This was part of the monthly newletter I got from the gym email today.

I have been using www.calorieking.com.au as my food diary- I find it makes me more honest with what I am writing down than when I simply handwrite it in a book.

WEIGHT LOSS 

Keeping a food diary can double weight loss

People who keep a journal to track their eating habits may be more successful at shedding pounds, according to recent research.

In a study of nearly 1,700 overweight adults in a weight-loss program, researchers found that those who wrote in a ‘food diary’ every day lost twice as much weight over six months as those who did not keep a journal.

In addition to keeping food diaries, study participants were asked to follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or (DASH) diet which is high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat, attend weekly group sessions and exercise at moderate intensity levels for at least 30 minutes a day.

After six months, the average weight loss was 13 pounds (5.9kg). More than two-thirds of the participants (69%) lost at least 9 pounds (4.1kg).

“More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. If we all lost just 9 pounds, as most people in this study did, we would see vast decreases in hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke,” says Victor Stevens, PhD, study co-author. In an earlier study, Stevens found that losing as few as five pounds (2.2kg) can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure by 20%.

“Every day I hear patients say they can’t lose weight. This study shows that most people can lose weight if they have the right tools and support,” says Dr Keith Bachman, a weight management specialist. “Keeping a food diary doesn’t have to be a formal thing. Just the act of scribbling down what you eat on a Post-It note, sending yourself e-mails tallying each meal, or sending yourself a text message will suffice. It’s the process of reflecting on what we eat that helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behavior.”

Source: Keiser Permanente – The Centre for Health Research