Dear Diary, Last night I ate an entire … How to journal your way to weight loss

9/23/08 Posted in Cover Story  |  2 Comments

The American Journal of Preventative Medicine published a study in August that revealed dieters who kept track of their food lost more weight than those who did not. The study followed about 1,700 men and women who were overweight or obese. The men and women were encouraged to consume 500 fewer calories per day, attend weekly group meetings, exercise 30 minutes or more per day, eat a diet low in salt and fat and consume more fruit and vegetables. They were also asked to record their food and exercise intake on a daily basis. After 20 weeks, the participants who recorded their food intake lost around 18 pounds while those who didn’t journal food intake lost about 9 pounds.

The proof is on the paper. 

There’s no question that keeping a food diary will be an eye opening experience, but don’t just stop at jotting down what you eat and drink. Take it a step further and add categories like mood, time you ate and where you ate. These entries can provide previously hidden clues to your poor eating habits. 

You can easily create your own food and mood journal on your computer or find a template by searching online. Try to keep the journal for at least three days. Write as you go and write down everything! This includes the grocery store samples, sampling the sauce while making dinner and finishing your kid’s macaroni and cheese. Don’t wait for “good days” to start. Particularly tempting or stressful days will showcase what needs to change. After all, you can’t fix what you don’t know is broken. Yes, it may seem like a daunting task but it will be worth it to see how daily habits can wreak havoc on your good intentions. 

Food Trail

If you’re not familiar with the nutrients or calories in the foods you eat, you can break down each meal by finding the carbs, fats, sodium, protein, fiber, sugar, etc. at various web sites like, www.nutritiondata.com or www.fitday.com. Plus, they all offer free online food trackers. Most chain restaurants offer their nutrition facts online too. So how many carbs should you eat? What about protein? www.mypyramid.gov has nifty tools to answer all your questions and give you a good starting point to jump from. 

Time Munchers

How is the time of day important? A food diary may reveal that you tend to chow down or choose unhealthy options while watching TV or zipping through the drive-thru between appointments. Maybe you eat healthier during the day but forage the cupboards at dusk. Time may also bring to light that you’re waiting too long to eat in between meals.

Bust a Mood

Anxiety, boredom, sadness and even happiness can contribute to emotional eating and mindless munching. Take note of your mood when you eat. Be specific. Was your anxiety caused by a demanding boss? Were you bored? Maybe a spat with your spouse sent you to the cookie drawer. After a few days you’ll discover what moods and patterns trigger over eating. 

Location, Location, Location!

Where you plant it while you eat can also affect your bottom line. Studies show that when we eat on-the-run or while standing over the kitchen sink, we woof down more than we need. 

Eating while checking MySpace or while maneuvering through rush hour traffic (wrong for several reasons) leads to what-did-I–just-eat-amnesia. 

The idea is to sit and savor your food. Give yourself 20 minutes to relay the “full” message to the stomach.

Decoding

Truth is stranger than fiction – “A #8 at Heart Cloggin’ Burger has that many calories and fat?”  “Do I really eat like a bird all day and graze like a grizzly after 7 p.m. each night?” If you’ve been honest with your food diary, you’ll be able to answer questions like, “Am I eating because I’m truly hungry?” “Did eating a carton of Edy’s really make me feel better about breaking up with my boyfriend?” “Is skipping breakfast causing me to over eat later?” 

Once you’ve read this chapter of your life, review and plan for the bumps and ruts in your day. Tackle issues like mindless munching in front of the tube by keeping the food in the kitchen. Just prepare a single serving and stick to it. If you’re a breakfast skipper the nighttime noshing is probably the culprit. Pack your lunch and snacks to maintain control during your workday. Call a friend or walk off stress instead of consoling yourself with sweets. It’s all there in black and white. It’s up to you to write a happy ending.