Most powerful weight loss weapon

In my 10+ years as a “food coach,” there is no doubt in my mind that one single tool has the most powerful impact on long-term dietary change: a food diary. I admit, it’s not the freshest or most cutting edge advice, but you hear it over and over again because, well, it works!


A new Kaiser Permanente study involving over 1,600 people (average age 55) in four cities (Portland, Oregon; Baltimore, Maryland; Durham, North Carolina; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana) found that those who kept a food journal 7 days a week lost twice as much weight over 6 months compared to those who weren’t regular recorders (18 pounds vs. 9).


Food diaries are like a nutritional checkbook. Without balancing your checkbook, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of your finances, and the same is true for food. Most Americans overestimate how much they have to “spend” calorie wise, underestimate how much they eat and underestimate the number of calories in lots of foods. Most also overestimate the number of calories they burn when exercising (can you imagine accidentally spending more than you make month after month because you were off in your calculations – yikes!).


But it’s beyond calories. Writing it all down dramatically raises your awareness, and helps you to see the “big picture” of your relationship with food, including not just how much you eat but why, when and how. You’ll probably start seeing patterns you weren’t aware of—patterns that may be holding you back from success. And until you know about and understand them, they’re nearly impossible to change.


Just about every client I’ve ever asked to keep a food journal has been downright surprised by what they’ve learned. Most thought they had a pretty good handle on their habits. I’d hear proclamations like, ‘I always eat breakfast,’ ‘I eat tons of fruit and vegetables,’ or ‘I hardly ever snack,’ but after journaling, they’d find out that their perceptions were pretty far off.


If you’re hesitant, keep in mind that the main goal of a food journal isn’t to police yourself; it’s to learn about yourself. Diaries aren’t meant to make you feel ashamed or scolded. They just help you get to know you, and get real with yourself.


Some people prefer online journals, others love the ritual of handwriting in a bound or spiral book; some people email themselves what they’ve eaten, and others write on scraps of paper or sticky notes and stash them in an envelope. You can use whatever works for you, but if you’re trying to make ANY dietary change, from eating more veggies to not skipping meals to losing or gaining weight, I highly encourage you to give it a try. If you do, please let me know how it goes!