I’d be willing to wager a bet that most of you have tried one diet plan or another. I had tried more diets than I’d care to confess to before I finally lost weight using percentage of fat, portion control, and exercise.
I frequently get emails from people asking my opinion on a wide variety of topics. One of the common questions I get is that involving journaling of food. When I teach my weight loss class, not surprisingly called, Fit to the Finish, I offer the participants a food diary sheet they can use if they’d like, but I don’t “require” it. Some people use it, and some don’t.
But perhaps more of them should. . . There was a study of 1700 people, that came out in 2008 conducted by Kaiser Permanente. For the study, 1,700 people agreed to diet and exercise. According to Victor Stevens, co-author of the study, those people who kept a daily food diary lost twice as much weight as the people who didn’t. That’s impressive results.
People often ask me whether or not I kept a food diary as I was losing weight. The answer is no, I didn’t keep a food diary on a regular basis. BUT, I did occasionally track what I was eating for a few days to make certain that I wasn’t 1) eating too much of a good thing, and 2) missing out on certain nutrients. The occasional food diary was a good compromise for me, because although I am pretty disciplined, I didn’t think that writing down my food for the rest of my life would be something I could stick with.
However, food journaling doesn’t have to be an all or nothing affair. For me, the occasional food journaling worked beautifully, but for other people, even that small amount of journling would be restrictive and difficult. For still others, keeping track of every bit of food that goes into their mouth is their number one best way to success. And I admire that because it’s a time-honored, proven strategy.
There are a lot of online diet tools available, but one that I admire greatly is SparkPeople. That’s a free site which offers calorie tracking, an abundance of weight loss articles, exercise routines, message boards and more. Their primary recommendation for weight loss centers around food journaling (through their site), calorie counting, and exercise.
What are your thoughts on food journaling? Yes it’s worth your time, or not for you. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Diane
By the way, there are lots of other food diaries on the web, including the one from the NHLBI website. They offer free a food diary and a menu planner that automatically calculates calories in common food items.
I’ve got the hang of it now without journaling like I used to, YET I now journal in my brain to log how certain foods make me FEEL.
.-= Yum Yucky´s last blog ..Fitness Tips for Lethargic People =-.
I think that if someone can be healthy and either get their weight off or keep it off without journaling, that is okay.
But when it is NOT working, when one is either stalled or regaining, that is the time to journal.
.-= vickie´s last blog ..Photo Album Work continues =-.
I have been food journaling for about four years over at http://www.myfooddiary.com. It was essential in my initial weight loss and instructive in maintaining it. Journaling was really one of the most eye-opening things I did because although I thought I was educated about what foods were healthy, I was surprised by the amount of calories found in most foods. I can now go without journaling for periods of time, but I always come back to it.
Great topic and great post!
I tracked my foods whenever I tried to lose weight in the past..
Then when I joined WW i saw that tracking was encouraged so it felt very natural for me to do so.
I buy 12 weekly WW books for myself to keep track, even with maintaining.
I find it a good tool I am not wanting to let go of.
.-= Marcelle´s last blog ..Self Talk =-.
Food journaling has been a good tool for me. I find that when I don’t, I tend to stray and that “cookie” never got eaten if I didn’t write it down
I’ve heard you mention your classes before. I’d love to know more about those!
.-= Marisa (Loser For Life)´s last blog ..Breakin’ Out The Hammer =-.
I do so much better with eating healthy when I keep my food journal its part of how I lost my original 40 pounds. I know when I quit keeping the food journal in 2004 thats when I regained 10 pounds. For me it really helps, along with weighing in at least weekly for accountablility.
I started dieting on summer, after going to a doctor, and he said me that I was eating good, but I needed some help, because every time I go there I had put on more kilograms.
In my first steps, I only did what my doctor recommend me. I was losing weight and I was happy for this.
After two or three months, I saw one of this pages were you can track what you eat. For me, it was fabolous. The reason is that I like to count almost everything, and now, as I say, I’m learning about food.
These months that I have been tracking food (and following what doctor says) have been better in weight loss than the previous ones. These are for two reasons:
The first one is that I’m learning about aliments, and it’s easier for me to know what I’m eating, and if it’s good enough. It has been so good that during Christmas I have lost 3 pounds!
The second one is not related with aliments, but with workouts. It’s a challenge for me to achieve some goals, and this challenge makes me work more.
I have a compromise: I track the food during my weight loss, except when I’m away from home for more than one day (and this included a week in Christmas!). My objective is to learn, and in the future, to do the same as you: track maybe a week each month, to assure that I’m still in the good way. But that will be in some time.
I can’t journal my food. It makes me too obsessive and I become restrictive. I try to go by how I feel, but from time to time, do a quick calorie count in my head (I have a pretty good idea of the calories in food).
.-= kilax´s last blog ..How “strict” of a vegan are you, Kim? =-.
I find journals to be an absolutely invaluable tool for almost anything in life. I have kept a journal of my life since I was 13( I am 51) and for most of my life with my husband( 30 years) I have kept information on our menus and snacks. I also include any exercise , and during the years we were struggling with infertility, kept records of body signs, um…activity and so forth.Since my son was born I included different developmental milestones, problems, homeschooling information and so forth. My journals have helped to isolate problems , give me inspiration , trigger memories and a lot more. They have also proved to be a invaluable tool to keep in touch with myself. It does not have to be a “laundry list”- instead like a diary that helps to show the factors that lead to your choices. Invaluable stuff !
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Very funny Strega Nona ! =-.
I have gone through phases where I journal every bite and write down every macronutrient I put in my body. I’m not that detailed now that I have a better understanding of the makeup of foods. But I do food journal. Every day. I simply write down what I eat and move on. It’s a great place to refer back to and see why my pants are lose, or why they are tight, understand energy levels, etc. It really is one of my tools to success.
.-= Joanna Sutter´s last blog ..Lighten Up Your Workouts =-.
In my opinion the food journaling helps, but I don’t think it has to be meticulous, detailed records. The simple fact that you are recording your eating, and knowing that you are recording your eating, sometimes dissuades you from eating something you might otherwise partake of.
.-= South Beach Steve´s last blog ..Calorie Counts Are Off? =-.
I do think food journaling is a great tool – I often start full of enthusiasm with it, and I know it helps me keep track of what i am eating and avoid overeating, but I get lazy after a few days and usually give up! I have tried the online food journals, but it always seemed like too much of a hassle to go upstairs and get on my computer and log it…now I have a laptop and wireless internet, so maybe i should give it another try. I also agree that journally for a short time every now and then is a good strategy.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..My reward: Sven Nys!!! =-.
Thanks for the suggestion of Spark people. I was going to track again for a couple of days to see where I was at… so that will be perfect!!
.-= Staci´s last blog ..Spirit of the Marathon =-.
Is there a difference between food journaling and basic calorie tracking? I track my calories on SparkPeople, but I don’t really consider that journaling because I’m not reflecting on how I feel when I eat and things like that. I’d be curious to see just what kind of form the food diary in the study took.
.-= erin´s last blog ..Motivation: The Fickle Friend =-.
I’ve went back and forth on this. Some days I journal using the FitDay PC software I have. Other days I don’t. But what I ALWAYS do is keep a running total in my head. What often works for me is breaking up my meals in calorie amounts. I eat 5-6 times per day and often will do 200-250 per meal.
.-= Anonymous Fat Girl´s last blog ..How’s your “glow”? =-.
I tried it for a day, hated it. I can see how it could be very useful and valuable, but it made me feel neurotic and obsessive. It’s hard to be in denial when it’s on paper and recorded!
.-= julie´s last blog ..I’m making YOU feel bad? =-.
I used a food journal religiously for a while. After a while I got bored with it. I just used one of the kids spiral notebooks-nothing fancy or techno..
I still keep track of what I eat if I am not going to be home or if the day is somewhat out of the usual-but if it is a normal day at home I do not journal.
(I know that I had a bad day if I can not remember what I had for breakfast/lunch/dinner…later that same day!
.-= mamajuliana´s last blog ..Another Walk Video? Well, yes… =-.
I kept food journals for a time, on different occasions, but it got so it was more of a negative thing, than a positive thing. I felt very restrictive, and I tend to get obsessive about things like that. I want to be able to just be conscious of what I put in my mouth, and not let it have so much control.
I never did food journals even though, like you Diane, I recommend it in my blog posts because all studies do show that the people that do this are the ones most successful at weight loss & maintenance. The only time I did it was during my bodybuilding years & it really helped me there.
Many people just do not want to know how much or what they are eating & I think it scares them to food journal. BUT, those are the people that need it the most. So many have no idea how much they are really eating & what,
I understand to each their own BUT if you are not losing & don’t know why, food journaling will tell you!
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Hey, Quickie Abs & Legs! =-.
I used Sparkpeople daily during the first 6 months of weight loss and sporadically after that. It was HUGE in helping understand how to put together healthy meals in the right portion sizes. As I became more comfortable with the new way of eating, I no longer felt the need to log daily, but I still use the tool to look up foods. I also jot down on my calendar any significant deviations from my normal eating plan (say…a brownie, for example *G*) as a reminder that a splurge occurred. The idea is that if I start gaining weight or feeling “off”, I can reference the calendar for evidence and adjust, if necessary. So far, I haven’t had to deal with “if necessary.”
oohhhh…thanks for that menu planner link! neat!
I’m doing WW and using their e-tools which is tracking, but for the few weeks I took off over Christmas, I did no tracking, managed to lose a few and then gain a few as well. I’d say overall I did great.
I think in active weight-loss it is very beneficial but I hope to relax a little on it once in maintenance. I like the idea of doing it every now and then just to see that your spot on with your calories, nutrients, etc.
.-= rebecca @ durch dick und duenn´s last blog ..Rebecca’s Lunchbox: Baked Oatmeal =-.
Every thing I’ve read about using a food journal has been positive. I have never done that, specifically, but I did do journaling when I read The Vein of Gold, by Julia Cameron, in a group project. It’s a great book that has directed activities that will enrich your life in many ways!
I think they are a good plan. One thing I have noticed from reading the food journals on blogs is that it is a good way to see where you are lacking (or in some cases, eating too much of one kind of food.)I notice that a lot of people don’t get enough produce and protein, but favor “diet” foods and low-fat snacks and desserts. Having it in writing is a good way to find the flaws in your eating.
.-= karen@fitnessjourney´s last blog ..How I Found My Inner Olympian =-.
I’m a big fan of food journals! I’ve been using SparkPeople since I started my weight loss journey back in April. Just recently I started posting my journal on my blog every day.
When I don’t journal, I overeat. My journal keeps me accountable, and helps me plan for events and special meals. It also helps me see what works well for me, and what I need to change.
.-= Jenn @ Watch My Butt Shrink!´s last blog ..Insert Something Witty Here =-.
I only kept a food journal for a brief period, and it really made me see that I was eating too much. Looking at everything I was eating helped me to make changes to my eating habit and substitute/eliminate unnecessary calories. I think it’s a great tool but not one I could do long term…
I like food journaling, because it’s a great eye-opener to what I’ve been eating. Like, “Oh! I really did eat that much last week.”
I don’t journal all the time, and I don’t think it’s something I could do for life, so I guess I’m an occasional food journaler.
Diane, these are great posts, especially for those starting out on a new weight loss journey during this time of the year.
Keeping a food journal has always helped me. When I’ve stopped keeping one is when I’ve gotten myself in trouble weight-wise.
.-= Gigi´s last blog ..Catching Up =-.
I do WW so I journal as part of that and even though I am never good at maintaining these sorts of efforts, I really see the effect of journaling on my own eating and weight loss and that has motivated me to keep doing it. I think it helps that I also make a weekly food plan that helps me remember what I probably ate if I forgot, and over time I’ve started eating in a lot of the same patterns, so that helps me remember as well. Plus I have a routine for tracking, which makes it more likely that I will do it.
Over all, when I don’t track I find that I “forget” way too many items that I’ve eaten and give myself way too much permission to step outside of what I planned to eat. Really, tracking is a crucial tool to my success.
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Stress Eating =-.
I have tried food journaling while I was training for a half marathon. It helped me immensely to keep track of how many calories were going into my body. It allowed me to maintain a certain caloric intake that I needed for training. I have since been lax about journaling my foods but would like to get back into it.
.-= MySensei´s last blog ..Punishment for being overweight? =-.
Being a creature of habit, I eat pretty much the same thing all the time. I do track my food daily, though, using a web based software program thru my gym. I can just hit “repeat food” into a new day, then edit times and portions as needed. My trainer peeks in occasionally and leaves me notes and suggestions. If I experiment with new foods or add something into my diet, I definitely track it!
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Weigh-In Wednesday =-.
I feel like food journaling was one of the main keys to my success. I logged over at PeerTrainer.com religiously (except for weekends mostly) throughout my entire 100+ lb weight loss process. It forced accountability and made me question what to eat and how much. It also helped me form bonds with people all over the world going through the same thing I was going through.
Knowledge is power, and being able to reflect on a “good week” versus a “bad week” helped me put things in perspective and figure out what worked for me. It also forced me to confront my goals daily, as my actual goal is displayed at the top of all my logs.
I stopped for a while because I was confident I could do without and gained a few lbs back, so I’m right back to it. Journaling and self-reflection is so useful, IMO!
.-= Jenelle @appilogue´s last blog ..Recipe: Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding =-.
This is actually something that I’m still experiementing with. When I began 2 1/2 months ago my plan was to right down absolutely everything- but recently I’ve been feeling like that may not be very practical. I really don’t want this to be a laziness thing and I don’t think it is. It’s more like a perfectionist thing- if I can’t do it right 100% of the time then I don’t want to do it- and I’m finding it impossible to do it right. For me- I’m still trying to figure it out because I’m not completely ready to give the journaling up.
.-= Tiffany´s last blog ..Day #14: Here’s How… =-.
I think that everyone should food journal at least once in awhile, not just for calories but also to see if you’re getting all the veggies, protein, etc, that you need. I love
Spark People, I love the charts, recipes, and exercise ideas.
I love journalling! I mean, it’s kind of a pain in the butt… at first. But then, when I got used to it, I found that it was a really good way to hold myself accountable for the food I was putting in. It helped me to stop mindlessly eating. And now, i’m a huge fan of it!
~Kellie
.-= The Chubby Girl Diaries´s last blog ..Pushing myself forward =-.
It definitely helped me out a lot. I used fitday.com for about 7 months and just stopped.
.-= Lauren @ Eater not a runner´s last blog ..Thursday things =-.
I food journaled until I met my weight goal and now I do it periodically.
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..Friends and Encouragement. =-.
I’m an On-Again-Off-Again journalist.
If I am feeling out of control, this helps me see what exactly I am eating and how many calories. Lately, I have not been journaling but I am following a Plan so as I get my RDA of food.
Mia
I think if a person is unsure of what they are doing wrong with their diet, they should journal. If they have been losing weight and suddenly stop losing weight, they should try journaling for a few days, or at least mentally go back over their menu, ounce for ounce, and reflect. I think kitchen scales are a great tool; I use that rather than a journal if I go a few days with no lose, and invariably have to admit to myself that my 1/2 cups have grown to 3/4 cups, or my 4 ounces have gotten closer to 8 ounces. I don’t journal. I only did for a week or so in the very beginning, but once I found the plan right for me (South Beach 1,200 calorie max), and was willing to research calories on various items until they were committed to heart…I didn’t need journaling food entries anymore. Obviously I blog, but I don’t track daily food intake in writing. But I don’t begrudge anyone from that tool if it can help them learn enough about themselves and their eating habits to get healthy.
.-= Sunny´s last blog ..Feeding your real needs =-.
When I was in the thick (haha) of my weight-loss, I journaled my food every day. Now I do it a couple times a week, just as a check in. I used myfitnesspal.com and really like it – simple and easy, because if it isn’t, I’m not going to do it! I would recommend it to new dieters as a tool to stay on track.
.-= Shelley B´s last blog ..Wednesday Workout Update! =-.
Another free one and the one I use is Lose It. It is a free Iphone/iTouch app and it logs food, weight, exercise. It gives a calorie amount based on your weight and how much you think you should lose in a week and it logs food and gives the calories.
I have done WW so much that I follow their guidelines as best I can and log using Lose It.
There is even a website that it syncs to that will give reports and I copy and paste my log onto my blog.
I have to keep a journal, it makes me accountable.
I love NutrMirror it’s free and it not only shows calories but all nutrients. Their goal is to stay green
Since I am doing WW……..I do keep track. I started out using the little trackers they gave us, but have since just moved to a notebook. I feel it keeps me in line and I know exactly what I am eating/or shouldnt be eating. I dont think its something I will do the rest of my life, but right now while I am still not completely disciplined…I find it helps!
.-= Kristina´s last blog ..Okay, Meal 2=Success! =-.
I would be lost without my journal. 8pm every evening is MY time to sit down in a quiet room, plan what I will eat tomorrow, jot down a list of things to do, or write out something that is bothering me. I also like to look back at past journals I have filled up to see if there is a meal that we all liked that I forgot about or just see where I was a year ago
.-= Brenda´s last blog ..eating clean =-.
I used Sparkpeople non-stop (pretty much) for 2 years to track my calories in and out. It was a HUGE help. LOVE the spark. I actually went back this week to do a double check on my intake and I’m already down about half of the few extra holiday lbs. However, I don’t want to do it for life. I’m getting to the point where I can nourish my body just by being in tune with what it tells me, but I realize that after a few weeks of eating not-always-the-healthiest-things on break, I might need a little help for a week or 2 while I get back on track. And that’s ok.
.-= Quix´s last blog ..Writing in the Future Tense =-.
I go in spurts. I start off with good journaling intentions but find, after a few weeks that it is a pain in the ass. Usually I have forgotten what I have eaten by the time I can get around to journaling it.
.-= Karyn´s last blog ..10 things I love. =-.
i despise food journalling! that said, somewhere i have a drawer full of old food journals from when i maintained a healthy weight for years. something about that says the obvious. when i am tracking my food i am unfailingly successful, and when i slack the track, i am not.
i find online tracking cumbersome, having to find the specific food, and then one brand may vary from another and many times i would end up just grabbing the container and entering the actual info on what i ate. i prefer to write it down; if i don’t know the points (i do ww) then i can find them out pretty quickly with one of their little calculators or by looking it up online if i don’t have the container (eating out or at someone else’s house).
tracking’s the way to go, for sure. i just have to make myself do it; the reward is invariably success.
I track on and off and it’s been a positive experience when I do track. It really does give me accountability and although i don’t do it all the time I do it enough to make sure I’m on track.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I use food journals off and on. When I use one, I do much better. But I find it hard to keep up with. You’ve done an excellent job on program. And your blog is very well done.
I’ll admit it: I HATE journaling what I’m eating. It’s just always seemed silly to me, but I know that it does good things for me, and helps keep me on track, so I do my best to journal. I’m definitely not perfect, but I do my best. Sparkpeople really does have the best online food journal.
Thanks for your comments the other day, by the way.
I’m doing good this week. If I had the time, I would actually post more, but working full time and going to school full time, it becomes stressful for me, rather than thereputic. I plan on doing a little update tonight, and posting my weight tommorow, so stay tuned.:) Have a great day!
Hope @ Hope’s Journey
Weight loss and healthy eating works SO much better for me when I am keeping track of my intake and exercise. That accountability to myself helps keep me honest and really makes me think about what I am eating before I put ANYTHING in my mouth. I have been using Sparkpeople for about 3 years. The first time I used it I lost 30lbs, stopped journalling and gained it all back plus some. Now, since July I have been journalling my exercise and food intake again and have lost 55lbs. I will not make the same mistake twice. Even after I have reached my goal I intend to continue journalling on Sparkpeople this time around. It is fast and easy. What a great website!!