Weighty Wednesday: Healthier Choices

I don't believe in dieting, but that doesn't mean I don't want to make healthier choices. Sometimes, though, it's hard to remember that "not dieting" does not mean eating like an Olympic swimmer (I will never get over the article I read about how Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories a day when he's training). Unless you are an Olympic swimmer.

Which I am not. Unfortunately. Because I would totally like to attempt to eat like one.

I like eating.

Anyway, one thing I (sometimes, when I'm acting like a responsible adult and my colitis isn't flaring and I don't have PMS) do when I'm working on being healthier is to write down everything I eat for a week or two.

I have tried recording it my workout/weight record app, My Fitness Pal (does anyone have an app they recommend?), but then it always tallies my calories and tells me how long it will take to lose 10 pounds and lets me know how many calories I have left for the day. It reminds me of my checking account, frankly. It gets me obsessed with numbers, not health. I invariably get discouraged. And then I stop recording what I'm eating.

So I find a non-tallying, old-fashioned notebook more effective. When I don't want to write down what I just ate, or what I'm about to eat, I realize there's a problem with my choice. It's not always enough to keep me on a healthy track, but I think it helps.

When I love myself enough to do it.

What strategies do you use to make healthy choices?