Food journaling is imperative to maximize the effects of the Mindful Living protocol. The process of journaling requires patients to write down everything they eat or drink. This is a very powerful exercise because it forces individuals to be mindful of their decisions. However this is only possible if the person is 100% honest when they journal. Even when they cheat and eat some pasta or bread, we would like journaling to be done. Doing so will make them less likely to eat simple carbs again in the future because they won’t want to write it down again. Not only does journaling help you, it helps your coach. It lets your coach know exactly what you eat and how much you eat. As a result, your coach can tell you exactly how to adjust your diet. Food journaling is not easy but it is the only way to use our protocol to its full potential. Journaling can be done by hand in a notebook, or on an app. Our favorite apps to use are ILIVEMINDFUL, LOSE IT, MYFITNESSPAL, and IDEAL SMART. Keep in mind how you journal doesn’t matter, as long as you do it. So why wait? You don’t need to start some fancy new diet program to journal. It doesn’t cost you a penny to be more mindful of what you are eating. Starting to journal today will make keeping your New Year’s resolution that much easier.