Dear Diary, Did I Eat Too Much?

What do the iVillage Food and Fitness Tracker, FitDay.com, NutraWatch.com and MyPyramidTracker.gov have in common? They're all online food journals that can help you keep track of what you eat, and they're an essential component of any successful weight loss program.

Lose weight

A study involving 2,000 weight loss program participants in Oregon showed that people who kept food records for at least five days each week lost more weight than folks less committed to writing down everything. Keeping a food journal was more predictive of weight loss than exercise habits. But food journals aren't just for weight loss; they're also an essential tool to maintain your new, lighter weight.

Conquer cravings

Keeping track of what, when, where and why you eat is one of the best ways to figure out what's causing your food cravings. Do you crave cookies every afternoon? Find yourself snacking in the evening while watching TV? Or maybe you reach for the ice cream when your kids are driving you up the wall. Writing down what's happening in your life helps identify the cause of cravings. Once you've figured out what's going on, it's much easier to make changes.

Portion control

Did I eat a small apple or a large one? Was that two tablespoons of peanut butter on my sandwich or three? Did I pour one cup of Cheerios into my bowl or two? The difference between a small and large apple is 55 calories, between two and three tablespoons of peanut butter is 8 fat grams and 94 calories, and between one or two cups of Cheerios is 111 calories. Err on the larger side all day, and you'll easily gain weight instead of lose it. If you write down what you eat, however, you'll pay more attention to your portion sizes.

Individualize your plan

Food diaries simplify figuring out what works ‑- and what doesn't ‑- when it comes to your eating habits. It's easy to review your past week's intake or zero in on weekends or figure out the difference between lunch and dinner calories. Research from the National Weight Control Registry shows that just about half of the people who lose weight and keep it off follow a formal weight loss program. But the other half develop their own individualized program, borrowing the best from several different plans to craft something that works for them. Try incorporating a journal into your plan, and make it work for you.

More than just calories

Simply keeping track of what you eat and drink is a huge help in losing weight. But you can take it a step or two further as well. Many online programs make it easy to find out how much fiber you're eating, if your food choices are too high in saturated fat and whether you really need to take supplemental calcium. For some people, just keeping track of the number of servings from the different food groups is a helpful tool. Good health is more than an ideal body weight, and using a comprehensive food diary can help you achieve your nutrition and body-weight goals.

Tips for keeping a food diary

Use the method that makes the most sense for you. If you're on a computer all day, try one of the online methods. People who are constantly on the go may prefer a small notebook. One of my clients uses her cell phone to keep food records. Use what works for you!

Don't delay. Make notes in your food diary as soon as you eat to increase your accuracy.

Remember the extras. Did you have gravy on the mashed potatoes at dinner? Add a sliced banana to your morning bowl of cereal? Put two creamers in your coffee? It all adds up faster than you think.

Every bite ‑- or sip ‑- counts. Eating half of your child's chocolate chip cookie may not sound like much, but it's 50 calories. Ignore these types of munchies two to three times each day, and it adds up to 1,050 calories per week. For some people, this is the difference between losing weight and staying stuck on a plateau.

Bookmark our Food Tracker to journal your water, fruit and veggie, carb, calorie and fat intake. You can also keep track of your cardio and strength training, as well as make notes about why you're eating, what else is going on in your life or anything else that impacts your diet. Knowledge is power!

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