Turns out, this weight loss trick we are about to mention is pretty successful, and well researched. Infact, this tried and tested method has been published in the Obesity journal as the most effective weight loss strategy. And we believe nutritionists would agree! So what does this strategy entail? Read on to find out.
The key to maintaining weight and a healthy lifestyle it turns out is: maintaining a food journal, a task that takes less than 15 minutes a day. It may seem a bit anticlimactic, but this study conducted by the researchers at the University of Vermont, and the University of South Carolina found that people who logged in their food journal more frequently, were more successful at losing weight.
The reason why the act of food-logging works is because it demands self-evaluation and self-monitoring. If you are mentally and physically keeping track of what you are consuming, then you are less likely to overeat, and overindulge yourself. There is a simple way you can also maintain a food journal, and be successful at weight loss. Here are a few tips to maintain a food diary.
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Choose your own method:
You can choose a method that works for you: be it a paper journal, or an app like MyFItnessPal. Anything that you are comfortable with can be your diet diary.
Write it ASAP:
The best way to logging in, and being consistent at it, is to write your food down ASAP. You can log in as you go, or a better method is that you can also plan your day ahead, and then consume accordingly. The latter works to motivate you to eat better as well. While the end of the day logging might be tempting, it is not the most convenient for weight loss because your memory might fail you.
Track how you feel:
Another way to limit your consumption of ‘junk food’ or extra eating, is to jot how you felt before the meal. For instance, you might find that you tend to overeat out of stress before a big work meeting, or that you end up binge eating when watching your favorite show.
Keep check on the extras:
If you add dressing to your salad, or cream in the coffee, then be sure to add this to your journal too. More often than not, we are unaware of these extras, and they cumulatively make a huge number of calories. A simple way is, to measure everything for a while, and then consciously and slowly eliminate them out of your meals.
Be true to yourself:
It might be tempting to forget an extra slice of pizza, or that extra topping you have had, but the idea of a food journal is to be true to yourself, so that you can improve yourself. Nobody is going to judge you for having that extra snack, but be sure to own your eating habits, and only then would you be able to fix them.
If you need more help at losing weight, or a tailored diet chart, then book an appointment with top nutritionists in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT professional for your concerns.
