Resource Section

Resource Section

Weight management: Are you keeping track?

Behavior modification for weight control is the number one most successful method for long-term weight management. And the number one tool used in behavior modification for weight control is the food diary. Why is a food diary so effective? In order to lose weight you must understand your eating habits and what triggers overeating. You cannot assume that we are all overweight for the same reasons. A food diary helps you identify why you make poor eating choices. Most food diaries simply measure food intake. A better way is to use a lifestyle diary, which looks at the most common behavioral aspects of weight management.

A food diary turns what is abstract into black and white. You can’t deny that which is on the paper. Without a diary, you eat without awareness. Our most damaging eating happens when we’re not paying attention.

The food diary is one of the most powerful tools in weight management, but it is also one of the most resisted. You should carry your diary with you at all times and record immediately upon eating and nothing should be left out.

Here are some the categories to record:

Time started/time finished: Most people who are overweight eat too fast and by tracking the time it takes to eat help you slow down and enjoy your food.

Company: Have you ever noticed that you always make poor eating choices when eating with certain people? Or on the reverse side, maybe you make great eating choices when eating with certain people.

Type of food: This is what you typically record on a food diary. If you want to lose weight, it makes sense that you need to know what you’re eating.

Quantity of food: You need to be specific about how much you ate. Did you eat 1 or 3 chicken breasts? Was your roll about the size of a baseball or softball? Be very specific in describing the portions.

Activity: Ideally, we want you to only be eating when you eat. Having other distractions such as the TV, the phone or the computer, it takes your mind away from the task at hand and this where overeating can happen.

Mood: This is an important one!! Our food choices are very often a result of our emotional state, not necessarily our hunger. By tracking your moods, you can see connections between how you feel and what you choose to eat. Research indicates that 80% of weight problems are emotionally based.

With any weight management program one should be exercising. So this is a good opportunity to record your activity level. Record the time spent in an aerobic activity as well as the time spent doing strength training and flexibility work. I know it takes time to journal but the rewards over the long haul will pay off and eventually you will have created your own blueprint for success.