How to Start a Weight Loss Journal

By Published On: December 22nd, 2025

If you’ve tried every plan, tracked every bite, and still feel stuck, you’re not alone. A weight loss journal can be a helpful tool that makes everything come together. It works not by obsessing over food, but by teaching you to listen to your body, your feelings, and the Lord.

In my own 100-pound weight loss journey (and seven years of maintaining it), journaling and tracking became one of my best tools. It took my progress out of my head—where I was just “hoping” I was doing well—and put it on paper where I could see real, tangible change.

I have now built that same process into my Printable Weight Loss Journal & Tracker and the Life Unbinged 7 Day Challenge. In this article, I will show you how to start a weight loss journal.

I will explain what to track. You will find simple templates you can use. I will also share helpful prompts to process your emotions and give this journey to God.

Why a Weight Loss Journal Changes Everything

When I first started losing weight, I didn’t realize how much my thoughts were driving my choices. I felt overwhelmed, ashamed, and honestly a little hopeless.

Writing things down changed that. A weight-loss journal did a few powerful things for me— and now for thousands of the women I coach:

• It gave me clear data instead of fuzzy feelings.
I stopped guessing. I could see patterns in my eating, sleep, emotions, and results.

• It built real-world accountability.
When I write things down, I’m more honest with myself. A journal never judges, but it doesn’t lie either.

• It helped me process my emotions without turning to food.
When we cut back on the foods we’ve used for comfort, our emotions can get extremely loud. Journaling gave those feelings a safe place to land.

• It helped me celebrate non-scale victories.
Looser clothes, better energy, clearer mind, stronger faith—those don’t show up on the scale, but they matter so much.

A weight-loss journal isn’t about obsessing over every bite. It’s about awareness, honesty, and partnering with God as He renews your mind and your habits.

What to Track in Your Weight Loss Journal

One of the biggest fears women share with me is, “What in the world am I supposed to write?”

Good news: it doesn’t have to be complicated. Below are the most powerful things to track in a weight-loss journal. And remember — you don’t need to track everything. Choose what actually serves you in this season.

Daily Tracking Ideas

Emotions & Triggers

  • How did you feel before/after eating?

  • What was happening around you (stress, conflict, boredom, celebrations)?

Non-Scale Victories

  • Clothing fitting differently

  • Better sleep

  • More energy

  • Saying “no” to a binge

  • Following your boundaries at a party

Weight (optional)

  • Record it, but don’t worship it — it’s just one piece of data.

Measurements

  • Inches often tell the truth more clearly than the scale.

  • Track waist, hips, chest, arms, etc.

Water Intake

  • Simple tallies or checkboxes work great.

Boundaries Followed

  • I talk a lot about food boundaries instead of food rules.

  • Track: Did I follow my boundaries today? Where did I struggle and why?

Goals for the Day

  • One or two simple intentions, like:

    • “Stop eating when satisfied.”

    • “Pause and pray when I feel stressed.”

Spiritual & Mindset Tracking

This is where the Life Unbinged approach sets your journal apart from diet culture.

Prayers About Your Health & Food Choices

  • What you’re asking God to help you with today.

Scriptures You’re Meditating On

  • Passages that ground you, encourage you, or reset your thinking.

Lies You’re Believing vs. Truths From God’s Word

  • Journaling makes these patterns visible so you can replace them with truth.

Places You’re Surrendering (again and again)

  • The habits or emotions you’re inviting God into.

A Simple Weight Loss Journal Template You Can Start Today

You don’t need a fancy notebook to begin. If you like structure, my Printable Journal & Weight Loss Tracker is for you. It combines all the journals I used. You can track measurements, non-scale victories, water intake, and more. Everything is in one simple, beautiful place.

Here’s a sample layout you can copy into any notebook or use alongside the printable version.

Daily Page Template

1. Date & Starting Focus “Today I want to…” (ex: listen to my hunger, stop at satisfied, invite God into my stress)

2. Emotions Check-In “Right now I feel…” “What might be contributing to that?”

3. Food Boundaries & Choices Instead of listing every calorie, you might write: Boundaries I planned: Did I follow them? Where did I struggle?

4. Non-Scale Wins 2–3 things you’re proud of from today: “I stopped when I was satisfied.” “I didn’t eat in the car.” “I prayed before I walked into the kitchen.”

5. Water & Movement Water: (check off cups/glasses) Movement: “How did I move my body today?”

6. Surrender & Prayer “Lord, today I’m surrendering…” “Help me to trust You with…”

7. Quick Reflection “What did I learn about myself today?” “If I could redo one moment, what would I do differently—with grace?”

Weekly Check-In Template 

Once a week, flip to a new page for a gentle review: Biggest wins this week Hardest moments and what triggered them Patterns I notice (times of day, people, emotions) What I want to surrender to God going forward Goals for next week (no more than 1–3)

Get a Guided Template: Want all of this done for you? Join the 7 Day Challenge and receive my Printable Weight Loss Journal & Tracker. This bundle helps you start journaling with support and structure.

Powerful Weight Loss Journal Prompts to Renew Your Mind

Prompts help you move beyond “what I ate” into “why I ate” and “who I’m becoming in Christ.” Here are some weight loss journal prompts you can come back to again and again: Before You Start Your Journey One of my favorite tools in the printable journal is writing a letter to yourself before you begin.

Try prompts like:

  • “Dear future me, here’s why I’m finally ready to surrender this area of my life…”

  • “If nothing changes, how will I feel in six months? One year?”

  • “How is my current relationship with food affecting my walk with God, my energy, and my calling?”

  • When Emotions Get Loud

  • “What am I really needing right now—comfort, rest, connection, encouragement?”

  • “If food wasn’t an option, how could I let God or another person meet this need?” “What lie am I believing about myself? What does God say instead?”

When You’re Discouraged

  • “What progress have I made that the scale can’t measure?”

  • “Where have I been obedient, even if the results are slow?”

  • “Lord, show me where I’ve been trying to do this in my own strength.”

When You’re Celebrating

  • “What does this victory show me about who I’m becoming?”

  • “How has God met me in this journey so far?”

  • “How can I use my story to encourage someone else?”

These prompts turn your weight loss journal into a tool for renewing your mind and deepening your relationship with God – not just tracking food.

How Weight Loss Journals Fit Inside the Life Unbinged Approach

Traditional diet culture tracking can feel harsh and punishing – every bite graded as “good” or “bad.” That’s not what we’re doing here.

The Life Unbinged approach to a weight-loss journal is different. It’s not about rules, rigid tracking, or perfection. It’s about renewing your mind while you care for your body.

It’s about understanding your thoughts, not obsessing over numbers.
We slow down and ask, “What was I thinking and feeling before I turned to food?” That question alone can break patterns we’ve repeated for years.

It’s about surrender, not self-punishment.
When journaling reveals something hard, we don’t spiral into shame. We take what we uncover and submit it to the Lord, asking Him to renew our minds and replace lies with truth.

It’s about grace, not perfection.
There’s no “failing” your journal. There’s only learning, adjusting, and trying again with God.

Inside my 7-Day Challenge, we use these exact principles. Women track simple data, pay attention to their emotions, and invite God into every part of the process.

Katrina, one of the women who completed the challenge, reached out afterward. She shared that she lost 10 pounds in seven days, her sugar cravings disappeared, and for the first time she felt like she was giving this part of her life to God in a real, sustainable way.

A weight-loss journal shows you that progress is happening. But more importantly, it reveals that spiritual change is happening at the same time.

“I’m Not a Journaling Girl” – How to Keep It Easy & Consistent

If the idea of keeping a weight-loss journal feels intimidating, take a breath. This doesn’t have to be one more “perfect” thing you do. Here’s how to make it simple and sustainable:

Commit to just five minutes a day.

That’s it. Set a timer, write a few lines, and you’re done. Five minutes of honesty will take you farther than thirty minutes of perfectionism ever could.

Keep it very manageable.

Use a “good enough” notebook. You don’t need the perfect journal to begin. Start with what you have, and later you can decide if you want something more structured like the Printable Weight Loss Journal & Tracker.

Pick one or two things to track.

You don’t have to fill every section every day.

  • This week, maybe you focus on emotions and non-scale victories.

  • Next week, you might add water intake or measurements.
    Small, intentional steps are more sustainable than trying to track everything at once.

Leave it where you’ll see it.

Keep your journal on your nightstand, next to your Bible, or by your favorite chair. Let it become part of your daily rhythm with the Lord.

Invite God into the process.

Before you write, whisper a simple prayer:
“Lord, help me be honest and gentle with myself as I write today.”

Follow for Ongoing Support

Want more tips, truth, and recipes to support your journey? Follow Life Unbinged on YouTube for weekly encouragement and practical help.

Getting Started with Your Own Weight Loss Journal Today

You don’t need a perfect plan, a perfect journal, or a perfect day to begin. You just need a pen, a few honest minutes, and a willing heart.

Here’s a simple way to start your weight-loss journal entry today:

  • Take a notebook (or use your printed journal if you have the Printable Weight Loss Journal & Tracker).

  • Write today’s date and one sentence about how you’re feeling.

  • List one non-scale victory from the past week — even a tiny one counts.

  • Pray and surrender one specific area of your health to the Lord.

  • Decide on one small goal for tomorrow.

Over time, those tiny, surrendered moments add up. They tell the story of a woman who didn’t just lose weight — she found freedom, peace, and a deeper walk with God.

Start with Support

Ready to begin your own transformation?

Join the 7-Day Challenge and get your Printable Weight Loss Journal & Tracker. Experience what it feels like to give your health to God, one day at a time.

And for ongoing encouragement, join the Life Unbinged email list. You’ll receive faith-filled support, practical tools, and a community that walks this journey with you.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational and spiritual encouragement only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor before starting any new plan.