In study after study, the one behavior most closely associated with successful weight loss is keeping a journal of everything you eat. It does not appear to be necessary to document portion sizes or calories or any other specific metric. Just write down what you ate, after you ate it. And write down any other food- or eating-related thoughts you might have, like…
Do I want to eat that candy? If so, I’m going to have to write it in my journal. If I don’t want candy to appear in my journal, perhaps I should have a piece of fruit instead.
What’s the secret magic of keeping a journal? It’s likely the fact that writing down what you eat makes you accountable, and by being accountable you are making decisions in real time and can make healthy choices.
Try keeping track of what you eat in a little journal or notebook for two weeks. Write it all down and see if it has an impact on your eating behavior and food choices. If so, you’ve taken a huge step in the right direction!