Want to learn how to double your weight loss with one simple rule? To quote fellow dietitian Dr. Jo Lichten:
If you bite it, you must write it!
Yes, I'm talking about keeping a food diary. In a study published this past summer by Kaiser Permanente, dieters who not only adopted a healthy diet and exercised but took the extra step of writing down what they ate dropped more than double the weight of those who didn't keep a food journal. Those in the 6 month study who wrote down what they ate dropped 20 pounds versus the 9 pounds for dieters who didn't keep track.
Why does this technique work so well? Writing things down helps you to cut down on mindless eating because it causes you to be aware of what you're popping in your mouth. Knowing that you have to track your eating can help you pause and think before you reach for that second helping of cake or chips. It can also help you realize if you're eating out of stress or boredom as well as making you more aware of proper portion sizes.
Keeping a food dairy can be as simple as writing in a notebook or going more high tech with online food diaries or applications for your phone.
If you want to go "old school" with pen to paper, you can download a free food and activity diary from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
If you prefer online tracking tools, you can sign up for free online account at FitDay.Com or SparkPeople.
Want to keep track while on the go? Then try the free iPhone application Lose It! or the Calorie Counter for the Blackberry.
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