Staff Writer
There are so many small changes you can make to lose weight, but there's one tweak that can actually double your weight-loss efforts. You don't have to wake up at 5 a.m. or give up cheese to do it, but you will have to take accountability for what you eat.According to one of the largest and longest running weight-loss trials ever conducted, the secret to doubling your weight loss is simple: Keep a journal of everything you eat -- everything.
Whether you scribble it down in a notebook, log it in your Blackberry or use an online food tracker like eDiets Nutrition Tracker, you'll be keeping yourself honest and your diet on track.
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"The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said the study's lead author Jack Hollis, Ph.D. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."
It seems that writing down everything you consume forces you to realize where calories are coming from, and it gets you thinking about what you eat, which leads to accountability as well as a realization of where hidden calories are showing up. Every trip to the vending machine, every cookie you sneak from the cookie jar, every soda you gulp when no one is looking -- write it down.
"Journaling your food intake isn't just about what you eat but also how much you eat," says Registered Dietitian Nicole Bengtson, LD/N. "You may not realize that the bag of chips you just ate had two servings in it, meaning what you thought was 140 calories was actually 280 calories."
For example, if you normally eat an entire bag of chips five days a week with your lunch and then cut it down to half a bag (one serving), you'll shave off 700 calories a week from your intake. This could lead to a 10-pound weight loss in a year (1 pound every five weeks)!
Don't leave journaling your food intake until the end of the day either – you’re much more likely to "forget" what you ate, says Bengtson. Try to log your foods as soon as possible after you eat them – what and how much you eat is most important. But you may also want to include what time you ate to identify your meal patterns, as well as what you were feeling. This can help you identify if you were eating because you were really hungry or you were eating because you were bored, angry or stressed.
By taking a few minutes after every meal to realize what you just ate, you’re likelier to make small changes like sticking to the serving size on the bag of chips. And when you add up all these small changes, you’ll end up with one big change in the form of doubling your weight loss!
Do you have a small change that adds up big at the end of the year? Post it below and let us know!
Labels: calories, diet, food, health, healthy-food, healthy-holidays, healthy-living, lose-weight, lunch tips, nutrition, tips, tweak, weight-loss
Comment: Monday, December 08, 2008 3:54:00 AM - 
said...
Eight months ago I started using the food journal method to help lower my weight. It's very easy but requires commitment. I got myself a spiral notebook and a good calorie book that I use along with calorie counting sites on the web to keep an honest account of what and how much I eat. (If I eat a casserole or cookie at a potluck, I use allrecipes.com's ingredient search to try to find a recipe that's as accurate as possible to what I ate. Allrecipes.com provides calorie counts for most of its recipes.)
I love chocolate and allow myself 1 small piece of dark chocolate each evening. Instead of trying to give up what I love and risking failure or bingeing, I eat just a small amount--enough to satisfy the cravings. Those "little bits" get written down, too. It's amazing how much more you think about foods before putting them into your mouth on "autopilot".
I still have quite a way to go but have lost 35 pounds so far without adding a regular exercise program, which I do need to add to keep losing. I have encouraged friends trying to lose weight to use the food journal method, too. It works.
Comment: Monday, December 08, 2008 8:39:00 AM - said...
food diaries can be a hassle, but beleive me it works. I was in a nutrition class, part of the routine was food diary. One of the perks: save your diary, when you pick up one of those unwanted pounds, look back at the diary and recall the week you lost 2 pounds, and you have success in front of you..follow the menu..
Comment: Monday, December 08, 2008 3:17:00 PM - said...
I forgot to note in my original comment that I am over 55 years old, so if it works for me, it can work for anyone.
Comment: Monday, December 08, 2008 4:02:00 PM - 
chris said...
Bravo, this is the real truth, if you dare to write downeverything you put in your mouth when no one is looking you, you have just started to be in the right path. Keep it up
Comment: Monday, December 08, 2008 7:58:00 PM - cookie said...
i seem to have tried every single diet plans available. i fortunately lose weight a while, but regain some of the lbs. in a few weeks. i think having a food journal is a good idea. i really don't eat a lot, but i don't think i'm making good choices of the food i eat. the journal will help me track that this time. thanks!
Comment: Saturday, December 13, 2008 11:04:00 AM - said...
One of the things I just never had click for the longest time was beverage.I had always heard to stay away from soda,even diet,cause of bloating.So I did,but then tea became my crutch,I didn't realize I was drinking so much,I thought just a few glasses so I can use real sugar.Then I started writing it down,and I was eliminating about a whole pitcher myself and about a cup of sugar in there.When I learned to like sweeteners the pounds started dropping off.Even though I was eating less,the sugar in the tea really outweighed the food I was eating.You have to be totally honest and not cheat yourself.Write down EVERY sample,nibble and beverage!!Good Luck!
Comment: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 6:10:00 AM - All the Right Moves said...
Thanks for sharing the information about Loosing the weight in write way.
Comment: Monday, March 30, 2009 11:55:00 AM - said...
Hi this is a great idea.
I hate carying around a notebook/diary though. Are there any free diet diary type applications available for blackberry?
I have been using a trial app and it's great but I don't want to have to pay the subscription fee when this expires if there is a good free app out there?
X
Comment: Monday, March 30, 2009 1:26:00 PM - said...
No doubt about 'food journaling' works! BUT you have to be honest. I use the "+" "-" system.....adding up calories for the day, and then making sure to run a deficit at the end of the day by adding cardio, weights, walking, even housecleaning counts! I start with a baseline and add expenditures for workouts. A calorie is a calorie, but making healthy choices allows you to eat more and stay fuller longer. Writing down what you eat also helps you find your trouble (trigger)foods. I especially have a hard time with crackers, bread, chips etc.....try not to have those things in the house! You really shouldn't have those things n the house. When you see results, it really helps stop 'mindless eating"......
Comment: Monday, March 30, 2009 1:45:00 PM - said...
I have used a journal and logged everything for 3 months. I haven't lost any weight. Because of the journal, showing my food intake and calories, I find my intake has been to low. Approx 900 per day average. I had no idea that was a problem because I have felt very healthy. So, I'm starting over and have added calories to get some weight loss happening.
Comment: Monday, March 30, 2009 2:49:00 PM - said...
This is a very effective way to lose weight... And to see how your body reacts to different calorie intakes as well as types of food. Just be honest. If you ate half a pizza, write down the half pizza & calories. The shock from seeing numbers that high will really wake you up.
Not sure about Blackberry, but the iPhone has a cool app called "LoseIt" that helps to track calories - both food & exercise. It is awesome!
Comment: Monday, March 30, 2009 3:36:00 PM - said...
instead of omiting butter and margine completely do what i do buy the parkay spray soy butter it tastes the same as regular butter but has no fat or calories and it is soy you can also use it to replace oil when cooking my kids dont know the difference
try it
God bless you! :)
Comment: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 8:09:00 AM - said...
Prevention Magazine has a great online app that let's you pick the foods you ate and how much you ate then it calculates all the nutritional information. I use it in conjunction with eDiets to improve eating habits.
Comment: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 12:39:00 PM - Limobarbie said...
My iPhone has an amazing FREE application for journaling what I eat--it's stupid simple and adds all the calories for me! I highly recommend it.
Comment: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 2:16:00 PM - said...
I started rewarding myself for healthy activities (i.e., getting in 200 minutes of exercise a week, or eating my fruit for the day) instead of waiting to see if I lost or gained weight each week. The fact is that it's my healthy habits that will make the difference in my health, not necessarily what the scale says.
Comment: Friday, April 03, 2009 1:15:00 PM - said...
I have lost 25lbs and credit a big part of it to food journaling. I think it helps to keep you honest and stick to your meal plans. There have been times when I thought about snacking on chocolate or Cheetos but didn't because I felt guilty to write it down in my journal. The journal has also been great in identifying the cause of a food related illness. I have been journaling for years and love it. I highly recommend it.
Comment: Monday, April 13, 2009 9:18:00 PM - said...
I have also been tracking my food intake and have so far lost 25 lbs.I found an amazing website www.zacking.com where i just put in whatever i eat that day. The site also calculated my daily calorie needs according to my weight and height and has a lot of easy tips for counting calories otherwise calculating calories on a daily basis didn't seem like an easy task.
Comment: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:24:00 PM - said...
I've been using a food diary for only a short period of time, but I have already noticed a change in my daily eating habits. When I know I have to write down what I'm grabbing for it makes me question whether I really need it or not. Also, I've noticed that writing down how much of each food I've eaten has made me aware of my portions. Now I feel fuller when I finish a meal because I know it was just one serving and that's all I need to get me through until later.
Comment: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 11:30:00 AM - Fitness Consultants said...
I am with Linda W. I tend to sacrifice the food I like before giving up and binging on food that is bad for you. A little self control and a few nibbles is all you need to get by.
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