Having a bullet journal for weight loss is one of the best-known ways to lose weight in a super creative manner.
A bullet journal is an analog system that is used to track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future.
And, it is the trendiest way to lose weight! People are slaying it on Instagram and Pinterest with their attractive daily logs portraying healthy weight loss habits.
So many people come up to me and say “I am doing ALL the right things but still not losing weight?”
And when I ask them “Tell me what all you ate yesterday”, they fail to recall…
You see, so many of us think that we are doing all the right stuff but it’s the little things that actually add up to big results.
I started a bullet journal for weight loss to see how I was feeling and what foods triggered me to eat more. What I discovered was that I was having way too many (tooooo many!) extra calories in the forms of crisps, sodas, beverages which I wouldn’t count for earlier.
Those little evening nibbles actually kept stalling my weight loss for months. It was only after proper tracking that I was able to eliminate those extra calories and kickstarted my fat loss.
For a weight-loss bullet journal, all you need is a pen and paper. And some things you might want to keep a record of your journey!
Even if you do not want to start a whole new weight loss journal or meal tracker, you could include it as a new layout in your current bullet journal.
To spark your BuJo creativity, I have listed 9 weight loss journal formats below that will greatly simplify your weight loss!
Weight Loss Bullet Journal Layout 1: Goal Setting
I can never emphasize enough the importance of setting REALISTIC goals, especially when it comes to weight loss.
Some realistic weight loss bullet journal goals can be:
- Fitting into my old jeans after 4 months
- Being able to run for 5 miles in a go
- Losing 25 lbs by the end of this year
There is no way of losing weight overnight, unless you were extremely sick! So set your goals in a realistic and achievable manner.
The most important part is the BELIEF. Its necessary that you really believe in your goals so that you don’t get down at the slightest of obstacles.
You get a ton of intrinsic motivation (cool name for internal motivation) when you write down your goals on a paper. Studies show this can lead to more sustained long term weight loss.
Write down your goals in your weight loss bullet journal to make yourself accountable. You can also design trackers like the one below, to make your weight loss all the more fun and creative.
Bullet Journal for Weight Loss Layout 2: Meal Planning
“Failing to PLAN is planning to FAIL.”
This really hit me hard when I read this the first time in a self-help book. And when I put it into practice, losing weight and sticking to my diet felt like a breeze.
There are studies to show that planning your meals ahead of time leads you towards better nutritional choices, ultimately helping you lose weight.
You could be spending hours at the gym, but if you are munching away crisps every evening, that chunk of weight won’t disappear on its own.
Your bullet journal for weight loss can greatly benefit with a meal planner, so that you have more control over what you eat. You are much less likely to cheat if your next meal is already sitting in the back of your mind.
Create a spread in your weight loss bullet journal where you write down all the meals for the coming week. You can step-up further and track calories and macros.
Here are some of the really cute and inspiring layouts:
Weight Loss Journal Template Layout 3: Grocery Shopping
So you have planned your meals and are all revved up to start melting down that belly.
“I think I’m missing something… Ugh I need groceries! Supermarket, here I come!”
Let me tell you the age-old golden rule for grocery shopping – Never go out without a list!
Have you ever went to a supermarket hungry, grabbed all the good looking stuff, and after coming home you realize you have nothing to make a healthy meal?
Having a grocery list eliminates distractions (think about those unhealthy TV Dinners) and help you stick to your diet. Take your bullet journal for weight loss along with you and check off things as you put them in the cart.
Weight loss journal template for grocery shopping:
Bullet Journal Weight Tracker Layout 4: Healthy Habits
Your cute little BuJo makes it super easy to follow multiple fitness and wellness habits, at the same time.
When you go to bed knowing that you stuck with all the healthy habits, it gives a sense of contentment and fills you with motivation!
Small attainable goals, like drinking 4 ltrs of water a day, can help you feel good about your accomplishment-regardless of whether you’ve lost weight or not.
Some healthy habit ideas to put down in your weight loss bullet journal:
- Walked 10,000 steps
- Drank 4 ltrs of water
- Stayed away from sugar
- Did a workout
- Had a serving of fruits
- Woke up at 6 am
Check out this amazing healthy habits log:
DIY Weight Loss Journal Layout 5: Water Intake & Sleep
You know what – I have a “Drink more water” slogan posted on my bedroom wall.
It is quite surprising how often I used to go on with my day with just 1 or 2 glasses of water. And I wouldn’t know this until an annoying headache would take over my senses.
Drinking water boosts your metabolism, detoxifies your body and keeps your tummy feeling full for longer. So you should really incorporate a good water routine in your bullet journal weight tracker.
In fact, a study of overweight women founds that increasing water intake to over 1 liter (34 oz) per day, over a 12-month period, resulted in an extra 2 kg (4.4 lbs) of weight loss.
A good night’s sleep is equally important when it comes to losing weight.
Research has found that sleeping less than 7 hours a day can be counterproductive for your weight loss goals, and can also undermine all your diet efforts.
Hence it is a good idea to incorporate water intake and sleep in your bullet journal for weight loss.
Here are a few amazing ideas:
Dotted Fitness Journal Layout 6: Workout Logs
While you can still lose weight without exercise, adding an evening workout to your weight loss routine can be a game-changer.
It not only keeps you fit but also elevates your mood and prevents early aging. Exercising is immensely beneficial to your heart and works well to maintain your insulin and blood sugar levels.
I realized that working out every day (as little as 15 minutes) worked wonders to calm my overthinking mind.
A workout tracker in your weight loss journal helps you stay accountable and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.
Fitness BuJo Layout 7: Body Measurements
You can measure your progress in terms of inches, body weight, or body fat percentage.
However, I would not recommend using body weight as a performance metric because weight loss and fat loss are two different things.
You see, our goal is to get rid of excess fat and still maintain (or grow) our strength. Most of us include strength training in our workouts and hence the weight of lost fat could be compensated by the gain in muscles.
So you should worry only about inches and body fat rather than bodyweight alone.
Record your measurements at the beginning of your weight loss journey and keep recording the progress regularly. That way you can keep track of how you are performing!
I personally used the inches on my waist as my progress metric, but feel free to choose any you like.
Take some inspiration from these amazing creatives:
Weight Loss BuJo Layout 8: Mind-Body-Spirit
Along with diet and exercise, a healthy mindset is equally important for losing weight, so consider including signs, quotes and symbols that resonate with you and push you forward each day.
If you are religious, it would be a great idea to write a few Bible verses as well.
Weight Loss Journal Layout 9: Daily Steps
Logging your steps every day is the best way to maintain a walking schedule.
In our busy lives, especially if you are a mom, juggling between various household duties and raising kids can be tasking. Or if you are someone working a full-time job, squeezing in a workout can be impossible!
You may have made a plan for when you will exercise, but it can be easy to let that slip and you may not even realize you are getting little to no physical movement throughout the day.
Logging your steps daily can be really motivating and will push you further.. You will be surprised to know how easily you can squeeze in a few steps every day. It could be as simple as a 5 minute walk around the office just before lunch.
The most common target is 10,000 steps per day, which I also use personally. Just begin logging in and you’ll automatically start to progress with time.
Inspiration for daily steps tracker:
Conclusion
Bullet journaling is so much fun to draw and has many magical therapeutic properties. Having a bullet journal for weight loss can be the game-changer for your fitness journey!
You can track your weight, healthy habits, meals, grocery shopping, workout logs, and progress in a soul-satisfying manner!