Double your weight loss with a food diary |
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Keeping a food diary can double a person’s weight loss according to a study from the Kaiser Permanente’s Centre for Health Research in the USA. They have conducted one of the largest weight loss studies and they found that the more food records subjects kept, the more weight they lost. Those who kept a daily food record lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. The study demonstrated the important of logging your food intake to the success of weight loss and weight maintenance.
The researchers explained that by keeping a log of what you consume works because it makes you accountable to yourself. Sometimes by having to write thing downs we can identify where the extra calories are coming form.
“Keeping a food diary doesn’t have to be a formal thing. It’s the process of reflecting on what you eat that helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behaviour,” says Keith Bachman, MD, a Weight Management Initiative member.
Why not start your ‘healthy lifestyle’ today by starting a daily food diary.
Simple rules on keeping a food diary
For more diet, health, food and fitness information visit www.weightplan.com
Tags: Diet, food diary, weight loss
The researchers explained that by keeping a log of what you consume works because it makes you accountable to yourself. Sometimes by having to write thing downs we can identify where the extra calories are coming form.
“Keeping a food diary doesn’t have to be a formal thing. It’s the process of reflecting on what you eat that helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behaviour,” says Keith Bachman, MD, a Weight Management Initiative member.
Why not start your ‘healthy lifestyle’ today by starting a daily food diary.
Simple rules on keeping a food diary
- Do record everything you eat and drink, as the log is there to help you make the necessary changes. If you cheat you are only cheating yourself. Be honest with yourself, and then make the changes.
- Try to record what you have eaten in handy measures, or weights, as soon as possible after consuming to allow better accuracy. You can write it as a text message, or email to yourself or on the note pad on your phone.
- The food diary will help you to reflect on how you are getting on each day and help motivate you to make changes.
- The record can also be used to look at changes over the long term, so you can reflect and feel positive about how far you have come.
- Make sure that you record all the drinks and snacks taken between meals and in the evenings.
- Make a note of where you are and who you were with, as this can help identify unhelpful behaviours that we need to change. You can make a note of any thoughts or feelings associated with your eating behaviours.
- The diary will help you look at how you can change your eating behaviours and recognise if there is a trigger in the day that stops you following a ‘healthy lifestyle’.
- You can also record your exercise and activity levels which will help you to become more active on a daily basis.
For more diet, health, food and fitness information visit www.weightplan.com
Tags: Diet, food diary, weight loss