Keeping yourself in check

Before you start making any drastic changes to your diet, take some time to observe your current eating habits. Track everything that goes in your mouth, including drinks and treats, no matter how small for about a week or two. Keeping a food journal will really open your eyes — for example, realizing that you ate 10 cookies over the course of the week might make you think twice before reaching into the cookie jar again tonight. You might not realize how bad your present eating habits are until you see an unhealthy pattern right there in black and white — or just maybe, you're doing everything right and you just need to change up your exercise routine. You'll figure it out once it's right there in front of you!