things that happen in your life. Be thankful each time that your children arrive home safely after school. At bedtime, appreciate your cozy blanket and the way your pillow fluffs up under your head.
Pay attention to these rainbows and consider all the ways they help you feel better.
Gratitude journal
Now take this another step and start writing down all the things you are thankful for. Call this your gratitude journal or your rainbow list. Watch for bits of joy, kindness and beauty that cross your path. Keep your notebook handy this week and record all of these special things.
Add people, events or places to your gratitude list. Include your friends and family members, then add acquaintances such as the friendly neighbor who always waves as you drive past. Think about the subtle rainbows such as the person who delivers your mail during the middle of a rainstorm or the grocery clerk who slips your eggs into a separate bag to protect them from breaking.
Fill in some of your journal pages with great memories and events from the past. Recall favorite books that give you great insight or music artists who move you to tears. At the end of each day, read from your gratitude journal and celebrate what's good in the world.
Anytime you're tempted to eat away a bad day, get grateful instead. Instantly change your attitude and your actions by simply going back to your journal and reviewing the good things in your life.
To read more about being grateful, see Day #74 in the book "100 Days of Weight Loss

 

[Diva]

Well I cannot extoll the virtues of this enough....have been keeping a Gratitude Journal for about 6 years now and boy does it help!!!

During the last 18 months, when things have been particularly hairy, I have found that not only do I use it more and more but also look back through it quite a bit to keep reminding me that life is actually ok. Its amazing how the simplest things can be the things that make the difference. Would definitely recommend it to anyone that doesn't already keep one...

 

[DQ]

Link doesn't work - where can I find info on this 100 day challenge please?

 

[Shazza]

I will have a look when I get home - Got a spare book you can have as well.

 

[Diva]

The book is very good....but being totally honest, won't tell you anything you don't already know!

 

[DQ]

Thanks Shazza

The book is very good....but being totally honest, won't tell you anything you don't already know!

Story of my life!!

 

[Rising_Sun]

bump

 

[IWILLSUCCEED!]

10 tips for emotional overeating

Found this online - it's by someone called Linda Spangle ( Got her name from SHAZZA who posted about the Gratitude Diary - thanks Shazza)
Linda Spangle | Weight Loss Joy! - where dieters become success stories
It's mostly commonsense but it helped me to see things down - like a list of rules I can follow!​

1. Write it away​

Next time you get a craving for a specific food, such as cheesecake, write it down in a
notebook. Recording a food thought takes it out of your head.​

2. Take two bites​

Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite dessert. Instead, take two bites. The first two bites
of any food always have the most flavor. After that, you’re just “feeding.”​

3. Food becomes wasted​

Stop feeling guilty about throwing away your kid’s other half sandwich or the leftover
food on your plate. In reality, if you eat food your body doesn’t need, it’s wasted!​

4. Set tiny goals​

Stick to an exercise plan by creating repeated success. Set small, achievable goals. If you
can walk for five minutes a day, then start there.​

5. What do I​

​

really want to chew on?​

When you crave crunchy or chewy food, think about what’s bothering you in life. Is it
finances? Kids? Deadlines? Since eating won’t change it, try to cope in some other way.​

6. Instant way to stop eating​

When you’ve had a bad day and start eating nonstop, go brush your teeth. If you’re not
where you can brush, eat a distinctly opposite flavor. To block a sweet taste, suck on a
lemon wedge or eat a sour pickle. To block salty or spicy triggers such as salsa, reach for
a stick of gum or strong mint candy.​

7. No more cheating​

It’s impossible to cheat with food.​

​

Cheating refers to something illegal or immoral, and food
is neither of these. Instead, refer to your choices. “I made a choice to eat a cookie today!”​

8. Eat in the presence of others​

To overcome your patterns of sneak eating, make a policy that you’ll always eat sweets
or favorite foods in the presence of at least one other person.​

9. Small wins​

Write down at least five things you did today that were small accomplishments. Before you
go to bed, read your list out loud and tell yourself you’re a great success.​

10. No more deprivation​

Instead of feeling deprived or feeling left out, ask yourself, “What does my weight deprive​

me of?” Make a list of the things you’re missing out on by being overweight.