RedGage

When I started changing what I was eating I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t exceeding my calorie limit each day. The easiest way of doing this is to start a food journal.

      In my food journal I wrote every little thing that entered my mouth down. I was so surprised at how much the thought of having to write a food down controlled what I ate. It kept me always thinking, “Do I really need to eat that?” And most of the time the answer was no!

     Another trick I found was writing the time next to the food you ate. Eventually you will be able to identify a trend of which foods are keeping you full the longest.  I loved this because it helped me discover when and what I should be eating.

     Food journals are a very effective weight loss tool. According to some studies, dieters who write everything down that they eat lose twice as much weight as those who do not.

     It really is an effective trick. I have heard many excuse of I do not have time to write it down or I will never remember. Well, I would just like to say that it is a good thing that we live in a time of technology.  There are some great apps on iPhones and other smart phones or computer programs, such as Lose It! or Calorie Count (http://caloriecount.about.com/).  The great thing about these programs is they help you to calculate the calories in the food that you eat as well as being convenient and easy to use.

     Food Journaling may seem like a pain in the butt, however, once you add it to your daily routine you do get used to it. So download an app or go and buy yourself a handy little notebook and start documenting your intake!