Habit of The Week: Record What You Eat
Issue #001
What if losing weight didn’t mean giving up pizza night, skipping wine with friends, or stressing about every vacation?
For too long, losing weight has been sold as sacrifice.
Eat less. Cut carbs. Restrict, restrict, restrict. But what happens?
You end up feeling miserable, burnt out, and eventually right back where you started.
The truth is you don’t have to give up your favorite foods (or the life you enjoy) to finally lose weight and keep it off.
This weekly daily habit challenge will show you how awareness, not restriction, changes everything.
When I first started getting serious about fitness, I thought the only way to lose weight was to cut everything out.
No pizza. No dessert. No nights out.
If food wasn’t on my “approved list,” I avoided it like the plague.
At first, it worked.
I got lean and people noticed.
But behind the scenes, it was exhausting.
Every social event came with anxiety.
Every vacation felt like a threat.
I remember sitting at dinner with friends, staring at a menu, convinced one “wrong” choice would undo all my progress.
It wasn’t just about food — it was about control.
And the more I tried to control everything, the more I started to lose myself.
I developed an unhealthy relationship with food.
I was scared of gaining weight.
And I was over-exercising to make up for “bad” meals.
My whole life revolved around what I could and couldn’t eat.
And it didn’t last… It never does. Restriction always leads to burnout.
And eventually, I swung the other way — overeating, feeling guilty, and promising to “start over next week.”
Sound familiar?
The truth is, I see so many women stuck in the same cycle today.
They’ve been told for years that fat loss means giving up the foods and experiences that make life enjoyable.
No wonder it feels impossible to stay consistent.
I had to learn the hard way that it’s not about restriction at all.
What actually changes everything is awareness — simple habits that help you understand your patterns without forcing you to give up your life.
Once I made that shift, I finally found a way to lose weight and keep it off (while still enjoying dinners out, vacations, and my favorite foods.)
And that’s exactly what I want to show you inside this weeks habit challenge.
If you’ve ever started a diet and thought,
“Well, there goes Friday night with friends,” you’re not alone.
Most women I talk to believe fat loss automatically means giving things up:
Skipping birthday cake at family parties
Ordering the salad while everyone else enjoys pasta
Passing on cocktails during vacation
Cooking separate meals from the rest of the family
At first, you tell yourself it’s worth it.
Sacrificing now = results later right?
But how long can that really last?
Soon, you start to feel the pressure:
You dread social events because you don’t trust yourself around food.
You cancel dinner plans because you don’t want to “ruin” your diet.
Vacations feel like a trap, not a break.
Every time you say yes to something fun, you feel like you’re saying no to your progress.
It’s exhausting.
And it’s why so many women feel stuck in the same cycle of starting over every Monday.
The problem isn’t you. It’s not a lack of willpower. And it’s not that your metabolism is broken.
It’s that most diets are designed around restriction.
Here’s what restriction teaches you:
Carbs are bad.
Eating after 7 PM is bad.
Wine is bad.
Dessert is bad.
Basically, enjoying yourself = bad.
No wonder dieting feels like punishment.
You end up trapped in an all-or-nothing mindset:
You’re either “on track” and miserable, or “off track” and guilty.
And the worst part is even when you follow the rules perfectly, the results rarely stick.
You might lose some weight, but as soon as you stop the strict plan, the weight creeps back.
That’s why so many women always tell me,
“What I did in my 20s doesn’t work anymore.”
But It’s not just your age or hormones — it’s the fact that restriction was never sustainable in the first place.
The truth is, you don’t need another diet that takes more from you.
What you need is a way to lose weight that actually fits your lifestyle, instead of forcing you to give it up.
Here’s the truth:
Fat loss doesn’t come from cutting out your favorite foods, skipping social events, or avoiding vacations.
» It comes from creating awareness and consistency.
When you zoom out, weight loss is really about energy balance — eating more than your body burns leads to weight gain, and eating slightly less leads to weight loss.
That’s it.
One night out, one slice of pizza, or one vacation doesn’t erase your progress.
What matters is what you do most of the time.
Think about it:
If you eat three meals a day, that’s 21 meals per week.
If you enjoy two of those meals out with friends, that still leaves 19 opportunities to make solid choices.
That’s over 90% of your week still aligned with your goals.
The problem isn’t that you had the pizza.
The problem is when you believe having pizza means you’ve “blown it,” so you give up completely.
That’s not a food problem — it’s a mindset problem.
Once you understand this, the game changes.
You don’t need to be perfect in order to lose weight.
» You need consistency.
And the research backs this up.
Studies show that people who keep food records lose twice as much weight as those who don’t track at all.
Awareness alone creates accountability, even without strict rules.
Other data is just as encouraging:
Consistently hitting your nutrition targets 80–90% of the time is enough to see steady fat loss. You don’t need 100%.
Flexible diets that include favorite foods are more successful long term than rigid “clean eating” plans, because they prevent the binge–restrict cycle.
A single indulgent meal has almost no effect on fat loss when your overall weekly intake is balanced.
That’s why awareness is more powerful than restriction.
Recording what you eat, even for just a week, shows you patterns:
Where you’re already doing well.
Where hidden calories sneak in.
Where small adjustments can make the biggest difference.
No guilt. No judgment. Just information.
And here’s the logical outcome:
When you know your patterns, you can plan for social events, vacations, and nights out.
You stop seeing them as “failures” and start treating them as part of a balanced lifestyle.
If you’ve ever thought, “I just don’t have enough willpower,” let me stop you right there.
Willpower isn’t the issue.
You’re not weak. You’re not broken. And you’re not doomed to fail because you can’t “stick to a diet.”
The real problem is awareness.
Most women I work with are already working hard.
They’re juggling careers, family, and endless responsibilities.
They don’t need another set of rules to follow—they need clarity.
Here’s what I mean:
You grab a handful of snacks while cooking dinner and forget about them.
You pour a little extra cream into your coffee without thinking.
You finish the last bites off your kid’s plate.
You eat healthy meals but underestimate portion sizes.
Individually, these things don’t seem like much.
But over a week? They add up.
And if you don’t have awareness of them, it feels like you’re doing “everything right” but still not seeing progress.
That’s why tracking (even in the simplest form) matters.
Not because you need to be perfect, but because you need to see the bigger picture.
Here’s the truth:
Studies show people underestimate their food intake by as much as 30–40%.
That means what feels like “barely eating” could actually be enough to stall fat loss.
And without awareness, it’s impossible to make adjustments that actually work.
This isn’t about obsessing over calories.
It’s not about labeling food as “good” or “bad.”
It’s about creating clarity.
Once you see your patterns, you can:
Identify what’s working (so you can keep doing it).
Spot what’s holding you back (without judgment).
Make small, realistic changes that add up over time.
The diet industry wants you to believe you need more discipline, more restriction, more sacrifice.
But in reality, you just need more awareness.
Because once you know what’s actually happening, you can finally take back control (without cutting out the foods and experiences that make life enjoyable.)
This Weeks 7-Day Habit Challenge
Now that you see awareness is the missing piece, let’s put it into practice.
For the next 7 days, I want to challenge you to record what you eat.
Before you panic, let me be clear… this is not calorie counting.
This isn’t about labeling food as “good” or “bad.”
And it’s definitely not about restriction.
This challenge is about one thing: awareness.
Every time you write down what you eat, you bring your habits to the front of your mind.
You’ll start to notice patterns you never saw before (like mindless snacking, stress eating, or portions that are bigger than you realized.)
And here’s the best part…
Recording your food takes less than 2 minutes a day.
You can do it on paper, in your phone notes, or in an app. Whatever feels easiest.
You don’t have to share your notes with anyone.
This isn’t for judgment or comparison.
It’s simply a tool for you to learn more about yourself and your habits.
Here’s what this 7-day challenge will do for you:
Show you what’s actually happening with your eating, instead of guessing.
Help you spot small adjustments that make a big difference.
Build the skill of awareness—the foundation of every successful fat loss journey.
Think of this as an experiment.
For one week, you’re just collecting data.
No pressure and no perfection required.
By the end of these 7 days, you’ll see your eating habits in a whole new light and you’ll understand why past diets didn’t last.
The Daily Breakdown of This Weeks Habit Challenge
Day 0 (Prep Day)
Day 0 is about setting yourself up for success.
First, decide how you’ll record your food.
Options include:
A simple paper journal.
The notes app on your phone.
A food tracking app.
Pick whichever feels easiest.
The best method is the one you’ll actually use.
Next, choose when you’ll log.
Will you do it right after each meal? Or once at the end of the day?
Try linking it to something you already do.
For example:
After your morning coffee.
Right after dinner.
Before you brush your teeth at night.
Example: “I will write down what I eat after I finish dinner, six days per week.”
Remember, this isn’t supposed to take more than 1–2 minutes per day.
Keep it simple and doable.
Day 1 (First Check-In)
Day 1 will be your first official logging day.
When you finish, take a minute to reflect with two questions:
What did I do well today?
What did I learn today?
Examples:
“I realized I snack while cooking without thinking about it.”
“I noticed breakfast kept me full much longer than I expected.”
“I didn’t forget to log once today—I’m proud of that.”
The goal isn’t to be perfect. The goal is to learn.
Day 2 (Notice the Story in Your Head)
Logging may bring up some resistance.
Pay attention to the thoughts you hear in your head:
“This is too much work.”
“I don’t want to see how bad my choices really are.”
“I’ll never be consistent.”
These are just stories.
They’re not the truth.
The reality is you will spend 1–2 minutes writing down food each day. That’s it.
And you’re building a level of awareness that most people skip entirely.
That’s powerful.
Day 3 (Slow Down and Appreciate)
By the middle of this week, food logging can start to feel like another chore.
That’s normal.
Here’s what you’ll do if you start to feel this:
Don’t rush. Take a deep breath. And appreciate the fact that you’re following through with something you set out to do.
Example:
Instead of writing “sandwich,” you might log “turkey sandwich with mayo.”
The extra detail helps you slow down and pay attention.
This small pause builds consistency — the skill every diet has failed to teach you.
Day 4 (Plan for the Weekend)
Weekends are when most diets fall apart. That’s why we prepare for hem on day 4.
Decide: what’s the easiest version of logging you can commit to this weekend?
Only log dinners.
Use your phone instead of carrying a notebook.
Set a reminder alarm in the evening.
Example: “This weekend, I’ll log just my main meals so I don’t stress.”
Make it so easy that it feels almost automatic.
Day 5 (Why This Matters)
Use Day 5 as a good reminder of why you’re doing this.
Fat loss always comes back to energy balance.
If you consistently eat more than your body burns, you’ll store the extra as fat.
If you eat a little less, you’ll lose weight.
Logging gives you the awareness to see what’s really happening.
Research shows people who keep a food log lose twice as much weight as those who don’t track.
Example:
A client once told me,
“I thought I barely ate during the day. But when I logged, I saw I was snacking almost every hour.”
That single insight helped her make changes that led to steady weight loss WITHOUT cutting out her favorite foods.
Day 6 (Keep It Light and Easy)
Life gets messy on weekends (sports games, errands, family events, or a night out.)
That’s okay.
Your only job today is to make logging light and easy.
Even if all you do is jot down your main meals, that’s a win.
Example:
If you had a burger at lunch and pizza at dinner, just write it down.
It’s better to have an “imperfect” log than to skip altogether.
Consistency matters more than detail.
Day 7 (Reflection and Review)
By dy 7 you will have most likely made it one full week.
Now pause and reflect.
Ask yourself:
What was this actually like compared to what I expected?
What did I learn about my eating habits?
What surprised me?
What obstacles came up, and how could I handle them differently next week?
Example: “I realized I don’t eat much during the day, but I snack heavily at night. Now I know where to focus.”
Take a few minutes to write a short journal entry.
This step helps lock in your learning and keeps you moving forward.
This weeks habit challenge isn’t about eating perfectly.
It’s about creating awareness.
You now have a clearer picture of your eating habits.
That means you’re no longer guessing—and that’s the first step toward results that actually last.
What Happens After This Weeks Habit Challenge?
So, you’ve made it through the 7-day challenge. Now what?
The first thing to remember is this:
» Awareness is progress.
Even if you didn’t log every single thing perfectly, you just learned more about your habits in one week than most diets ever teach you.
That’s a win.
Now ask yourself:
What surprised me about my eating?
Where am I already doing well?
Where do I see opportunities for small changes?
Here’s why this matters:
Once you can see your habits, you can start to adjust them.
Without awareness, you’re just guessing.
And guessing is why so many women feel like they’re “doing everything right” but not getting results.
For example:
Maybe you realized your dinners are solid, but late-night snacking keeps adding up.
Maybe you noticed weekends throw you off, but weekdays are consistent.
Maybe you saw that you eat plenty of protein some days, but very little on others.
These aren’t failures. They’re opportunities.
Small adjustments in these areas are what create lasting results.
And here’s the best part…
You don’t have to overhaul everything.
You don’t need to cut out carbs, swear off sugar, or cancel social events.
You just need to build on what you’ve learned.
This 7-day challenge isn’t the end. It’s the foundation.
From here, you can start layering simple, sustainable habits that fit your life and actually lead to steady fat loss.
Because now you’re no longer in the dark.
You’re no longer guessing.
You’re no longer stuck in the cycle of starting diet after diet.
You’re in control. And that changes everything.
If this one simple habit of food logging gave you so much clarity in just 7 days,
Imagine what could happen if you had a clear system, a proven plan, and ongoing support.
That’s exactly what we do inside the SimplyFit 6-Week Fat Loss Program.
The challenge you just completed is a piece of the bigger puzzle.
Awareness is powerful — but awareness alone doesn’t create lasting change.
What creates lasting change is learning how to turn that awareness into consistent action.
And that’s where the SimplyFit Fat Loss Program comes in.
Inside the program, we take what you just started and build on it step by step:
You’ll get a clear daily and weekly structure that fits your busy life.
You’ll learn how to enjoy pizza nights, vacations, and family dinners—without guilt or backtracking.
You’ll stack habits around food, movement, sleep, and mindset so progress feels natural, not forced.
You’ll see early wins that build momentum and confidence instead of leaving you burned out.
You’ll have real support—coaching, accountability, and a community of women who get it.
Because the truth is, it’s not about knowing what to do.
You already know you “should eat better and move more.”
What’s missing is the structure, accountability, and system that helps you follow through consistently (even when life gets messy.)
And here’s the best part…
The SimplyFit Fat Loss Program was built for women just like you.
Women who don’t want to give up their favorite foods.
Women who don’t want to spend hours in the gym.
Women who want to lose weight and finally keep it off, without burning out.
So if you’re tired of:
Starting over every Monday.
Feeling like your metabolism is broken.
Trying diet after diet that never sticks.
Then the SimplyFit Fat Loss Program is for you.
For less than what most women spend each month on takeout or quick-fix supplements, you’ll get:
A personalized fat loss plan that actually fits your lifestyle.
Weekly coaching and accountability so you stay on track.
Family-friendly nutrition tools and recipes so you never wonder what to eat.
A support system that makes sure you’re never doing this alone.
The SimplyFit Fat Loss Program isn’t just another diet you’ll quit in two weeks.
It’s the last fat loss program you’ll ever need.
So if you’re ready to lose 10–20 pounds, feel confident in your body again, and finally stop starting over…
Don’t wait for the “perfect time.”
You’ve already taken the first step. Now it’s time to finish what you started.
Much love,
Coach Anthony
📌 Ps. When Your ready Here’s A Few Ways I Can Help:
→ Check out the Simple & Sustainable Fat Loss Formula Guide: This guide teaches you how you can set up a fat loss plan that actually works with your busy life and delivers results that last.
→ Join The SimplyFit Fat Loss Program: A 6-week fat loss program built for busy women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who are ready to lose 10--20+ pounds without restrictive dieting, feel confident in their body again (without waiting for "someday"), & build simple, sustainable habits that finally stick--for life
Tracking my food yesterday for the first time in a while. Given that this weeks habit it to record what I’m eating my goal is to stay consistent with this for the rest of the week.
Here are my numbers from yesterday:
1,855cals / 122p / 63c / 118f