The Power of Journalling: A Tool to Transform Your Relationship with Food

When I’m feeling overwhelmed or caught in a cycle of overthinking, I find it useful to get out a pen and paper and start writing. It gives me so much clarity. Sometimes it’s a brain dump to get everything out of my head. Other times I create a gratitude list to shift my focus back to what’s grounding and good.

The science backs this up: writing is better than talking when it comes to decluttering your thinking. It can help you organise what’s bothering you, process your emotions and even shift your perspective.

But what does this have to do with weight loss? Everything. Journalling builds self-awareness. It helps you break down habits, notice your triggers and step off the dieting treadmill so you can make more mindful eating choices instead of on eating on autopilot.

That’s why I included self-coaching activities throughout The Mindset Diet. One of the stages is called Declutter, because journalling does exactly that — it declutters your thoughts and begins to retrain your brain.

1. Why Journalling Works for Weight Loss

Journalling isn’t just a feel-good habit. Research shows journalling has measurable effects on the brain, stress levels and our behaviour. Writing by hand regulates emotions, lowers stress and improves clarity. By offloading mental clutter, you lower your cortisol (the stress hormone linked to belly fat).

Studies also show that reflective writing strengthens self-awareness and emotional regulation. That means you can spot your overeating triggers and learn to respond differently.

A 2018 study in Advances in Psychiatric Treatment even found that expressive writing helped participants clarify goals, track patterns and improve problem-solving, all key ingredients for lasting behaviour change.

You can’t change what you can’t see. Journalling helps you uncover those unconscious triggers and thought patterns, giving you insight into how you respond to food. Building that awareness is the first step toward lasting change.

Prompt:
Write down a recent moment when your emotions influenced your eating. What were you feeling and what choices did you make? Could you respond differently next time?

2. Journalling for Self-Awareness and Eating Habits

Self-awareness is the cornerstone of change. Journalling helps you notice the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours that drive your food choices.

When food feels like the solution to everything — stress, boredom, exhaustion, even celebration — journalling creates distance between the feeling and the food. It helps you see what’s really going on beneath the habit.

Do you reach for snacks when bored or stressed? Do social occasions trigger overeating? Patterns with food often run deep, but journalling shines a light on them. And with awareness, you can start to respond with more compassion and intention.

Prompt:
Think about your last meal or snack. What thoughts or emotions were present before, during, and after eating? What patterns do you notice?

3. Journalling for Emotional Regulation Around Food

Writing acts like a release valve. It prevents emotions from building up and spilling out as emotional eating. Problems often feel smaller once they’re on paper and you can see them from a different perspective.

During stressful times, journalling helps you process your underlying feelings, eg sadness, anger, or overwhelm. Instead of soothing automatically with food, it gives you space to pause and reflect and then choose your desired response.

Instead of letting the day sweep you along, journalling in the morning can help you consider “How do I want to show up today?” Maybe your intention is to slow down at meal times and taste and enjoy your food. Maybe it’s to handle stress with a walk instead of chocolate. Maybe it’s simply to be kinder to yourself.

Prompt:
Describe a recent stressful moment. How did your body feel? What emotions were present? How did you react? Did food play a role? What could you do next time to meet that need without food?

4. Journalling for Growth and Motivation to Change

Beyond awareness, journalling clarifies what really matters to you. It helps you set intentions, track progress (even the tiniest wins) and, mostly importantly, to change your relationship with food.

Your thoughts about food and your body shape your behaviour. Journalling lets you spot unhelpful beliefs — like “I’ve got no willpower” or “I’ve blown it” — and reframe them. Writing instead, “I’m learning and growing” or “One choice doesn’t define me” builds a more resilient mindset.

Prompt:
Write about one small win today related to food, movement or self-care. How does acknowledging it make you feel?

5. Journalling for Self-compassion

One of the biggest traps in dieting is self-criticism. We beat ourselves up for every “bad” food, every time we don’t meet our "target weight". That cycle of guilt and shame often leads to behaviours that sabotage your good intentions.

Journalling gives you the chance to pause, notice that inner voice and respond differently. Instead of thinking “I failed again”, you can explore what was really happening: the stressors, emotions or triggers behind that moment. This helps you judge yourself less and understand yourself more.

It also helps you accepting yourself as you are rather than waiting until you’re “perfect” to feel worthy. Progress doesn’t come from punishment, but from kindness, curiosity and small consistent steps. When you accept that success is not a straight line, you overcome the perfection trap. Which allows you to overcome the all-or-nothing thinking that keeps so many people stuck in the yo-yo dieting cycle.

Self-compassion doesn’t mean lowering your standards, it means choosing growth over guilt, resilience over rigidity. When you build compassion into your journalling, you create a safe space where you can learn and move forward without shame.

Prompt:
Take one critical thought you’ve had recently about your body or your eating. Write it down and then rewrite it in a kinder voice. How does this shift your perspective?

5. Practical Tips to Get Started with Journalling

There’s no “right” way to journal — the key is to find what works for you. Here are some ideas:

• Stream-of-consciousness writing: Clear your mind, explore an issue, or set an intention for the day.

• Gratitude lists: Shift focus to what’s nourishing you. Try writing before bed for better sleep — and re-read it in the morning to start your day feeling 'good enough'.

• Reflective questions: Ask yourself, “What was the most powerful moment of my day?” or “How did I respond to food emotionally?” Reflect on a recurring thought, habit, or pattern. How could you respond differently tomorrow?

• Habit tracking: Record what you ate, what you were feeling, and how much joy or comfort it gave you. Spotting these patterns helps you intervene to break old habits and build new more helpful ones to replace them.

Start small. Five minutes is plenty. Even once or twice a week creates insight and momentum.

6. How I Use Journalling in The Mindset Diet

In The Mindset Diet, journalling is woven into the four-stage process — Observe, Declutter, Build, Maintain. Each stage includes coaching activities to help you reflect on habits, emotions, and patterns with food.

To make it easy, I’ve created a free workbook with just the coaching activities (so you don't have to write in the book). Download it using the QR code in the book. I’ve now also developed The Mindset Diet Notebook — a flexible space to track your progress and document your journey of transformation in more detail.

Next steps

Journalling isn’t about being a “good writer.” It’s about creating space to notice patterns and make intentional choices. Small, consistent reflection leads to big, lasting change — in your mindset, habits, and relationship with food.

Five minutes is enough to shift your mindset. And you don’t have to do it every day. Even once or twice a week makes a difference, because every time you write, you’re practising self-awareness and self-compassion — two key ingredients for breaking free from yo-yo dieting.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about giving yourself permission to pause, reflect, and choose differently.

✨ Download an ebook of free journalling prompts to start today.

✨ And when you’re ready, grab a copy of The Mindset Diet Notebook to record your ongoing journey.