Did you know that you can double the amount of weight that you lose just by documenting the food you eat?
It’s true: keeping a food log has been proven to help people lose two times more weight than people who didn’t keep track of their daily calorie intake.
Read on to learn exactly how a food log works and how to guarantee dieting success!
What is a Food Log Journal?
A food log is a daily record with which you keep track of every single thing you eat throughout the day.
It allows you to track the exact amount of calories you take in and the times at which you eat or drink them, which makes it easy to keep tabs on your habits–both good and bad.
Do Food Logs Actually Help People Lose Weight?
People who keep track of their food intake using food logs have actually been proven to be more successful dieters than people who don’t record their eating habits.
In a study researchers aimed to evaluate the efficiency of various weight loss techniques. Such as food logs, regular exercise, consistent group meetings, and healthy diets.
After the study had gone on for five months, researchers discovered the following.
Participants who had used their food diaries for at least five days a week had actually lost twice as much weight as those who hadn’t been diligent about recording their food.
In fact, one of the participants, who lost 26 pounds explained that keeping a food log enabled him to see how much of an impact it made with even just a slight change in the diet. Such as having a bowl of ice cream or a fast-food cheeseburger.
That can really skew your calorie intake.
See Also: Counting Calories For Weight Loss
Why are Food Logs so Effective?
Even though it may sound too good to be true, the fact is that the basic act of writing down what you eat every day really will help you lose weight.
Experts say one reason for the success people see with food logs is that they are forced to own up to what they have eaten.
Most of us don’t really know how much we eat and drink; we have very charitable memories.
With a food log, however, you no longer get to give yourself the benefit of the doubt. As you record every last calorie you consume, you’ll open your eyes to what is actually going into your body every day.
As you do so, you will finally be aware of your biggest dietary weaknesses.
If you are prone to unhealthy snacking at a certain time during the day, you’ll be able to substitute junk food with some fruit or vegetables.
Maybe there is a certain guilty pleasure of yours that you normally can’t resist. But now you’ll be prepared with the knowledge that it is your biggest caloric intake of the day.
Being able to see exactly what is derailing your diet’s good intentions will make a huge difference. It helps you turn bad habits into healthy choices.
See Also: Best Natural Appetite Suppressant Foods
What are the Best Ways to Keep Your Food Log?
Recording in a food log is never a bad thing, but if you want yours to be as effective as possible, you should follow these tips:
Record it Immediately
If you wait to record the entire day’s food all at once before you go to bed, you run the risk of forgetting some of the little things, like a handful of candy or a drink.
Avoid this by carrying your food log around with you and writing down what you’ve eaten right after you have eaten it. That way you will never miss a calorie and will be able to track your exact eating behavior.
Food Log Apps
These days, people don’t typically carry a pad of paper everywhere they go–but they do carry around their smartphones.
If you never go anywhere without your phone, you can easily become an expert food-logger when you use one of the many available weight loss apps.
There are many apps available right now, which makes it painless to add up your calorie intake with its extensive list of foods, ingredients, and their nutritional values.
Some food log apps are free, while others are purchased, but most of them are quite affordable.
See Also: How To Read A Nutrition Facts Label
Don’t Get Shy
It’s easy to feel somewhat ashamed if you’ve had an unhealthy day–but don’t be embarrassed!
This food log is for your eyes only. And you won’t be doing yourself any favors by leaving out the bad stuff.
In fact, nutrition experts say that those are the most important times to record.
Get in Touch With Your Feelings
In addition to writing down the times and places where you were eating, many people recommend recording how you felt before and after you ate.
This may sound strange, but people tend to overeat and give in to cravings during times of stress. Then regret those binges when they end up feeling sick.
Avoid future missteps like this by writing down what led you to choose an unhealthy snack and how you felt afterwards.
The facts are there! Keeping a food log will be more beneficial to your diet than you ever thought possible.
