What Are the Benefits of Keeping a Food Journal for Weight Loss?

According to the Mayo Clinic, "The key to successful weight loss is a commitment to making permanent changes in your diet and exercise habits." Dieters who record daily food intake in an online or notebook style journal have a greater chance of weight loss success.

Accountabilty

• Food journals will help identify hidden calories in your diet. Physically writing down everything you eat will let you analyze your eating habits. Simply knowing you will have to write it down may be a deterrent.

Awareness

• Food journals will help identify hidden calories in your diet. Keep notes on reasons for eating: stress, boredom, emotions or hunger.

Online Tools

• Online diet journals are able to compute complex nutritional information, custom nutritional needs, suggested calories counts and chart progress to keep you motivated. Recording your data also allows you to share information and receive support from online weight-loss communities.

Medical Benefits

• Sharing a food journal with your doctor or nutritionist can allow them to suggest modifications or recommend dietary changes to augment your weight loss program.

Activity

• Journals are a great place to record exercises routines or daily activities, and compare them to your caloric intake.