For this week’s challenge you will have to start a journal and keep track of what you eat and drink with close attention to the BLT’s.

You will use this journal to keep track of your food and beverage intake when you are out and about. It is also a great way to make personal notes regarding thoughts, questions, new goals, challenges, and new insights you receive throughout your day. Writing everything down holds you accountable to what you put into your system! Your journal or log may also help you discover food habits and patterns that you never knew existed. By recognizing these patterns, you will then be able to know where to focus your energy and where improvements need to be made

Use it as a motivational tool and to track how well you are doing. You will see where you are succeeding, in maintaining healthy eating habits, and where you’re falling short. You can purchase a small book or use the Model that we’ll provide. Give yourself a grade at the end of the day according to your health choices (e.g. An A if you just did health choices and D if you slipped-up).

“BLTs” is not a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich — it stands for Bites, Licks and Tastes. Your challenge this week together with the Journal is to go without any BLTs at all. And if you mess up one day be able to just try again the next day.

A Cornell University study found that most people wouldn’t have a clue if we ate an extra 300 calories in a day. Lab director Brian Wansink said in his best-selling book Mindless Eating that people who are overweight tend to underestimate caloric intake by 30-40%!

If you’ve hit a fat loss plateau, BLTs could easily be the guilty party. They can add up to 300 calories a day or more in people’s diets. Here’s an example:

• A few bites of cereal out of the bag as you pass by – 40 calories.
• 2 Hershey kisses from the jar on your coworker’s desk – 50 calories.
• Licking peanut butter off the knife when you make your kids’ lunch – 35 calories.
• Bites of dinner as you make it – 75 calories.
• The rest of your kids’ dinner that you just can’t bear to throw away – 75 calories.
• An after-dinner candy because you have to end with something sweet – 25 calories.

300 calories a day extra might not sound like much, but that adds up to 2,100 EXTRA calories over the course of a week, which is almost a full pound (3,500 extra calories = 1 pound). So this is either weight gain, or fat you could be losing but aren’t.

Tips for Avoiding BLTs

BLTs are HARD to avoid, but even just being aware of the habit will help you start to curb calories. Here are some strategies that might help you limit BLTs:

• Tie a ribbon around your wrist or finger that reminds you whenever you look down at your hand not to have BLTs.
• Keep paper towels on the counter in arm’s reach so you can quickly wipe food off the spoons and knives you’re cooking with so you aren’t tempted to lick!
• Use Post-Its and post your goals and even the words “NO BLTS” everywhere you look.
• Make a sign above the sink that says “WASH ME” reminding you to hurry and rinse off your dishes and utensils before licking them clean!