Keep a Diet Journal for Better Results

Keep a journal for your diet. Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente recently conducted a study that followed thousands of participants starting a healthy lifestyle plan. They found that a group of subjects who kept track of everything they ate lost twice as much weight as those who did not. Here’s how you can become a successful diet tracker - losing weight and keeping it off!

1. Keep your journal with you – whether it’s a small notepad, file on your PDA, or computer program.
2. Write down EVERYTHING – no exceptions! You’re only going to get results if you start being honest with yourself.
3. Count all your calories - it might seem time-consuming at first to look everything up, but within a week or two, you’ll know how much each food item costs your diet.
4. Analyze your results – see where the majority of your calories are coming from. Are you a midnight snacker, or do you like to indulge in a big lunch? New research suggests that a hearty, carb-filled breakfast is a smart choice. Try to tip your caloric count in that direction, and watch the pounds pour off.
5. If you overindulge one day, don’t feel bad. Keep track of it and work hard to make better choices the next day.