A food journal is a valuable tool on your journey to a slimmer and healthier body. The simple act of recording what you eat, when you eat it and how you are feeling physically and emotionally can improve your eating habits and help you to make lifelong changes. Regardless of the diet you choose, a food journal can help you to stay committed and on track.
Stay Motivated
A food journal can help you to see changes in your habits, diet and calorie intake over time. If you've reached a weight loss plateau, reviewing your diet diary may keep you on track and feeling good about your progress or help you to determine why you're not losing weight, suggests WeightLossMoms.com. While many people begin a food journal as part of a diet, your food journal can also provide encouragement as you see that you're learning to make better food choices over time and eat a more balanced diet.
Lose More Weight
The very act of maintaining a food journal and writing down what you eat and when may help to keep you accountable and lead to improved weight loss, according to an August 2008 study by Jack Hollis, PhD in "The Journal of Preventative Medicine." According to Hollis, people who keep a food journal lose twice as much weight as those who do not. Writing down what you eat prevents mindless eating, keeps you focused on your diet and provides you with an honest assessment of your daily calorie intake.
Recognize Emotional Eating
Your food journal should include more than just what you ate. Write down when you ate and how you were feeling at the time, recommends 3FatChicks.com. You may find that your journal helps you to recognize and correct negative eating patterns, such as a tendency to eat for emotional reasons rather than hunger. If you see a pattern of late night snacks, eating out of boredom or sadness, or recognize that celebratory meals are a bit out of hand, you can correct these behaviors and keep your diet on track.
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