Lose Twice as much weight by writing!

12:18 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

I've been keeping a nutrition and exercise diary for years. It's amazing to look back and notice patterns and changes and see how far I've come. I use small notebooks that I can slip into my purse and take with me when I go out or travel. I use pencil and at the start of the week outline my ideal eating plan and exercise routine for each day on separate pages. (This also helps with family meal planning and grocery list making). Keeping a food log helps you become more accountable. If you know you have to record the cookies and crackers you ate you may be more likely to think before eating. And if you do decide to enjoy a slice of birthday cake you may be more likely to eat more healthy veggies the next day. A recent study from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research suggests keeping a food log is one of the easiest and most effective weight-loss tools. Researchers enrolled 1,685 overweight and obese adults (men and women), whose average weight was 212 pounds. Participants were encouraged to adhere to a calorie appropriate diet, low in fat and cholesterol, and consisting primarily of fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy products. Fish, poultry, nuts, and other unsaturated fats, as well as whole grains, are also encouraged.

Very importantly, participants were also strongly encouraged to record their daily food intake and exercise minutes.

After 20 weeks, the average weight loss was 13 lbs per person. But researchers discovered something else while analyzing what behaviors were most correlated with success. The more participants recorded what they ate, the more they lost! Participants who did not keep a diary lost about 9 pounds over the course of the study, while those who recorded their food intake six or more days a week lost 18 pounds - twice as much as those who didn't put pen to paper!!

WOW! Here are some tips from Dr. Hollis, the senior investigator for the study to get started with your own journal -

Measure, as much as possible. Use tablespoons, measuring cups or a food scale to get an approximation of quantity. In the study, the participants were taught to estimate using common visual reference points -- for instance, a serving of mashed potatoes the size of a computer mouse is four ounces, while a three-ounce portion of chicken, fish or steak is about the size of a deck of cards.

Estimate how many calories you're eating. Use a calorie book or look up your food online. This is easier than it sounds, says Dr. Hollis, since most people eat the same foods often.

Simple notes are fine. Keeping a food diary doesn't have to mean lugging around a notebook -- you can jot intake down on a Post-it and it will still help you be more attentive to what you're eating.

If you miss a day... start again. Those who kept the most consistent food records lost the most weight in the study, but even those who kept some records regularly lost more than those who kept none.

It's most important to find something that works for you. A little notebook in your purse or an program on your cell phone - yup, there's an app for that! I like...Lose It! Livestrong Calorie Counter or Mindful - check them out. Let me know if you'd like any more tips of journaling - Good luck and Best wishes!